Join My Turkmenistan Tour, including the GATES OF HELL BEFORE THEY CLOSE!

I said last year that they're closing the Gates of Hell, step by step. And alas, this year, they had managed to 'switch off' 30% of the burning gas. So be quick and come this year before it's gone forever....

Turkmenistan Tour time! Ever since I first visited Turkmenistan, and made a very shaky youtube video about the Gates of Hell, I've had people email me asking if I could finally organise a onestep4ward trip there, so after waiting for them to be the LAST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD to finally open after COVID, I've been doing that since 2023. And it has been pretty amazing! What can I say? These kinda cool countries attract epic groups of people. So yeah, burning craters, night trains, cheap Russian cognacs, and the trip of a lifetime.

When I did my 'every country in the world' trip, I got rejected multiple times from Turkmenistan. FINALLY, I met a legend who had some contacts and he got me in. I stayed in contact with him, and now we organised a couple of group trips there. And he had a 100% success rate for our visas! So, we're going back, this time for the AUGUST 2027 Turkmenistan tour. JOIN ME!

For hardcore travelers, there are 2 main reasons. It's one of the least visited countries in the world, which is already pretty cool. And then of course, Turkmenistan is famous for their Gates of Hell. And my Turkmenistan tour, of course, focuses on that. But that's not the only reason to visit Turkmenistan. For me there are 3 epic places to visit in this secretive central Asian nation. 

• The Gates of Hell. Come and see them soon! The rumours are that they're due to close it any time!
• Ashgabat, the futuristic capital city. One of the strangest cities in the world. Just wait and see. 
• Yangy Kala Canyon. Central Asia's answer to the grand canyon, and including a cool overnight train to traverse the country, to the coast of the Caspian Sea, to reach it!

There are some other spots around the country that are historic, and hold cultural significance too. But my trips are more focused on crazy adventures so I've tailored this tour to include the 3 coolest places and try to keep the cost, and time, down. I know a lot of the people who travel with me have the same outlook, so I hope this works for all you guys too!

The Derwaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell, is a natural gas field in Turkmenistan that collapsed into an underground cavern in 1971, creating a large crater approximately 70 meters in diameter and 20 meters deep. In an effort to prevent the release of toxic gases, Soviet scientists set the crater on fire, hoping that the gas would burn off within a few weeks. However, the fire has been burning continuously for over 50 years, creating a spectacular and eerie sight that draws visitors from around the world. The area around the crater is now a popular tourist attraction and has been dubbed the "Gates of Hell" due to the infernal flames that never go out.

Don't worry, it's easy. You can fly via lots of places now. Istanbul, Dublin, Bangkok, London and many more.

You're welcome to land any time on Day 1 (or earlier too, i can help with extra hotel nights) and my team will meet you at the airport. If you want to come a day earlier to prepare for the cycle, that's fine too. Let me know in advance so I can organise the permits, the hotel and the airport transfer. It's about an additional $100-$150 for all that. 

Also, don't worry, my team will be there with airport pick-ups, regardless what time you arrive!

Safe doesn't even come close. I'll avoid getting political as the permits are hard enough to get, but let's just say everyone obeys the law in Turkmenistan, and leave it at that. As we say in Ireland, "safe as houses"

Arrive anytime on Day 1. My team will pick you up from the airport, and you'll be in the hotel within 15 minutes of meeting our team. Many flights arrive in the middle of the night (for example, on August 10th at 2am), that's fine too. The trip briefing will be at 9am on the morning of August 10th.

For anyone already safely in Ashgabat, there'll be a group dinner and drinks that night.

We'll have a morning briefing, then a quick morning Ashgabat city tour, before we transfer to the main event the Darwaza Crater AKA the Gates of Hell!

270KM through the Turkmeni desert, the Central Karakum Sands, in our private 4WD vehicles. We will arrive at the ancient Unguz line of the desert where we'll explore the various craters. One full of water, one full of mud, then we'll make our way before sunset to the fiery crater. 

We'll pitch up, maybe have smuggled a bottle or 2 to share, and enjoy sunset at one of the world's most unique destinations, the Gates to Hell. We'll camp here all night, so bring warm clothes!

• YOU'LL MEET THE CYCLISTS HERE (the pyschos that arrived a day early to cycle to the Gates, rather than drive!)

Brekkie in the desert. Then we drive back to Ashgabat.

Our friends at our Ashgabat hotel from the day before kindly allow us to use their facilities to clean up after a night of camping. Hot showers, a gym/pool if you want, even a sauna. Manage your expectations here though, the hotel hasn't been upgraded since about 1950!

Then we have a civilised lunch spot (with real coffee!), before we'll then head to the train station for one of my favourite things to do in unique countries, an overnight train across the whole country towards Turkmenbashi. 

We'll wake up in Turkmenbashy and have a short sightseeing tour where you'll get a chance to have your first sight of the Caspian Sea. 

We'll then hop back in 4WD vehicles and make our way to Central Asia's proud answer to the Grand Canyon, Yangy Kala. This canyon was the former floor of the Tethys sea, and over time, millions of years created the current 'design' of unusual forms and multicolor pictures. We'll chill here for a bit, soak up just where in the world we are, before we head back to Turkmenbashi to overnight in our Caspian Sea resort. 

Back to the airport folks (god it feels like we live in these places!). We fly back to Ashgabat, check out the city properly, then we check into our hotels once more. 

We have another city tour to properly explore the city, including the iconic Ferris Wheel. 

Then this evening we'll have an dinner at the cities best restaurant, where we'll have a chance to see Ashgabat by night. Overnight at the hotel.

We're out of here in the morning. Or more probably, we all left at 2am with these brutal flight times! We'll be in touch about plans for that.

Now...  Venezuela in 2 weeks anyone? I'm running a trip there next!