Between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, part of Kazakhstan and Iran is located Turkmenistan, a country of about 480,000 square kilometers where just over 6.5 million people live. Among the countries with fewer tourists in the world, receives around 10,000 people a year—just over 8,000 in 2007; more than 14,000 in 2019, according to different sources—although the figures are difficult to confirm, taking into account that the official website of the Turkmen Ministry of Tourism does not work, as is the case with other sites institutional.
In the last program Special Envoy, ‘The gas regime’a team of journalists travels to the Central Asian country and there they verify that the streets of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, are practically empty. There is also the monument to Independence, in a huge square in the city, where no one can be seen. “In the afternoon, there are a lot of people here,” explains the translator to Jalis de la Serna’s team. “In 2018, we had a total of 150 foreigners,” he adds, regretting how little information there is about the country. ““People don’t know what to expect from Turkmenistan.”he explains, defining it as a “very beautiful” and “calm” country that “lacks publicity.”
But can a traveler carry his backpack on his back and take a trip to this country? Not without certain difficulties. If you do a quick search on the internet, you can see that, unlike what happens with other destinations, such as North Korea, there is the possibility of buying a ticket to Turkmenistan —There are no direct flights between Spain and Turkmenistan, but a flight between Madrid and Ashgabat, for example, can range between 1,000 and 1,500 euros. Now to enter the country it is mandatory to have a visaand here the difficulties begin.
In Spain there is no Turkmen embassy —and for Spaniards the Russian embassy operates there, in Moscow—nor are there any accredited consulates, so you have to go to the nearest diplomatic legations: Paris, Rome or London. Although Portugal does have an accredited Turkmen ambassador, his residence is in the capital of France. The Spanish Foreign Ministry explains that although “it is possible to obtain a 10-day visa at the consular office at the Ashgabat international airport”, to do so it is necessary to have an “invitation legalized (original and copy) by the Turkmen authorities.” “Actually, this is practically impossible because the airlines do not accept any passenger bound for Turkmenistan who does not have the corresponding visa,” they point out.
Looking for a visa to Turkmenistan
Visas (and invitations) are the responsibility of the State Immigration Service and to be able to enter the country you need one of the two: the visa can be obtained at hire a tourist package from a specialized agency; the invitation, through “an individual, a company or an official Turkmen institution.” In this scenario, the visa is presented as the most feasible option. The first thing is, therefore, to locate a travel agency that works with Turkmenistan – on the website of the Turkmen Embassy in London, for example, they have a list with their 17 options, all of them based in the Turkmen capital – so that they can manage the invitation letter that It then serves as a basis for the Embassy to issue the visa..
But in addition to this invitation letter, it is necessary to fill out a form with personal information (including profession and marital status) and present it along with a recent photograph, a copy of the passport valid for at least six months and proof of visa fee payment (in London it is $50 for a single-entry visa for 10 days, plus $15 for administration fees, all paid in pounds sterling) and, only if you want to receive the passport at home, a self-addressed, stamped envelope (or prepaid shipping) so you can send it.
All of this, they point out, takes about 10 days to process, although if you pay a little more you can obtain the visa in about three days. Of course, at least from the Turkmen Embassy in London they point out that Visa applications must be submitted “in person” in the consular section of the legation.
From the International University Center for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CUNEAC) they add to these requirements the presentation of documentation of the contracted travel insurance for the trip, although in Foreign Affairs it does not appear as an essential requirement. Of course, what Foreign Affairs does recommend is to apply for the visa some time in advance, because its granting can “take between three and four weeks.”
Now, to be able to visit Turkmenistan ‘on your own’, until before the pandemic, it was necessary a transit visa: the cost is 10 dollars, it is presented in the same place and in addition to all the information required for the visa, it is essential to present the exact dates of arrival and departure from the country, with a maximum of five days of transit, and a detailed route indicating the bordering cities (entry and exit points). The transit visa requires that entry and exit be through different points, although just because you apply for it, it is not always accepted. Between 2015 and 2018, the rejection rate for transit visas was 50%, according to ‘Caravanistan’. In this same blog they assure that although the borders have been reopened after the pandemic, transit visas are still not issued.
Mandatory guide at all times?
From Foreign Affairs they recall that tourism is “little developed” in Turkmenistan and point out that although it is “You can travel outside the capital without a guide“, it is “strongly” recommended to use the services of a travel agency and stay in hotels. However, many of the specialized agencies insist that It is mandatory to be with a tour guide at all times with licence. The tour operator Advantour, specialized in the Silk Road countries, assures that “independent trips are not allowed” in the country, so the traveler must be accompanied “at almost all times” by an authorized guide.
“Most of these companions truly serve as an invaluable bridge to culture, a skilled interpreter and an experienced guide through infinite nature” which, they say, is the main danger for tourists, especially heat and wildlife, more than “human criminal acts.” From Saiga Tours they explain that every tourist must have a tour operator who is responsible of the. “In Ashgabat it is not necessary for the guide to be physically with you, but outside the capital the guide must accompany you,” they explain.
Andre and Lisa, travelers and authors of the travel blog ‘We will nomads’ maintain that although “tourism is welcome”, the requirement of these quite expensive guided tours is the main obstacle when traveling to Turkmenistan, along with to the continued presence of police and military who “monitor” each of the movements from tourists and prohibit photographing even mundane objects. All this “makes Turkmenistan the least friendly of the ‘istans’.”
Turkmenistan hotels, without the possibility of online reservation
The hotel with the most reviews on Tripadvisor, for example, does not reach 300, and does not have very high scores. The best rated, a five-star spa hotel, has just over 200 reviews. In neither case is it possible to know the price or availability without contacting the establishment directly. The price of the rooms is quite European; It is possible to find beds in hostels for about $10 a night, but rooms range from $70 to $150 a night.
But the truth is that with a tourist visa, you don’t book any hotel, the tour operator does it. In fact, most hotels do not have a reservation option. on-line, as explained by Steven and Saule, the couple behind the blog ‘Caravanistan’, with travel information from several countries in Central Asia and the Silk Road. ‘Coachsurfing’ – shared accommodation – “is probably illegal in Turkmenistan”, they explain on their blog, and in the unlikely event of knowing someone in the country who can offer accommodation, they recommend not doing it or doing it in a very limited way. “Remember that they are being watched and you can cause serious problems, and also for the operator responsible for the tourist.”
Turkmenistan’s “forbidden zones”
Regarding travel restrictions, Saiga Tours assures that there are “really” no restrictions as such. Although, they clarify, “as in most countries”, you cannot visit military bases or other government facilities, in addition to the fact that there are “restrictions on the border.” However, from Foreign Affairs they remember that yes There are “restricted access areas for foreigners”. Neither the capital, nor the port of Turkmenbashi (on the Caspian coast) nor the ancient city of Merv (Mary) are within these restricted zones, as are the borders with Iran, Uzbekistan or Afghanistan and other areas of the coast. of the Caspian.
Also It is prohibited to visit the city of Daşoguz, near the border with Uzbekistan, about 100 kilometers from where the Kunya-Urgench complex is located, an impressive space with mausoleums, mosques and fortresses of Islamic architecture declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. Also in Daşoguz there is a women’s prison built during the times of the USSR which, according to the UN, already housed more than 2,000 women in 2010, although it is designed to hold about a thousand women.
Yes indeed, a thousand eyes are continually watching the movements of anyone anywhere, in addition to the fact that in many spaces, even in places like the capital, taking photographs is prohibited.
The tourist candies of Turkmenistan
One of the best-selling tourist attractions in Turkmenistan is known as ‘Hell’s doors‘. This is the Darwaza gas crater, located in the Karakum Desert about 260 kilometers north of the capital. If you have managed to enter the country as a tourist by purchasing a tourist package, it is quite likely that you will be able to visit this crater, which until not long ago had been completely neglected by the Government. If the contracted package already comes with a visit included, that’s it; If not, you can always check out some other service to visit ‘The Gates of Hell’, although the minimum price is about 150 dollars per day (and they recommend sleeping there, to enjoy the crater at night).
Another of the essential visits, according to all the tour operators that work in the region, is the visit to the Kunya-Urgench complex which, as part of an organized trip, can cost about $500. Also in the capital of Turkmenistan there are some recommended places to visit, such as the largest covered ferris wheel in the world —which the Special Envoy team could not enter—, with one of the many Guinness Records that the city holds: in addition to the Ferris wheel, they have the largest architectural star in the world (on the outskirts of the city), the building larger horse-shaped or largest number of white marble buildings.
Source: Lasexta
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
