From... A Hidden Culture Reveals Itself

  Here is some information to guide you through your adventures in Turkmenistan.

Note: It is important to travel with major foreign currency (Euro, Pound, Dollar) since most hotels and travel agencies are still working on getting together an infrastructure that would be able to accept credit cards.

Currency & Exchange Rate:

$1.00 = 5,200.05 TMM (Manats)

Museums, Historic Sites and Places of Interest:

Turkmen History Museum 

Address: 1 Shevchenko Street, Ashgabat

Hours: Daily 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed Monday

Entry Fees: 10,000 manats (US$2)

Tel: 993-12-35-45-54; 35-51-38

Museum of Fine Arts    

Address: 84 Mahktumguli Prospect, Ashgabat

Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:30pm closed Tuesdays

Entry Fee: 5,000 manats (US$1)

Gallery Shop:

Address: 33 Zhitnikova Street, Ashgabat

Hours: Daily 10:00 to 6:00pm

Carpet Factory

Address: 23 Liebknecht Street, Ashgabat

Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed from 1:00 to 2:00 pm for lunch

Carpet Museum

Address: 5 Gorogly Street, Ashgabat

Hours: Daily 10:00 am to 6:00pm, closed for lunch between 1:00         and 2:00pm closed Sundays

 Entry Fees: 25,000 manats (US$5)

Historical Site of NISA

Located in the Akhal velayat, settlement of Bagyr (30 mintes by         car from Ashgabat) 

Hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, closed Tuesdays

Entry Fee: 5,000 manats (US$1)

Geok-Depe Fortress

Located in the Akhal velayat, town of Geok-depe (40 minutes by         car from Ashgabat) 

Tel: 99-3132-23-24

Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm

Abiverd

Located in the Akhal velayat, village of Sarakhs (4.5 hours by car

from Ashgabat)

Tel: 993-134-2-14-44

Mary Historical site and ethnographical museum

Located in the city of Mary at 1 Komsomolskaya Street (5 hours         by car from Ashgabat)

Tel: (37022) 3-27-22

Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm

Mary Historical site "Ancient Merv"

Located about 1 hour by car from the city of Mary 

Tel: (37064) 2-22-17

NOTE: English speaking guide is available at the Mary Historical         Museum.

Charjou Historical and Ethnographical Museum

 Located in the city of Charjou (7 hours by car from Ashgabat) on

35 Shaidjanov Street

Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm, closed Mondays

Tel: (993-422) 4-80-79.

Kerki

Located 3 hours by car from Charjou

Tel: (993-444) 22-98. 

Ethnographical Museum Turkmenbashi

Located at 2 Magtymova Street, Turkmenistanbashi (about a 7         hour drive by car from Ashgabat)

Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00 pm, closed Mondays. 

Tel: (993-222) 7-62-13

Dekhistan

Located in the Kizilatrek region, village of Madau (about 7 hours by     car from Ashgabat)

Tel: (432-42-1-34)

Keneurgench

 Located at 79 Moskovskaya Street, city of Keneurgench in the         Dashhouz velayat (8 hours by car from Ashgabat)

Tel: (360-47) 2-10-08

Holidays In Turkmenistan 

New Year - January 1 

Memory Day - January 12 

Ramadan - January 30 

National Flag Day - February 19 

International Women's Day - March 8 

Novruz-Bairam (religious) - March 21 

Drop of Water is a Grain of Gold Holiday - April 6 

Horse Day - April 27 

Victory Day - May 9 

Revival and Unity Day - May 18 

Holiday of Poetry of Magtymguli - May 19 

Carpet Day - May 25 

Kurban-Bairam (religious) - one day a year (refer to Muslim                 calendar) 

Ramadan-Bairam (religious) - one day a year (refer to Muslim             calendar) 

Day of election of first President - June 21 

Turkmen Melon Holiday - July 10 

Turkmen Bakhsi Holiday - July 14 

Remembrance Day - October 6 

Independence Day - October 27-28 

Student Youth Day - November 17 

Harvest Holiday/Bread Day - November 30 

Good Neighborliness - December 7 

Day of Neutrality - December 1