70% of Turkmenistan is made up of the Karakum desert which is a very inhospitable place however there are many incredible attractions such as the ancient city ruins of Gonur Tepe or the Darvaza gas craters which have been burning since the 70s, dubbed the gates of hell. The country is full of incredible buildings from the Timur era which are spread all over the region including many surrounding countries.

Travelling info

All visitors travelling to Turkmenistan are required to have a valid passport and all are required to obtain a visa. Turkmenistan heavily regulates who can enter the country with a lot of odd laws regarding tourists. Tourists may only apply for a visa in a Turkmeni consulate or an embassy and obtain in on the airport in Ashgabat or the Turkmen land border at Farab (Bukhara, Uzbekistan), Shavat (Khiva, Uzbekistan), Khojeli (Nukus, Uzbekistan), Gaudan (Bajgiran, Mashhad, Iran), Bekdash (Aktau, Kazakhstan). Visa is not issued at the land borders of Serakhs (Iran), Serhetabat (Afghanistan) and Turkmenbashi (the Caspian Sea Port). Tourists must know that leaving Ashgabat without the company of an assigned guide is illegal. The guide also has to be fed at the expense of the tourist which costs roughly 30 to 50 USD per day. There is also a tourist tax of 2 USD per day which is included in the hotel bill. There are several regions in Turkmenistan that have been declared as restricted areas. These are the areas surrounding the Caspian Coast, the borders with Iran, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan and the Dashoguz region. In order to enter these areas, tourists must receive permission from the Turkmen government which usually takes about 10 days to approve. Tourists who travel as unmarried couples will not be allowed to share the same hotel room. Tourists who wish to drive in Turkmenistan are required to have a national driving permit and an international driving permit. An IDP can only be obtained in the tourists country of origin. Beware that an IDP does not substitute for the original driving permit and is only a translation of it. Both documents must be with the driver at all times.

Travelling hazards

Road conditions in Turkmenistan make driving difficult and sometimes dangerous. Most roads outside of major cities are narrow, riddled with potholes, unlit at night, and without proper road signs. Frequent construction projects, dilapidated roads, unlighted highways, and camel crossings all present particularly unique challenges to drivers used to U.S. or European roadways. Driving at night on these roads should be avoided. City roads are better in comparison to rural routes but may be hazardous due to potholes, uncovered manholes, poor lighting, and heavy pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians frequently cross against traffic and create dangerous conditions. Traffic accidents involving serious injury to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians are common. If you drive in Turkmenistan, you will need to drive defensively and use an abundance of caution. Drivers pay little attention to lanes and other road markings, with weaving and sudden lane changes a common occurrence. Drivers will often encounter cars going the wrong way on one-way streets or divided highways. Cars also frequently make left-turns from the right lane and vice-versa. Pedestrians regularly walk or stand in the middle of busy streets during the day and night, often without paying attention to oncoming traffic.

Environmental hazards

Turkmenistan is a vast country however most of it is uninhabited by people or any dangerous animals due to the hostile conditions of the Karakum desert which covers 70% of the country and is inhabited by only the most resilient of animals. Rest of the country which is less hostile to life is inhabited by various animals, some of which may be dangerous for people. There is a steady population of brown bears and wolves in the country. Both of these animals are rarely seen however encountering one up close may be very dangerous or even life-threatening. Although bears and wolves generally avoid people, most confrontations occur between farmers and these predators preying on livestock. Hikers are unlikely to come across any of these as they are accompanied by mandatory guides outside of Ashgabat. There are two venomous snakes in Turkmenistan which can bite humans fatally. The Caspian Kobra and the Karaganda pit viper. Although fatality rate is low, being bitten by any of these snakes, a far distance from any hospitals might be deadly due to the inefficiency of emergency services. Turkmenistan is technically a landlocked country despite having access to the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea, however, is a landlocked sea without access to the international waters. Turkmenistan is located in an active seismic zone. Earth tremors can occur and there is a possibility of earthquakes. Only in the recent history of the country, an earthquake has completely levelled the countries capital.

Health hazards

There are no outbreaks of any diseases currently in Turkmenistan. There are however several vaccinations which are recommended to ensure a safe journey. These are the routine vaccines also known as MMR vaccines, hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccines. Public healthcare in Turkmenistan is almost exclusive to the capital city, at one point all medical facilities outside of the capital were closed and all its workers fired. Although the situation has changed recently, most hospitals lack supplies and modern training as well as modern equipment. Only recently physicians were allowed to provide private services.
In case of an emergency dial 03.

Crime

The government of Turkmenistan does not publish official statistics and instead declares a state with no crime at all. All the data is made up of the reports of tourists. The city’s fourth, fifth, and sixth districts and Koshi, Hitrovka, and Gazha are known to have higher, but not high, rates of crime. Crimes of opportunity against foreigners do occur. Petty thieves tend to operate on buses during rush hour and in crowded environments (bazaars). Well dressed foreigners, especially those driving cars with commercially or diplomatically accredited license plates (yellow and blue, respectively), are often targeted. The threat of residential break-ins and burglaries is high, especially for local nationals, as they generally keep large amounts of cash at home. Even though burglaries against the expatriate community are rare, good residential security measures are recommended. The main crimes are fraud, bribery, and institutional corruption. Unofficial sources claim that the murder rate in Ashgabat is about one per week. Violent crimes are often linked to the trade or use of narcotics and tend to involve the local population. Homosexuality in the country is illegal. Beware of being approached by prostitutes in the country as police will arrest you for solely being in their company. Narcotics of any kind are illegal and highly punishable. Beware that the local police is corrupt and may demand bribes from wealthy looking tourists. The police can legally search for you anytime. Be careful and do not let the officers reach into your pockets as there have been instances of police planting drugs in tourists pockets.

Summary

Unsurprisingly Turkmenistan is not the most popular spot as it is considered the last police state in central Asia and compared by many to the North Korean state as similarly tourists are assigned permanent guides and most hotel rooms are wired. Internet is also extremely limited and strictly controlled with only 4 internet cafes (a relic of the past) existing in Ashgabat. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://www.advantour.com/turkmenistan/visa.htm
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/turkmenistan