Turkmenistan
Central Asia · TKM
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is a highly distinctive Central Asia trip for travelers drawn to desert landscapes, monumental cities, and Silk Road history. It works best as a tightly structured itinerary around Ashgabat, ancient sites, and the desert rather than a free-form road trip.
Popular For
Things To See
- Ashgabat
- Darvaza Gas Crater
- Merv
- Kunya-Urgench
- Yangykala Canyon
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Spring and fall are the most practical seasons for desert travel.
- Most itineraries are better when kept tightly structured.
- Permits and logistics matter more here than in many neighboring countries.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Turkmenistan.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Turkmenistan Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Turkmenistan.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Ashgabat
- Population
- 7,057,841
- Area
- 488,100 km²
- Region
- Central Asia
Languages
- Russian
- Turkmen
Currency
Turkmenistan manat (m)
TMT
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
32.3
Price level index (US = 100)
Safety & Peace
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Ashgabat (37.95°N, 58.38°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
15/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 2/100
- Lived safety
- 56/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal❌
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.764
High human development
- 5-year change
- +0.029
- 10-year change
- +0.048
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.667
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (5)
- 🏛️
Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor
Inscribed 2023
- 🌿
Cold Winter Deserts of Turan
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Kunya-Urgench
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”
Inscribed 1999
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 4.3%
- Forest cover
- 8.8%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 9
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 19
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
29/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
6/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review with no changes. Exercise normal precautions in Turkmenistan. Please read the country information page for additional information on travel to Turkmenistan. If you decide to travel to Turkmenistan: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Turkmenistan. Prepare a backup plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data