Turkmenistan / Türkmenistan – Let’s explore here
Turkmenistan is a very hot and dry, landlocked desert country in central Asia. It has a very long, rich and interesting history. In former times it was a major trading and stopping point for those on the Silk Road. Its neighbours include Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan. In summer it reaches very high temperatures, be aware!
What currency do they use in Turkmenistan?
In Turkmenistan they use the Turkmenistani mana. Cash is widely used. The use of credit / debit cards is not widely accepted outside of the capital, Ashgabat. Traveller’s cheques are not accepted at banks. There are a few ATMs in all major cities now and in some towns, however foreign issued cards are not accepted. Dollars and sometimes Euros can be accepted for many purchases.
You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.
What language do they speak in Turkmenistan?
They speak Turkmen in Turkmenistan, and many also speak Russian in Ashgabat. English is not widely spoken outside of, or even inside the capital.
What time zone is Turkmenistan in?
Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.
Do I need a visa to visit Turkmenistan?
We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!
What’s it like to drive in Turkmenistan?
We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂
Current travels
Due to the land border issue in Azerbaijan (see our blog), it’s unsure whether we will visit the Stans in the short term. It may be that we visit them from the other direction (i.e. from China), once we’ve travelled up through the Americas. As such, we do not have a defined itinerary for visiting Turkmenistan.
However, if the land border does open, we hope to travel across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and back through Kazakhstan. Hopefully this journey will improve our knowledge of this intriguing and beautiful country, and enable us to meet some interesting people. We’ll be updating this page at that time – don’t forget to check back 🙂
Is wild camping legal in Turkmenistan?
Yes, wild camping is fine in Turkmenistan.
If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know!
And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!