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Voykit pocket guide · Turkmenistan
Geok-tepe
Geok-tepe is a half-day stop from Ashgabat for the fortress and mosque, not an overnight. Go if you have a guided day to spare; skip if your itinerary is tight.
Geok-tepe, 50 km west of Ashgabat, is the site of the Turkmen's last battle against the Russians in 1881. The fortress ruins and the blue-domed Saparmurat Hajji Mosque are the main sights. Most travellers visit as a guided half-day trip from Ashgabat.
- Country
- Turkmenistan
- Best months
- Apr–May, Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TMT
- Money
- Currency is the Turkmen manat (TMT). The official rate and the street rate differ widely: do not change money on the street; ask your operator how to change.
- Daily spend
- Guided half-day trip (from Ashgabat) check (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TMCell (state) sells SIMs to foreigners with a passport; your agency can help.
- Emergency
- Police 102 · Fire 101 · Ambulance 103
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Guide: US$10–20 a day.; Driver: US$5–10 a day.
- Water
- Bottled only.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; basic toilets on the road.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Guided half-day trip from Ashgabat (per person) | check |
| Bottle of water | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ASB · Ashgabat International Airport
- About 50 km (31 mi) east; guided transfer via operatorAbout 31 mi (50 km) east; guided transfer via operator
Typical fares
- Ashgabat → Geok-tepe (guided car)
- about 40 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Guided car or minibus from Ashgabat; no public transport that a foreigner can use independently.
See and do
Known for
- Geok-tepe fortress
- Saparmurat Hajji Mosque
- Remembrance Day (12 January)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ashgabat | Guided car, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Nissa | Guided car via Ashgabat, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Anau | Guided car, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Altin Depe | Guided car, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
Sleep
- Ashgabat
- All accommodation is in Ashgabat; Geok-tepe has no tourist hotels.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salamsalam |
| Thank you | Sag boluňsag bolung |
| How much? | Näçe?nache |
| Yes / No | Hawa / Ýokhawa / yok |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake between men with both hands for elders; avoid: Greeting women with a handshake unless offered
- Public talk: Keep politics out of conversation; avoid: Questions that put your guide at risk
- Home: Shoes off; accept tea; avoid: Stepping on the dastarkhan cloth
Scams and watch-outs
- You need a Turkmen operator to arrange the trip; independent travel is not possible.
- The fortress is a ruin with no shade; bring water and a hat.
- Remembrance Day (12 Jan) is a public holiday; the site may be crowded.
Geok-tepe is safe for guided visitors. The main risks are heat and lack of shade at the fortress.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Geok-tepe yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Geok-tepe fortress
- Saparmurat Hajji Mosque
- Remembrance Day (12 January)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Geok-tepe, revision 4390210 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4390210
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/geok-tepe). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.