Turkmenistan: The Legend of Fire Horse

Meet at 19:00 at Suvarnabhumi Airport, 4th floor, Mahan Air counters. Flight W5050 departs at 22:30 for Imam Khomeini International Airport (about 7 hours 20 minutes), arriving at 02:10 (Iran is 3.5 hours behind Thailand). Rest at an airport hotel.

Visit the Imam Khomeini Tomb, the Toghrol Tower (a Seljuk-era round tower over 700 years old), Rey Castle (a defensive wall more than 4,000 years old, with the Fath Ali Shah rock relief below it) and the National Museum of Iran, with about 300,000 objects from ancient Iran to the Islamic era. Fly Mehrabad to Mashhad on W5 1037 at 20:40, arriving 22:20.

Visit the Imam Reza Shrine Complex, which holds the remains of Imam Reza, one of the Twelve Imams of Shia Islam; it is one of the largest mosque complexes in the world and Iran's most important pilgrimage site, and includes the Gowhar Shad Mosque. Then see the Tomb of Nader Shah, founder of the Afsharid dynasty, nicknamed the Napoleon of Persia.

Drive 220 km (about 3.5 hours) to Bajgiran and cross the Iran – Turkmenistan border (Turkmenistan is 2 hours behind Thailand), then 50 km (about 1 hour) to Ashgabat. Visit the National Museum (over 500,000 artefacts, including Buddhist objects), see Independence Park and Monument, inspired by Turkmen tents and hats, from outside, the Ertogrul Ghazi Mosque, tomb of the father of Osman, with four minarets, and the Arch of Neutrality from outside.

Visit Gyz Kala, an ancient fortress from the 6th - 7th centuries with corrugated walls and small hidden windows, then the ancient city of Merv, a key Silk Road stop that was once the largest city in the world (UNESCO World Heritage). See the Complex of Askhabs, Erk Gala (Merv's oldest Persian fortress, 25 - 28 m high), the Hoja Yusup Hamadani Complex and the Mausoleum of the Seljuk Sultan Sanjar. Fly Mary to Ashgabat on T5 130 at 19:35, arriving 20:15.

Visit the Ashgabat hippodrome (90 hectares) and see Akhal-Teke horses, one of the oldest, rarest and most expensive horse breeds in the world. Drive 270 km (about 4 hours) to Darvaza in the Karakum Desert, stopping at the mud and water craters with bubbling natural gas. See the Darvaza Gas Crater, the Gateway to Hell, which has burned for more than 30 years after being lit to stop a toxic gas release. Enjoy a barbecue dinner and the sunset.

Drive 270 km (about 4.5 hours) to Kunya-Urgench, a Silk Road trading city since the 8th century and a UNESCO World Heritage site. See the Portal of Caravansarai, the Minaret of Mamun, the Mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh of Khwarazm, the Kutlug Timur Minaret (the tallest in Central Asia) and the Turabek Hanum Mausoleum. Then drive 100 km (about 2 hours) to Dashoguz.

Drive 120 km (about 2 hours) across the Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan border, then 35 km to Khiva. Explore Ichan-Kala, the UNESCO-listed inner fortress, including the Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasah, the Kalta Minor minaret, the Kunya-Ark fortress, the prison museum, the Juma Mosque (212 carved wooden columns), the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, the Shergazi Khan Madrasah, the 56 m Islam Khoja Minaret and the Allakuli Khan Madrasah and Caravanserai. Fly Urgench to Tashkent on HY 54 at 20:20, arriving 21:40.

Visit the Hazrati Imam Complex, centred on the Hazrati Imam Mosque of brick, ceramics and turquoise domes; Chorsu Bazaar in the old town; the State Museum of History with more than 250,000 items; Amir Temur Square; and the Tashkent Metro, the first in Central Asia. Flight HY 531 departs at 23:15 for Bangkok.

Arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 07:25.