When to go
The best times to visit Turkmenistan are
spring and autumn in order to avoid the extreme temperatures typical of the country, and in particular, the months of April and October, bearing in mind that in any case it can get cold at night, especially in the north, and hot during the day, especially in the south.
In the capital and in the south, where the hot season is longer, you can choose the periods from mid-March to mid-April and from mid-October to mid-November.
What to pack
In
winter: in Ashgabat and in the central and southern main cities, pack warm clothing, a sweater, a down jacket, a scarf for the wind, being ready to remove the outer layer in mild days, but also to wear warmer clothes during cold waves, such as a parka, a fur hat, a scarf, and gloves. In the far north, in Dashoguz and Lake Sarygamysh, very warm clothes are almost always necessary.
In
summer: pack lightweight clothes, loose-fitting and made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a sun hat, a desert turban, a sweatshirt for the evening, and a light sweatshirt for the breeze on the Caspian Sea shores. For the mountains, pack light clothes for the day, a sun hat, a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the evening, and hiking shoes; for the summit of mount Aýrybaba, a sweater and a jacket for the evening.
It's better for
women to avoid shorts and miniskirts.
Back to the climate of
Turkmenistan