Turkmenistan > Swimming in an underground cave

I didn’t sleep very well during the night. The wind made it a restless night. I freshened up with some water from the bottle, break down the tent, and by half past seven everything is packed back into the car. We drive back toward Balkanabat. While Chamrat tries to steer the car over the bumpy road, I try to close my eyes for a bit. This proves difficult. Just after eleven o’clock, we drive back onto the hotel grounds in Balkanabat. We transfer the camping gear back into our own car and order lunch at the hotel. Meanwhile, the formal tourist registration for the Turkmen government is arranged.

Turkmenistan - Camping near Yangykala Canyon

Every tourist must be formally registered within three days. I receive a registration confirmation, which I will need to show when leaving the country. Afterwards, we set off for Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. The distance to Ashgabat is 440 kilometers—a considerable stretch. Fortunately, the highway is in good condition. Roadworks are ongoing here as well. For kilometers, traffic drives on just one lane. Even outside the work zones, drivers use the other half of the road if the asphalt is better. The landscape is dry and sandy. Occasionally, a herd of camels or goats stands along the roadside. In the distance, the mountains mark the border with Iran. Police checkpoints appear regularly.

Turkmenistan - Swimming in the underground lake at Kow Ata

Often we are allowed to continue driving, but twice we are pulled aside. Officers walk around the car, asking for money or cigarettes. When we don’t understand, they let us go. Our guide also handles much of this on our behalf, though we have no idea exactly what he does. Perhaps he gives them money? At railway crossings, stop signs are strictly enforced. All cars come to a full stop, fearing a fine. Earlier, Chamrat had already polished his vehicle. Dirty cars can receive fines in Ashgabat, though he assured us this does not apply to tourist vehicles. Brutus has become quite dirty after driving through the desert. By late afternoon, we approach the capital. At Köw Ata, we want to see the underground lake. This raises some questions. Chamrat must call Antonina. It turns out the site closes at six o’clock, which is about now. We quickly drive to the entrance. Chamrat manages to convince the man to let us in for a short visit. For a relatively high entrance fee of ten dollars, we descend the stairs into the cave. At 75 meters deep lies a small lake in the grotto. The water is always 36 degrees Celsius. We plunge into the water inside the cave. What a unique location to swim. Due to the sulfur in the water and in the cave, it is advised not to stay inside too long. Also, because the staff wants to close, we quickly exit. From here, it’s about an hour’s drive to Ashgabat. We stay overnight in the hotel district of Berzengi. Along the way, we pass the airport. From this point, all buildings are clad in white marble. The former leader, Turkmenbashi, was the founder of modern Ashgabat. He wanted all buildings in the city to be constructed from white marble, using Turkmenistan’s gas and oil revenues. The streetscape immediately stands out as we enter the city. It’s just turned evening; the sun disappears behind the horizon. Even the Azia Hotel is built from white marble. The hotel is part of a row of hotels just outside the city center. It’s too late to take a taxi into the center, so we decide to have dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.