Run & Brew in Turkmenistan

In collaboration with Mikkeller Running Club, Above Borders has arranged this unique tour to Turkmenistan. In addition to cultural impressions, this tour will give you a unique running experience and you get the opportunity to brew beer in one of the worlds most isolated destinations.

On this tour you will get a chance to meet local Turkmens and experience the country’s authentic culture as we celebrate the national holiday “Akhal Teke,” visit a local brewery and spend the night at ‘Gates of Hell“. Last, but not least, you will be able to run on the famous “Stairs of Health” choosing a distance of either 8, 16 or 33 kilometres. Mikkeller and Above Borders are looking forward to giving you an extraordinary travel experience for life.

Itinerary

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4
• Day 5
• Day 6
• Day 7

We will all meet up in Istanbul Airport. Here, you are introduced to your tour leader and the other travellers attending this tour. After a brief information, we will board the flight to Ashgabat together.

We will land at 2 am in Ashgabat and will be taken to our hotel.

The program starts at 11 am, so we encourage everyone to take a nap when we arrive at the hotel. The day entails a city tour in and around Ashgabat, where we will visit the Independence Park, the UNESCO-site Nissa and the largest (indoor) Ferris wheel in the world..

Today marks a national holiday in Turkmenistan, and we will spend part of the day celebrating something the Turkmen people hold dear in their hearts: the horse. This day is also called “Akhal Teke” which is the name of the most common horse race in Turkmenistan. We have to get up early to go to the horse race. After the race and horse celebrations, we continue to a local brewery where we start brewing beer.

The entire day will be spent at the local brewery, tasting and brewing beer – something that no foreigners have ever done before.

The first part of the programme is allocated to the unique running experience on “Stairs of Health“. You can choose between 8, 16 and 33 km. After the run, we drive directly to Darwaza / Gates of Hell, where we spend the night in traditional yurts.

We start the day with breakfast added the stunning view of the “Gates of Hell”. Hereafter, we drive back to Ashgabat. On the way, we will stop at various craters located in the desert. At Arriving in the capital we finish with a small city tour before we end the day at the hotel

We drive to the airport, where we take the plane to Istanbul at 2:55 am. From here, we part with the group, and from here you can either go back to Denmark or continue your travels to another destination. Now, a unique travel experience richer.

Changes in the programme may occur due to local circumstances. Prior to and during the trip there will be minor adjustments, but we will do everything we can to keep you updated on these. In case something is cancelled, we will find an alternative activity.

Tour leader – Jonas Bang Andersen

In 2015 Jonas did an exchange semester in Seoul. During his exchange, Jonas visited North Korea which lead to the beginning of Above Borders. The many contrasting and thought provoking experiences, woke an interest to explore different and isolated destinations around the world. In the beginning of 2019, Jonas visited Turkmenistan, which shortly after became the second destination of Above Borders. Jonas’ great travel experience is now used being a tour leader on our tours to North Korea and Turkmenistan. He loves to share personal anecdotes from his many tours to the worlds most isolated destinations, and he understand to reflect upon his experiences and question the societies he meets.

The run on “Stairs of Health”

Run 8, 16 or 33 km.

As the first ones in the world, we arrange a run on the famous “Stairs of Health”. Every year, the former president Saparmurat Nijasov, commanded his ministry to walk the 8 km up the stairs. He himself took a helicopter to the top, because of his ill heart. We challenge you to do like the ministers and run the 8 km up the stairs. If you are really tough, you can also choose to run 16 or even 33 km.

Important information

Above Borders is member of the danish travel guarantee fond, member 2943- This is your guarantee that we follow danish law related to group tours. We are always be available if you have any questions and we ensure that we will send you material as preperation for our tour to ensure you are well prepared.