Ancient Merv & the Silk Road
4 days from $980 easy
Four days exploring the UNESCO ruins of Merv — once one of the largest cities on Earth, sacked by Genghis Khan in 1221.
At its 12th-century peak, Merv was arguably the largest city in the world, sitting at the crossroads of the Silk Road. In 1221 the Mongols destroyed it utterly — Persian historians put the death toll at 700,000. The ruins span 1,200 hectares across five distinct city sites, from the Bronze Age citadel of Erk Kala to the Seljuk-era Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum.
Stay in Mary city, day-trip to Merv with a UNESCO-trained archaeologist guide. Optional extension to Gonur Tepe, a Bronze Age palace complex 200 km north.
Highlights
- Two full days at the Merv archaeological park with specialist guide
- Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum (12th century)
- Erk Kala citadel (6th century BC)
- Mary Regional Museum — best Silk Road collection in Central Asia
- Optional add-on: Gonur Tepe Bronze Age site
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