Zoë Sheng

Chinese-Canadian - 19-Aug-24 -

I only visited the Hojapil State Landscape and Paleontological Sanctuary as far as I know. It's not easy getting around here but dinosaur footsteps are definitely something you can see, and should see. The footprints are big and all over the platform as seen in the pictures. It only takes a few minutes to reach and then you explore as much as you like, even though they are usually the same. A few spots has them in a pattern which is nice. Basically the idea is that the surface was hot or erupting and the stupid pterodactyls still walked around here before it got too bad. Nothing of what I wrote is proofen by what you see and you just have to believe the stories. The dinosaur footprints are definitely the thing to see though.

Other sites here include goat massage (you have to google to understand), virgin caves (you could google to understand but it's better not to), and a waterfall. There are more caves but getting there takes a lot of time and good clearance on your rented car. As you will be driving with a local anyway he will know where to go but he'll be confused if you want to visit some crap the tentative website told you rather than the stuff that's in front of you.

The way to the site includes passing Afghanistan (first time I had seen the other side) and Uzbekistan over the mountains. It's worth look at the pretty scenery as you pass through and swim at the mountain source even if not tentative.

Overall this site was going to get rejected and I think Turkmenistan adding all these sanctuaries is the problem as they are open and not as special as they seem on paper. If it would focus only on the dinosaurs then maybe it has a chance but somehow they aren't a big runner either as serveral sites are tentative for ages and the only inscribed parts are human remains - not dinosaurs.