Zoë Sheng

Chinese-Canadian - 29-Aug-24 -

Amudarya is closed to Turkmenabad which is one of the two places you would arrive from Uzbekistan. You COULD ask your guide to add this to the travel itinerary because you are almost passing by but there is a good reason you are not: it's closed. I believe the map on Google is just on paper and the actual site is either smaller or bigger, who knows. Either way I didn't see a road sign to say we are going there. The natural reserve pass just means you cannot go in - especially as a tourist. If you would go as a scientist or someone collecting stuffed animals for the many museums in Turkmenistan (shame!) then you might have a chance.

Because of this I mainly drove to the site, according to Google I was within the zone, then took a few pictures and left. I believe the guide wasn't even sure what I wanted or had this "I told you it would be like this" look on this phase. I feel more sorry for the driver needing to go out of the way, spend more time in the car only for me to take these cruddy pictures. Perhaps like the Repetek reserve it is beautiful in summer after the spring rain has all flowers pop up.