Name: 2026 Highway to HELL UltraCycle Gates of Hell, Turkmenistan
Start: 2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2026-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Turkmenistan

John Ward

Email address verified

27 reviews

Oct 4 - 8, 2026

Group size: 1 - 18

2026 Highway to HELL UltraCycle Gates of Hell, Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan

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John Ward

Email address verified

27 reviews

Oct 4 - 8, 2026

Group size: 1 - 18

Letter of Invitation
And all help with the visa, so you can get it when you land in the airport
All transport
Includes buses, over night trains, and even a domestic flight!
Local guide
Artem, my buddy from my first time here
Night train
Ashgabat to Turkmenabashi sleeper train
Domestic flight
The train one-way will be enough, we're cheating on the way back.
All accomodation
It can be a little rough and ready but it's in hotels
Camping
One night by the crater (tents and sleeping bags provided)

NIGHT-TRAIN AND CASPIAN SEA ADD ON

$779

Single Supplement

$349

Bicycle Rental

$249

Night of 3rd October

$90

Night of 10th October

$200

Night of October 2nd

$90

DAY 1 (October 4, 2026)
DAY 1 (October 4, 2026)
Arrive in Turkmenistan
You can arrive anytime on Sunday October 4th. Ideally early so you can prep and be ready for Day 1 of the cycle tomorrow.

If you need to come one day early, that's possible too. Message me and I can help organise. I recommend that to be honest so you're super organised for cycle day 1!
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DAY 2
DAY 2
Day 1 of the HIGHWAY TO HELL ULTRACYCLE
Early start folks. We have 100 miles/150km to get through today. So quick brekkie and then to the support cars.

They'll drive us to the start-point, AND WE'RE OFF!

Sometime between 5-15 hours later we'll reach our 150km mark, where tents and dinner is awaiting us. Time to rest that ass. One more BIG day tomorrow.
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DAY 3
DAY 3
Second and FINAL day of the HIGHWAY TO HELL Ultracycle
Ooooph, how's that ass today? Not great!

And the sunburn? Dehydration? Hunger? Weary limbs? Yeah I thought so. What a way to spend a so-called holiday eh?!

Anyway, today you are officially an actual LEGEND! We did it. 200 miles/300km. On a sh*tty bike, on an awful service. And you're greeted at the Gates of Hell. Burning in your honour. A night in tents, with some booze and new friends, is just what the doctor ordered. Well done folks.
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DAY 4 - OPTIONAL ADD-ON?
DAY 4 - OPTIONAL ADD-ON?
Recovery (or hangover), and back to Ashgabat.
Brekkie in the desert. Then we drive back to Ashgabat.

And the next bit is in your hands. Either tonight is your last night. We get back to the Ashgabat hotel, and have a city tour. And then your last night in Turkmenistan before your flight home tomorrow, complete with medal and memories.

ADD-ON OPTION:
Or.... you may want to extend your trip with me as I take an old Soviet Russian nighttrain across the country to the Caspian Sea.

If you take the optional extension, in that case....

Our friends at our Ashgabat hotel from the day before kindly allow us to use their facilities to clean up after a night of camping. Hot showers, a gym/pool if you want, even a sauna. Manage your expectations here though, the hotel hasn't been upgraded since about 1950!
Then we have a civilised lunch spot (with real coffee!), before we'll then head to the train station for one of my favourite things to do in unique countries, an overnight train across the whole country towards Turkmenbashi.
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DAY 5 (OPTIONAL ADD-ON)
DAY 5 (OPTIONAL ADD-ON)
Yangy Kala
We'll wake up in Turkmenbashy and have a short sightseeing tour where you'll get a chance to have your first sight of the Caspian Sea.

We'll then hop back in 4WD vehicles and make our way to Central Asia's proud answer to the Grand Canyon, Yangy Kala. This canyon was the former floor of the Tethys sea, and over time, millions of years created the current 'design' of unusual forms and multicolor pictures. We'll chill here for a bit, soak up just where in the world we are, before we head back to Turkmenbashi to overnight in our Caspian Sea resort.
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DAY 6 (OPTIONAL ADD-ON)
DAY 6 (OPTIONAL ADD-ON)
Ashgabat by night
Back to the airport folks (god it feels like we live in these places!). We fly back to Ashgabat, check out the UNESCO world heritage site of Nisa Fortress, then we check into our hotels once more.

We have another city tour to properly explore the city, including the iconic Ferris Wheel.

Then this evening we'll have an dinner at the cities best restaurant, where we'll have a chance to see Ashgabat by night as we drive there. Overnight at the hotel.
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DAY 7 (OPTIONAL ADD-ON)
DAY 7 (OPTIONAL ADD-ON)
Done and dusted. Mauritania Ultramarathon anyone?!
We're out of here. Or more probably, we all left at 2am the day before! We'll be in touch about plans for that.

Now... Mauritania anyone?! I'm runnning my yearly 'Eye of the Sahara Ultramarathon in November'. You're already in great shape from this, come suffer with us one more time! (DISCOUNT IF YOU SIGN-UP FOR BOOOOOTH!)
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DAY 1 (October 4, 2026)

Arrive in Turkmenistan

I’m not usually a fan of group travel but necessary for a country like Turkmenistan! The tour was really well organized and I liked the style of travel. Good mix of hotels and roughing it. Our local tour guide was excellent and always on hand. Group was a fun bunch of like minded travelers up for adventure. Would recommend Johnnys tours!

By Geraldine C for Turkmenistan (and the Gates of Hell) on Aug 30, 2025

Fantastic experience in a truly unique location. Would travel again without any reservations or hesitation. Came for the stories which I received in spades and met fantastic people along the way. Loved every bit of the experience.

By Joel W for Highway to HELL Ultra Cycle (Gates of Hell, Turkmenistan) on Aug 24, 2025

Such a blast! Johnny’s trips never disappoint! Loved the overnight camping on a gorgeous island in the Red Sea! Asmara and Massawa were also incredible. Missing those views already. As always, the memories and friendships made during trip will last a lifetime.

By Courtney J for Eritrea on Mar 23, 2025

This was an incredible trip from start to finish! Excellent food, awesome accommodations, and the most kind and welcoming people I’ve ever encountered. Seeing their happiness at having tourists again after so much turmoil at home was something truly special. Witnessing war torn towns and cities and then the beauty of Old Damascus has left me without words.

By Courtney J for Silk Road Trip on Mar 17, 2025

The itenary was great, even without Keren. Actually might have been that having Keren in it would have left too little time to Asmara and Massawa. Lunches on the road could maybe have been included as paying for them as such a mess most of the time. The bus was a bit small, but the group consisted of so nice people that I got more space for my legs when I needed it. For a first-timer the communication in the WhatsApp group especially before trip was a bit overwhelming and contained both important things and people just saying hi to each other. Most important things came however also as emails, appreciated. Would participate again to another trip if the destination would be one I'd wish to do.