Mountains

The Kughitang Mountains, home to Turkmenistan’s highest peak, Airibaba, soar to an impressive elevation of 3,137 meters. The Bolshoi Balkan, a prominent mountain range located within the expansive Kara Kum Desert, has yielded significant archaeological finds, including human remains from the Stone Age.

Mount Syunt is distinguished by its unique ecological features, particularly the rare plant species that densely cover its slopes. The vivid red and orange canyons of Yangikala and Yangiusu offer truly awe-inspiring vistas that captivate all who see them.

Nearby the village of Makhtumkuli, the Lunar Mountains present an otherworldly spectacle. These mountains are characterized by their rounded, sagging forms in hues of pink-cream or nearly white-gray. Their appearance transforms dramatically after rainfall, as they shimmer with a spectrum of colors resembling a rainbow, depending on the level of moisture.

The Lunar Mountains resemble massive, intricately decorated cakes more than traditional geological formations. Encountering any vegetation in this stark landscape is rare, adding to the alien ambiance of the area and giving the terrain a somewhat surreal, yet slightly more terrestrial, appearance.