Murad has a background in teaching. He graduated at the University of World Languages in Ashgabat in 2013 and he has been working as a freelance tourist guide since then, based in Dashoguz. He started offering private tours in 2018. What distinguishes him from others is that he guides tours himself therefore, they can be very flexible, unique and personal.
Here is what he says about guests:
I can easily go the extra mile in my endeavour to make sure my guests are happy with the services they are being offered. I treat my every and each guest as a dear friend and am good company during long driving and wonderful evenings that we have near the Gas Crater with my interesting stories about the country, history, people and our traditions, customs and morals. Many people enjoy my jokes and sense of humour as well.
Services include:
– visa support (Letter of Invitation);
– guide/interpreter services;
– transportation throughout Turkmenistan (sedan, SUV, minivan, minibus, bus, train and airplane tickets);
– accommodation (3-5* hotels, guesthouses, homestays, camping in tents and traditional Turkmen yurts);
– sightseeing of historical and natural wonders throughout the whole country;
– if requested in advance taking part in wedding ceremonies and other kinds of celebrations.
I was lucky enough to tour the five ‘Stans in September-October 2019, and Murad was my guide during my 10 days in Turkmenistan. I will comment on my tour, and then Murad as a person.
My tour was, in short, incredible. I had a list of specific experiences I hoped to have, including horseriding, camping, cooking and meeting local families. I initially contacted three guides through Caravanistan, and Murad was the quickest to respond, with the most professional response, and a price that was reasonable for what I wanted to do. I am not one to look for rock-bottom prices, but I also know when someone is trying to rip me off. That was not Murad. He quickly tailored an itinerary to my requests via several expedient emails, and helped me obtain my LOI.
Once I arrived, my expectations were exceeded 100-fold. Murad was gracious enough to help me arrange a custom tour throughout multiple, disparate parts of the country with very sharp turnaround times. For places he couldn’t go due to distance/touring conflicts (like Mary), he arranged for his equally kind and professional friends to step in and help out. They were delightful company and we had great conversations.
Every day was a new adventure, with unique roadtrips and flights, lovely people, different sleeping experiences (homestays, camping, hotels) and so many sights to see. I had so much fun on my trip, I wish I stayed longer. Despite the hundreds of times Murad has probably seen what I saw for the first time, he never seemed bored or walked far ahead of me (like other guides). Plus, he was my advocate when I was shopping and at the border. I really appreciated that.
As for character, Murad is one of the kindest, most easy-going, professional and generous people I have ever met. He introduced me to his beautiful family, who welcomed me most graciously. And, he fed me way too much! (A sign of true hospitality, in my book.) My mouth is watering as I think of the delicious soups, dumplings, barbecue, squashes and sweets I got to experience on my journey, and yours will, too. Come with an empty stomach and an open mind.
Murad is a polyglot with broad international experiences and that made communication so easy. We exchanged lots of ideas about our respective cultures on the long drives and I really felt I was in the company of a wise sibling. As a quieter person, I also appreciated that Murad didn’t talk/expect me to talk the entire time we were touring. Culture shock can occur to even the most experienced of travelers, and everyone copes differently. It takes an emotionally intelligent individual to understand when to give others space and time to process things on their own. Furthermore, I never felt uncomfortable even once traveling as a solo female with Murad. This was not the case with my onward travels in the rest of Central Asia, thus it is noteworthy.
What was most telling is that Murad took me all the way to the Uzbek border on my last day, and helped me with all border forms until it was time for me to cross on my own. He also helped me address a customs issue with my small carpets long after I arrived home. Wow! I know most tour guides would consider their service obligation complete at drop off on the last day, but not Murad. He is a person of true character and I recommend his business without reservation. I consider him like a family member and you will too, once you see majestic Turkmenistan through his lens. Give it a try– you will not be disappointed.
From the first contact with Murad, communication was timely, clear, and direct. He helped us create an itinerary that worked for us – at a fair price – that really met our needs and interests. He made the visa procurement process as clear and as easy as possible, and then he was there at the airport with a welcoming smile despite the unusual hour to begin our journey.
Both being experienced travelers not used to having a guide, prior to our trip we were both a little frustrated with the requirements of needing a guide to enter the country. Now I see that it would simply have not been possible to do what we did without one. Turkmenistan is one of those special trips that you will be so thankful for; a fascinating, special place that has so much history and culture that is just so distinct compared to anywhere else. Even the smallest of experiences is unique enough to make it memorable in Turkmenistan.
Murad is well organized, flexible, and so knowledgeable about not only Turkmenistan but the region. He is very experienced as a guide and has a good network of people within Turkmenistan to be able to cater to the individual needs of his clients. He is friendly and humorous, is flexible enough to meet day to day needs and interests, and has the people skills to be able to be as present as you need him to be.
When I travel, I want to support local people, explore both the touristy and not-so-touristy elements of the place I am visiting, and be within the financial zone of getting value for money and not getting ripped off. If you hold the same values, then Murad is a great choice for you. He is a dedicated, nice, fair, independent (not part of a larger company) tour guide with great English providing a high-quality service to support his family, who goes above and beyond in his job. I thoroughly recommend that you choose him as your guide when exploring Turkmenistan and the region.
We had a fantastic time in Turkmenistan, thanks to Murad! He is not only very kind and easy to get along with but also extremely well organised, attentive and knowledgable. We learned so much about this beautiful country and it’s people. Highly recommend to visit and to engage Murad‘s services! We wish him all the best and hope to stay in touch.
We came into Turkmenistan — on very short notice — not knowing what to expect, and Murad could not have been any better. He handled everything. He was extremely responsive before the tour, and during the tour he was kind, courteous, and incredibly knowledgeable. I highly recommend Murad to anyone looking to go to Turkmenistan.
Dear Murad,
First of all, we wish to thank you for the time we spent in Turkmenistan, a great country with a lot of touristic potential. I will definetly reccomend it to my friends and I hope that your country will invest on tourism as well.
We also had a great time in Uzbekistan after we left you at the border, the only shortcoming was the horrible weather. I hope you did not have too much trouble with the tour you had to arrange after ours (camping or staying outdoor when it rains is obviously uncomfortable!).
I also wish you all the best for your business, because you deserve it: not only you are a very nice person, but I really appreciated your honesty and your skills. Therefore, I really hope you will succeed, for example in the idea you mentioned of opening a b&b-cafe in Konye Urgench.
I really enjoyed the tour of Turkmenistan. Thanks again for all your work to make it a good trip!
Murad was an excellent tour guide. He took great care of us from organising our visa to booking accommodation to transport. He was very patient with respect to my eating preferences too. He gave us a lot of inside information with respect to how Turkmenistan is from the point of view of a local resulting in a very authentic and memorable experience. Would definitely return. Thanks for everything Murad :)