Day Hike in the Canyons of the Kopet Dag Moutains, Turkmenistan

The canyon hike within the foothills of the Kopet Dag Mountains is one of many potential adventures we took advantage of in Turkmenistan. It was also another opportunity to experience Turkmenistan's unique natural beauty.

Our "road" to the start of the river walk. We drove in the shallow stream for about 15 minutes before being dropped off, to hike the remaining 3-4km to narrow canyon.

At the start of the hike, we were flanked by mountains and cliffs on each side of the stream, but there was still a significant divide between them. In the background, a local continued to drive his minivan through the water, with his family, to a camping spot farther up stream.

At several points along the stream, we encountered locals camping, cooking food, and enjoying the day. To the left, one of the American hikers gave a playful, formal-style introduction of our group. It was not uncommon for the locals to call upon us, often inviting us to stop for tea. Wanting to reach our destination, and make the hike back in a reasonable time, we politely declined the invitations.

We had great views of the canyon along our hike. All along the stream, blackberry bushes thrived. Many of them were ripe for the picking, and many us took advantage. The blackberries were more of a delicacy for us, since none of the bazaars in Ashgabat have blackberries.

As we continued along the stream, the canyon began to narrow. The stream itself became more rugged, with large boulders that we had to climb, while keeping our balance in rushing water.

We met this large crab on our way, confirming that such creatures were in fact lurking below the surface of the water we hiked in.

Almost reaching our destination, the canyon narrowed considerably, with overhanging ledges.

We made it to our destination, although we could have continued beyond the small waterfall if we wanted too. We all relaxed for a bit before backtracking the 3-4km back to the vans.