Turkmenistan

To outsiders, this is a land few could place on the map, let alone visit. If anything of Turkmen fame has trickled down to us, it is likely rumours of a dictatorship under the bizarre ‘Turkmenbashi’ who created ubiquitous giant golden self-images.

And yet, to the intrepid, the former Soviet republic has a wonderful assortment of secrets to share: dramatic mountain ranges, verdant river valleys, fantastical natural and prehistoric wonders and oases which encircle the vast Karakum Desert; snaking its way across the sandy fringes runs the fabled Silk Road, lacing together some of the world most important archaeological sites that demand joyful hours of exploration.

Tukmenistan will bestow on you an irrepressible sense of having experienced a cultural enigma.