Turkmenistan
Travel Destination – Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan features striking desert landscapes, historic Silk Road cities, and unique preserved traditions. Travellers can explore the marble-clad capital Ashgabat, visit UNESCO-listed ruins such as Merv and Kunya-Urgench, or experience the dramatic Karakum Desert, home to the Darvaza gas crater.
Travel to Turkmenistan requires careful planning. Tourism infrastructure is limited and access to medical care can be variable, particularly outside the capital. Thorough health preparation and awareness of local conditions are essential for a safe and rewarding visit.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
A pre-travel consultation with an experienced travel doctor is strongly advised before visiting Turkmenistan. Your doctor can review your vaccination history, assess health risks relevant to your itinerary, and prescribe any medications you may require.
Ideally, this appointment should take place six to eight weeks before departure to allow time for vaccines that require multiple doses. Even if travel is imminent, a last-minute consultation remains worthwhile for essential advice, boosters, and preventive strategies. Health planning is especially important given the limited availability medical facilities outside Ashgabat.
Insect avoidance
Insects in Turkmenistan can transmit illnesses such as leishmaniasis and Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever.
Reduce the risk of insect bites by wearing long sleeves and trousers, particularly in rural areas and during warmer months. Apply insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin to exposed skin. Choose accommodation with air-conditioning or screened windows to prevent insect exposure at night.
Food and water hygiene
Food- and water-borne illnesses such as gastroenteritis are among the most common health risks for travellers to Turkmenistan. Local cuisine often features meat, and food safety standards can vary.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser when handwashing facilities are unavailable. Eat food that is freshly prepared and served hot, and avoid undercooked meats, unpasteurised dairy products, and food that has been left standing. Fruit and vegetables are safest when peeled by the traveller. Drink bottled, boiled, or appropriately filtered water, and avoid ice unless you are confident it is made from treated water.
Rabies prevention
Rabies is present in Turkmenistan and can be transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals, particularly dogs.
Travellers should avoid contact with stray animals and wildlife. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination may be recommended for those spending extended time in rural areas, working with animals, or travelling far from reliable medical care. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure requires immediate medical assessment, as rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Turkmenistan?
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver spread through contaminated food and water, and through close contact with infected individuals. It is present in Turkmenistan, particularly where sanitation and food handling standards vary. Many Australians are not routinely vaccinated and therefore remain at risk when travelling.
Infection can cause symptoms such as fever, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, yellowing. of the eyes and skin, and prolonged fatigue, which may last for several weeks and disrupt travel plans. Vaccination is highly effective and strongly recommended for travellers to Turkmenistan who are not already protected. Alongside vaccination, careful attention to food and water hygiene helps reduce the risk of infection.
Typhoid
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Typhoid caused by Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi and is transmitted via contaminated food and water. Symptoms include prolonged fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal upset. Typhoid vaccination is generally recommended for travellers to Turkmenistan, particularly those visiting smaller cities or rural areas. Food and water precautions remain essential even after vaccination.
Hepatitis B
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The hepatitis B virus can cause long-term infection of the liver. It is transmitted through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Risks include unprotected sex, unsterile medical or dental procedures, tattooing or piercing, and sharing personal items such as razors. While many younger Australians are vaccinated, some adults are not fully protected. Vaccination may be recommended for those planning a longer stay, and can depend on your medical history and planned activities.
Routine vaccinations
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Before travelling, it is important to ensure that all routine vaccinations are up to date. This includes protection against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, as well as seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and chickenpox. While these infections are uncommon in Australia due to strong immunisation programs, they continue to circulate in many parts of the world, including Turkmenistan.
A travel health consultation allows your doctor to review your immunisation history, identify any missing doses or boosters, and ensure you are adequately protected before departure.
Turkmenistan
Other health risks in Turkmenistan
Rabies
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Rabies is present in Turkmenistan and can be transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals, particularly dogs.
Travellers should avoid contact with stray animals and wildlife. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination may be recommended for those spending extended time in rural areas, or working with animals. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure requires immediate medical assessment, even if you've had pre-departure vaccination. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop.
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis, sometimes referred to as travellers’ diarrhoea, is common amongst travellers to Turkmenistan. It is can be caused by viruses, or bacteria in contaminated food or water. Symptoms typically include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and sometimes fever, and can develop within the first few days of arrival.
Maintaining adequate hydration is the most important part of treatment, ideally with oral rehydration solutions to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. Most cases improve within a few days without medical treatment. Medical attention should be sought if symptoms are severe, persistent, atypical, or if fluid loss exceeds fluid intake. Antibiotics are generally reserved for severe illness and people with underlying health conditions.
Non-infectious conditions
Deep vein thrombosis
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Long-haul flights to Central Asia, including Turkmenistan, increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The likelihood of developing DVT increases for travellers with additional risk factors.
Reduce risk by moving regularly during flights, stretching your legs, staying hydrated, and avoiding excessive alcohol. Compression stockings may be beneficial for some travellers.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Exploring Turkmenistan’s deserts and ancient cities can bring plenty of adventure, but travelling safely requires extra caution. Road conditions and driving standards in Turkmenistan can be unpredictable. Use reputable drivers and transport providers, wear seatbelts when available, and avoid night driving where possible.
Medical facilities outside Ashgabat are limited, and evacuation options may be restricted. Comprehensive travel insurance covering medical treatment and emergency evacuation is essential for all travellers to Turkmenistan.
Crime and unrest
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At the time of writing, the Australian government's Smartraveller website advised travellers to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to Turkmenistan. They did not recommend travel to the border of Afghanistan due to increased dangers there. Please refer to Smartraveller for updates.
Altitude sickness
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For travellers planning to ascend to high-altitude areas (over 2500m), there is a risk of acute mountain sickness (AMS), particularly if ascent is rapid or acclimatisation time is inadequate. AMS commonly causes headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, and disturbed sleep, and symptoms usually begin within the first 6–24 hours after reaching higher elevations.
To reduce the risk of AMS, travellers should ascend gradually, avoid rapid increases in sleeping altitude, and stay well hydrated. If symptoms occur, further ascent should be paused until symptoms improve. Descent is the most effective treatment if symptoms worsen or fail to resolve with rest.
A travel doctor can advise whether preventive or treatment medications are appropriate based on the planned altitude and rate of ascent. Travellers should be familiar with early warning signs and seek medical attention urgently if severe symptoms develop.