The Yusuf Hamdani complex lies in the Merv oasis, just under seven kilometres from Bayramaly, among low walled courtyards and a handful of new-looking domes. Unlike most of Merv, which is ruin, this is a living shrine: pilgrims arrive from across Turkmenistan and beyond, women in colourful headscarves, men in lambskin hats, many tying cloth strips to trees and leaving small offerings.
Yusuf Hamdani, or Hamadani, was a twelfth-century Sufi master who was born in western Persia, studied in Baghdad and eventually settled in Merv, then a great centre of learning. He taught here, and his pupils carried his teachings across Central Asia, becoming the chain of masters that later produced the Naqshbandi order. Tradition says he died on a journey and was brought back to Merv for burial. The present mausoleum is a modern reconstruction on the old site, which is why the tiles and domes look so fresh against the older mud-brick ruins nearby.
The countryside here is flat and green close to the irrigation canals, then pale and bare in between. The road from Bayramaly is short, quiet and simple. Heat in summer is fierce, so aim for morning or evening, and in spring you may find pomegranate and apricot blossom in the gardens. Dress modestly, take your shoes off where asked, and ask before photographing people at prayer. Visitors are welcome if they show respect, and you may be offered tea.
Bayramaly is the nearest practical stop with fuel and cafes, and Mary, about thirty kilometres away, is bigger and has more choice of hotels. There is little in the way of services right at the site, so carry water. Foreign riders need the correct visas and, usually, guide or transit arrangements, and rules can change, so check close to your travel date. The surrounding mausolea of Imam Bakr and Shafi are close and make an easy second stop in the same morning.