Location
Darvaza
Miracle in the Sands of the Karakum Desert Photos and videos with the mysterious name "Gates of Hell" are very popular on the Internet. They show fire erupting from underground in the middle of the desert. The sight of flames burning among the yellow sands of the desert fascinates and intrigues even seasoned travelers. But few people know how exactly this miracle of nature, located 266 kilometers north of the city of Ashgabat, came into being. In 1971, in the Karakum Desert, not far from the small village of Darvaza, whose name means "gate" in Turkmen, they began drilling an exploratory well for gas. During the drilling, an incident occurred: geologists accidentally opened an underground cavity, into which all the equipment fell along with the drilling rig and transport. People were not hurt, but natural gas burst out of the cavity. In order not to cause problems for the local residents of that very village of Darvaza, geologists decided to set the gas on fire, hoping that it would burn out completely in a few days. Weeks, months and years passed, and the fire continued to burn without dying down. In 2004, by order of Turkmenbashi, the village was moved to another location, and the Darvaza gas crater continued to burn. It is still burning today. No one knows how long this will last, whether the gas reserves will finally run out or whether the fire pit will eventually be filled in, because gas is a valuable resource, and here it is being wasted for several decades. Nevertheless, the Darvaza gas crater remains one of the most interesting and mysterious attractions of Turkmenistan, attracting many tourists every year. Darvaza Gas Crater, Gates of HellDarvaza Gas Crater, TurkmenistanDarvaza Gas Crater, Turkmenistan If you drive up to the "Gates of Hell" on a clear day, it will seem like an ordinary hole in the ground, not at all deserving of its dark mystical name. Only when you get closer will you see hundreds of tongues of fire blazing in the seventy-meter crater. Gas breaks out to the surface through the sandstone and ignites, further heating the already hot air. If you visit this attraction in the early evening, you can fully enjoy the mesmerizing spectacle of the crater slowly plunging into darkness and the orange tongues of flame - all against the backdrop of the setting sun. There are several more holes around the crater, one of them filled with turquoise liquid. It is better to examine the sinkholes before dark and very carefully: they crumble heavily along the edges, and the high air temperature and smell of natural gas are very noticeable nearby. Darvaza gas crater, Turkmenistan Darvaza gas crater, Turkmenistan Darvaza gas crater, Turkmenistan The Darvaza gas crater is very different from many natural attractions around the world, primarily in its sense of peace and pristine nature: there are no paid parking lots, pedestrian paths, fences or stalls selling souvenirs. There is only desert around, and there is not a soul for many kilometers. The only option for food is a yurt camp built near the Darvaza crater. You can try to buy essentials in the village of Yerbent, 90 km to the south. But do not count on luck, and it is better to take everything you need on the way out of Ashgabat. Darvaza Gas Crater, TurkmenistanDarvaza Gas Crater, TurkmenistanDarvaza Gas Crater, Turkmenistan When driving to the gas crater, keep in mind that regardless of the smooth, pothole-free road that runs from Ashgabat, the last few kilometers are on a sandy stretch that can only be driven in an SUV.
