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Popular Best Things to Do in Ashgabat [2025]

The Darvaza Gas Crater (Gate of Hell) in Turkmenistan is located about 10 kilometers north of Darvaza Village in the middle of the Karakum Desert, with a total area of ​​about 5,350 square meters. In 1971, when Soviet geologists were drilling for natural gas here, the ground collapsed and a giant crater with a diameter of about 70 meters and a depth of 30 meters was formed. In order to prevent the spread of toxic gases, the natural gas in the crater was ignited. The fire has been burning for 54 years and has become one of the most famous natural wonders in the world. At night, the orange-red flames are several meters high, forming a shocking visual effect in the desert, which is a symbol of the earth's landscape. It takes 9 hours to go back and forth on the nearly 300-kilometer road by off-road vehicle. The road is bumpy and very bumpy, which is very hard.

The Darvaza Gas Crater (Gate of Hell) in Turkmenistan is located about 10 kilometers north of Darvaza Village in the middle of the Karakum Desert, with a total area of ​​about 5,350 square meters. In 1971, when Soviet geologists were drilling for natural gas here, the ground collapsed and a giant crater with a diameter of about 70 meters and a depth of 30 meters was formed. In order to prevent the spread of toxic gases, the natural gas in the crater was ignited. The fire has been burning for 54 years and has become one of the most famous natural wonders in the world. At night, the orange-red flames are several meters high, forming a shocking visual effect in the desert, which is a symbol of the earth&#39;s landscape. It takes 9 hours to go back and forth on the nearly 300-kilometer road by off-road vehicle. The road is bumpy and very bumpy, which is very hard.

darvaza gas crater is always on my bucket list! it is a giant crater with flames burning!

In fact, it is a burner connected to a small underground natural gas vein. To put it bluntly, it is a huge gas stove. Unfortunately, it is not that big. The diameter is about 100 meters. It is not very effective during the day, but it can light up the sky if you get close to it at night.

Location: Turkmenistan
Travel: Chartered by travel agency, driver and guide
Number of people: Two people
Accommodation: Desert tent

The so-called &quot;Gate of Hell&quot; is actually an underground cave full of natural gas that was accidentally discovered by Soviet geologists while drilling in Turkmenistan in 1971.

A piece of soil under the drilling device collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of about 50-100 meters. In order to prevent the leakage of toxic gases, they decided to ignite the leaked natural gas. As of today, the flames at the entrance of the cave have never stopped, and the locals jokingly call it the &quot;Gate of Hell&quot;. The fire has been burning for 44 years and has not been extinguished, but it is unknown how many years it will burn. If you are interested, it is better to come here earlier. Some beautiful scenery in the world may disappear one day. And while it is not occupied by a large number of tourists now, you can experience the original ecological feeling better.

We chartered a car through a travel agency, and the driver and guide entered the long Karakum Desert together. The Gate of Hell is in the desert. The car was moving slowly in the desert, the sun was setting a little bit, and there was an endless desert and the next door in front and behind. Suddenly, there were dots of lights in front of us, which were the lights of the campers and the lights of the car. Gradually, we saw a huge red smoke in the distance, and the sky was also a little brighter. The Gate of Hell appeared in front of us in this quiet way.

When the sun had not completely set, the momentum of the Gate of Hell had not reached its peak. Before, someone said that it felt like a roast chicken kiln during the day when I watched the attack. I can probably understand his feeling. However, as the sun set a little bit, the fire became more and more prosperous with the wind, and a huge crackling sound could be heard. The flames swayed and rushed out from the cracks in the rocks, but it was amazing that the soil in the fire pit that had been burning for so many years was not all black. There were waves of heat waves in the air, and the heat waves kept coming towards you with the wind. I felt that I might be swallowed up at any time if I took another step forward. My friend and I just watched the flames quietly, and then took various photos with our mobile phones, but I felt that no matter how I took them, I couldn&rsquo;t capture the spectacular sight of my eyes.

Although camping in the desert is not easy, it is still strongly recommended that friends who come here can spend a night in the desert. The sunrise here is unique. It feels that the sky turns red and the sun rises very quickly. The color of each photo is changing, and the beauty is visible to the naked eye. Watching the moonlight dye the whole desert white, looking at the dense stars in the sky, roasting in the natural big fire pit, and eating fresh mutton by the pit, this experience is unforgettable, and it is the kind of moment that will be frozen.

Popular Best Things to Do in Ashgabat [2025]

Door to Hell

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