Unique crater Darvaza in Turkmenistan, inside of which is blazing fire.
"Hell Gate"(in TurkmenDarvaza) - this is how the locals call the gas crater, which is located in the Karakum Desert, 90 km from the Erbent village.
The history of the origin of this place is as follows: in 1971 they wanted to start producing gas here, but geologists stumbled upon an underground cavity (emptiness). The earth collapsed along with all the equipment, fortunately, people did not suffer. Natural gas came from the crater, which had to be set on fire so that it would not poison people and animals living nearby. Since then, an underground flame has been blazing here for more than 40 years.
The diameter of the "Gates of Hell" is almost 60 meters, and the depth is about 20. Some tongues of flame reach a height of 15 meters.
Not many people know about this place, but those who are in the know certainly want to visit it - hardly anywhere on our planet you can find a place that would match our image of a door to the underworld as much as the Turkmen "Gates of Hell".
Advice
There are two more similar formations not far from the "Gates of Hell", which should also be visited. At the bottom of one of these craters is bubbling gray mud (it was also recently lit), and in the other is a small turquoise lake.
It is best to come here in the afternoon to see the mud and turquoise craters before the sun goes down. And then, closer to sunset, get to the main crater and watch how tongues of flame burst out of the ground in the night desert. Many even camp here and enjoy the amazing sight all night long.
How to get to the "Gates of Hell"
Darvaza is located in the very center of Turkmenistan, in the heart of the Karakum desert, about 250 km from Ashgabat.
You can get there by car, but you should take into account the poor quality of the road, which in the end will completely disappear - you will have to go straight through the desert. Therefore, an SUV is ideal.
You can go by public transport: we go to the Ichoguz railway station, and then walk about 10 km through the desert.
It should be remembered that Turkmenistan is one of the most closed countries in the world, therefore it is difficult to obtain a visa. An invitation from a citizen of the country will greatly simplify obtaining a visa for Turkmenistan.
