In the heart of the Karakum Desert, an inferno blazes against the barren landscape—a gaping pit of fire that has burned for decades, casting an orange glow visible for miles.
Known as the Door to Hell, the Darvaza gas crater is one of Turkmenistan’s most surreal and otherworldly landmarks, where geology, accident, and spectacle converge in a ceaseless flame.
The Door to Hell is not a mythic metaphor. It is a real, burning crater—alive with gas, light, and legend in the middle of a desert that keeps no secrets from the sky.
The fiery crater is located near the village of Darvaza, in central Turkmenistan, about 260 kilometers north of Ashgabat, the capital. Set in the vast Karakum Desert, one of the most inhospitable and arid places on Earth, the crater draws a sharp contrast with its surroundings—its flickering flames visible even in total silence and darkness.
The Darvaza gas crater was formed in 1971, during a Soviet-era drilling operation. Geologists were exploring for natural gas reserves when the ground collapsed beneath their rig, creating a sinkhole roughly 70 meters wide and 30 meters deep.
To prevent the spread of methane gas, the scientists decided to ignite the crater, expecting it to burn out within a few weeks. Over 50 years later, the flames are still burning—fed by an ongoing leak of natural gas from underground reservoirs.
The nickname arose from the crater’s unearthly appearance—a giant, glowing hole in the earth that emits heat, noise, and a sulfurous scent. At night, the pit looks like a portal to the underworld, with flames licking the edges and heat distorting the air.
Locals and travelers alike began referring to it as the Door to Hell, a name that stuck and eventually made the site a curiosity on the global travel map.
While the crater is a geological wonder, it also highlights Turkmenistan’s vast natural gas reserves—among the largest in the world. The government has expressed interest in extinguishing the fire, citing concerns about wasted resources and environmental damage, though no efforts have yet succeeded.
In 2022, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow called for closure of the site, but the plan has remained in limbo, largely due to technical challenges and tourist interest.
Despite its remote location, the Door to Hell has become an offbeat destination for adventure travelers. Visitors often camp nearby to witness the crater at sunset and throughout the night, when its glow is most dramatic.
Access requires a 4x4 vehicle and careful planning, as the surrounding desert is isolated with minimal infrastructure. Still, tour operators from Ashgabat offer guided expeditions, complete with tents and meals under the stars.
The burning crater stands as both a symbol of Turkmenistan’s energy wealth and a stark monument to Soviet-era miscalculation. It blends science and spectacle, inviting awe and unease in equal measure.
In a landscape shaped by silence, sand, and heat, the crater burns on—a fiery reminder that what lies beneath the earth cannot always be contained.
The Door to Hell in Turkmenistan is a massive burning gas crater formed in 1971 during a drilling accident. Located in the Karakum Desert, it continues to burn decades later, attracting visitors with its eerie glow and geological mystery.
A Soviet drilling accident in 1971 created the crater. To stop methane leakage, geologists ignited it—expecting it to burn for weeks, not decades.
Near the village of Darvaza, in the Karakum Desert, about 260 km north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
The site itself is open to visitors, but the terrain is remote and harsh. Caution is advised when approaching the crater’s edge.
There have been government plans to close it, but due to the continuous gas leak and underground conditions, the fire still burns.