The mysterious ‘Hell’s Gate’ in Turkmenistan
In the world, it is rare for an industrial accident to become a wonder that attracts tourists. However, more than 50 years ago, a Soviet expedition team drilling for gas in Turkmenistan is said to have triggered a chain reaction that created the giant fiery Darvaza crater nicknamed “hell’s gate” or “hell’s gate”. Karakum light”.
The fire is maintained by methane gas released from dozens of vents along the bottom and walls of the crater, creating a breathtaking and mesmerizing sight. Visitors standing around the crater can feel the intense heat radiating from the crater, which is especially captivating under the night sky.
Surrounded by the sand dunes and rocky outcrops of the Karakum Desert, Darvaza Crater is a must-see stop on most tours of Turkmenistan. Despite the lack of facilities, tourists still flock to this location, carrying all the necessary necessities. However, there are currently three overnight campsites with tents, meals and transportation to the rim of the crater.
Darvaza crater is about 70 meters wide and 30 meters deep. Its steep walls lead down to a rubble-strewn bottom. In 2018, a fence was erected to prevent visitors from getting too close. Cultural researcher Ged Gillmore from the University of London commented: “It looks like a collapsed gas cave, like an old gas stove. But I found it quite scary.”
The Darvaza crater may not last long. The Turkmen government has considered sealing the crater and many people have noticed that the fire inside the crater has decreased significantly.
“I think it’s burning at about 40 percent of what I saw when I first visited in 2009. The fire area used to be larger. Now, it’s smaller.” , and the fire is no longer as high as before.”
An anonymous tour guide, who has visited the Darvaza crater about 40 times in the past seven years, confirmed that the fire is getting weaker, suggesting methane supplies may be running out.
Mysterious origin
The exact moment when the crater formed remains unknown due to lost, incomplete or lack of declassification of Soviet-era documents. Canadian explorer George Kourounis notes that the origin of the phenomenon is widely debated, with the most popular theory claiming that the crater formed in 1971 and burned shortly thereafter.
Kourounis added: “But when I went to Turkmenistan with two senior government geologists to the crater, they told me it formed in the 1960s, with bubbling mud and gas seeping over a long period of time. and only started burning in the 1980s.”
The cause of the initial ignition of methane gas is equally mysterious. Kourounis mentioned, “Some people say it was a grenade, others say it was a match. I even heard a story about a drunk farmer driving a tractor into a crater.”
A tour guide shared another story: “Once upon a time there was a village near the crater. People light fires because they do not want the bad smell or methane gas to harm their health. They thought the fire would only burn for a few weeks. .”
In 2013, on a scientific mission sponsored by National Geographic to search for life in Darvaza crater, Kourounis descended into the crater to collect soil samples. Subsequent analysis revealed the presence of bacteria and thermophilic organisms that can survive the harsh conditions of the crater.
Darvaza Crater is located four hours’ drive north of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. Off-road vehicles can travel along two-lane highways and desert roads, passing wandering camels along the way. The two villages of Bokurdak and Erbent are located along the highway, where tourists can stop to buy necessary supplies.
Camp Darvaza is the most upscale of three overnight options near the crater, offering tents with beds and chairs, a cool dining area, and portable outdoor toilets.
Another option is Garagum camp, which has carpeted floors with traditional Turkmen patterns and solar-powered lighting. In the evening, guests can enjoy an outdoor barbecue. A short distance away, there is a small rocky hill that offers a panoramic view of the “Gate of Hell”.
There are two other similar craters in the area, but one is filled with water and gas bubbles instead of fire, and the other only has a small flame.
Will Darvaza Crater disappear?
For years, there have been rumors that the Turkmen government is planning to turn the Darvaza crater into a gas production site. In 2022, Neytralny Turkmenistan newspaper reported that the president and cabinet consulted scientists on how to extinguish the fire and stop attracting tourists. The reason is to prevent the crater from continuing to burn, wasting natural resources, polluting the environment and causing harm to the environment.
