Natural features

Darvaza Gas Crater (Door to Hell)

Turkmenistan Ahal

Darvaza Gas Crater (Door to Hell)
Photo: Tormod Sandtorv, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A burning crater in the Karakum Desert, about 70 m across, set alight by Soviet geologists in 1971 to burn off gas, and still burning. It's most dramatic at night; tours often camp nearby.


Turkmenistan requires a visa, usually with a tour or a letter of invitation. Authorities have discussed extinguishing it; check before you go.

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