While ‘Gates To Hell’ doesn’t really sound like a fun place to be, in this article we will assure you that it’s quite the contrary! This chilling name was given to the famous Darvaza Gas Crater that was created as a mistake but became Turkmenistan’s biggest tourist attraction instead!
The story goes like this – Soviet scientists back in 1971 discovered a gas pocket in the ground and set it on fire, predicting that it would burn out in three weeks. But, the gas crater continued to burn and it’s still burning today. Now, almost 50 years later, it’s visited by thousands of tourists annually.
The crater is located in the middle of Karakum Desert in central Turkmenistan, around 250 kilometers north of the capital Ashgabat. In the capital you can find a great number of tourist agencies that give tours to Darvaza.
The Darvaza Gas Crater is one of the most spectacular and unique places on earth and it’s especially impressive at night when the crater lights up the desert, providing you with an unbelievable and one-of-a-kind view. At night, it also gives excellent lighting, providing you with a great opportunity to take some Insta-worthy photographs!