There are several places around the world that locals believe are a door to hell. Endless catacombs beneath the city of Paris, France for example or Dimmuborgir lava formations in Iceland. When it comes to sheer jaw-dropping effect, however, The Door to Hell by Darvaza in Turkmenistan takes the cake. I would also classify Darvaza as one of the places that should be on the must-visit list of every serious explorer who likes to visit Earth’s most breath-taking sites. Darvaza is a gas crater the burning gates of which have been flaming for upwards of 37 years.
Darvaza Burning Gas Crater
Turkmenistan is very rich in natural resources. Currently a sovereign country, Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union until 1991. It was during rule of Soviet Russia, back in 1971 when geologists were conducting gas drilling in Kara-Kum desert and discovered an underground chamber close to the village of Darvaza (known in Turkmen as Derweze, but sometimes also referred to as Darvaz). The discovery of the chamber was accidental and resulted in drilling rig collapsing, leaving giant gas crater filled with poisonous gases exposed to the world outside. The concentration of gases within the crater was high so nobody dared to go down there. It was then when someone came with an idea to light the gas in the crater on fire so as to burn it before the poisonous fumes engulf the nearby town of Darvaza.
The geologists thought the idea of burning the gas was smart and went ahead with lighting the crater on fire. As it turns out, the supply of quality natural gas below the crater is near infinite as the crater’s been burning since. At the time of this post, on June of 2009 the gas crater in Darvaza is still burning and has been since 1971 without interruption. No one can even imagine how much quality natural gas was burnt throughout the 38 years of the crater being on fire. No one can estimate how much more gas there still is. When they first lit the gas crater on fire, they thought the fire would go out after a few days. It’s been more than a few day, it’s been more than a few weeks or months. It’s been decades and the gas crater is burning just as it did the day it was first lit. Putting all economical loses from wasted natural gas aside, imagine the ecological impact this burning gas has cause during decades of non stop burning!
The Door to Hell
The locals from Darvaza have given the burning crater a name that suits it well – The Door to Hell. And everyone who visits Darvaza agrees with the name and finds it appropriate. When you look inside the burning gas crater, you do feel like this is what the door to hell would look like. No one dared to enter the chamber when it was first discovered and no one has dared there since. After all, everyone knows what kind of path a door o hell takes you. And it’s not the path anyone would voluntarily want to embark on. Seeing the door to hell with your own eyes, however is an experience like no other. You will have long stayed in awe after experiencing the viciousness of the fire within the gorge of the burning crater. The Door to Hell would be an amazing vacation experience for the adventurous wonderers. This is a vacation idea that your mainstream tour operators don’t know about. And that’s the beauty of it.
Darvaza Location
Darvaza is located in Turkmenistan but many sources mistakenly mention that it’s located in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is a country next to Turkmenistan and Darvaza is definitely not located there. Which is a good thing as there have been travel warnings for Uzbekistan for a long time, urging all travelers to avoid the country due to high risks of terrorist attacks and/or civil disturbances. But Uzbekistan is not where Darvaza is.
Darvaza and the burning gas crater are located in the central area of Turkmenistan, about 260 km north of Turkmenistan’s capital city Ashgabat. Check out the location of Darvaza on the interactive map below:
Is Turkmenistan Safe to Travel to?
Turkmenistan is located in the Middle East (Central Asia) and is surrounded by countries such as Afghanistan or Iran, which are known for frequent terrorist attacks, war, kidnapping and other crime against tourists. Despite proximities to war zones, the US Bureau of Consular Affairs has no warnings for Turkmenistan at this time, other than a recommendation to exercise normal degree of caution and keep aware of your surroundings at all times. For US Department of State Travel Website with more info and more up to date travel warnings, click HERE.
Canadian Foreign Affairs and International Trade Office however warns that tourists to Turkmenistan should exercise HIGH degree of caution based on sporadic clashes that occurred in September of 2008 in the outskirts of Ashgabat in the northern district of Khitrovka. For Canadian Foreign Affairs and International Trade Website with more info on Turkmenistan and more up to date travel warning, click HERE.
Despite its proximity to war zones and a violent clash from a year ago (which country hasn’t had one like that) Turkmenistan seems like a reasonably safe country to travel to at this time. Unless situation changes dramatically, the regions around Darvaza appear safe and friendly. A tourist should however always remain cautious and don’t needlessly attract attention on to themselves. Don’t show off and don’t walk desolate streets alone at night. Just general personal safety advice that should be in place no matter where you’re travelling to.
The Door to Hell Video
Darvaza The Burning Gas Hole Photo Gallery
Photo Source: English Russia
dear david after personaly reading this entire thread. i ask you to please read what you have written. you have been rude, disrespectful, inaccurate, inappropriate, and ignorant of all relivant facts you have placed your dogma of global climate change at the heart of religion. i highly suggest you go back look at all the evidence especially that revealed in the last ten years.
ps. stren be care ful your racism is showing
Poor Dave, maybe you all have hurt his little feelings and he has gone and thrown himself into the “Gates of Hell” seeing as how that would be a much better place to be than the United States. Did David say that our president is “non-white”? Are you kidding me? If the president is “non-white”, then he is also “non-black.” Isn’t the president HALF white and HALF black? Does one trump the other? Then again, has anyone ever thought that David just talks a good game and loves to stir up SH**??? As passionate as he may seem about his beliefs (or make beliefs), maybe he is just someone with no life who sits at a computer all day and has nothing better to do than to put nasty bugs in peoples’ ears. I would be careful if I were you David because your rhetoric is similar to those of terrorists and people like Lee Harvey Oswald, Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, etc. But then again, the first step to getting help is realizing that you have this problem and then talking about it so that you can get help. That’s it….David has gone to get “help.”
I have a question. Why all Americans are lumped into one group. Last time I checked not everyone was a teabagging, conservative, racsist.
Can someone answer that for me?
hindsight,
Your premise is amusing. A close cousin to “when did you stop beating your wife?”. Racism is wrong by most people’s standards. Lumping “conservative” and “teabagging” with racism is either irresponsible or with ill intent.
wil iemand dit stoppen, denk aan de opwarming van de aarde?????
Translation of post #205:
Does anybody wish to stop this, refer to the warming of the Earth?????
Jean-Marie:
Haar niet waard. Betere branden van de toxische gassen dan te laten ontsnappen aan in de atmosfeer. Het is te klein is om met bother, er is geen winst.
Well, Oscelot if you had read any of Davids’ posts you’d realize what I was referring to. So next time you try to insult someone, make sure you know what your talking about. Thanks.
David’s posts are not worthy of mention nor consideration.
It’s okay, Oscelot. Your posts are right up there with his.
What is wrong with you people?! You don’t know each other yet you have no problem making rude comments, questioning each other beliefs and cursing each other. The commenst was supposed to be about The Door To Hell! WTF is wrong with you Americans?
You seem to be missing the point about the Darvaza flaming well?? It can be and should be sealed and put out this could be achieved by building a huge dome over it . When all the oxogen is used up and the flames put out the gas could then be used for many things.
In Canada they extract oil from bitumen soaked sand which is found in great quantities ,mostly deep underground, a very big opperation so we should be able to do something we the flaming hole??
I’m not sure, Jo Africa. What’s wrong with you Africans?
Sorry if I offended you bebo, that was not my intention. but I think you get the point I was trying to make. I think this convo has gotten completely out of hand, that’s all.
Turkmenistan does not have the market cornered on flaming gas holes. The internet is full of them.
Thanks for that map, it really helps to get ones bearings.
goddddd! where’s david ! seriously ! 😀
Bored tj?
lol 🙂
can you imagine how bored i must be!!!
LOL, I can just imagine 🙂
but to be honest , we (brits) should be called teabaggers.. we do drink a lot of tea! i feel left out… did he literally mean people drinking tea or was it a metaphor for something else!..?
I’m too scared to answer, he might start bad mouthing South Africans as well….
lol .. we have heard it all 😀 bring it on David ( throwing in the bait ..is he catching ?)
Maybe he’s founds some other site and is torturing some other poor people. HURRAY!!!!
tj: Are you seriously asking what the term “Teabagger” means that David was referring to? It’s a political metaphore that describes the grass roots coalition that spontaneously sprung up this past summer in protest to the Marxists who have been infiltrating our government. There seems to also be another definition which refers to a perverted sexual act associated with a group of social deviants.
No drinking of tea involved!
Yikes that’s harsh! Well we can finally say that atleast one person learnt something because of mister David ! 😀 thanks for educating me 🙂 but seriously ..sexual??? I can’t imagine what would teabagging be a methaphor for …
LOL! I wouldn’t want to find out!
You’re up early Tj…..
Early ?Not really.. unless you think 12 ‘o clock in the afternoon is early…. 😀 i wish it was though 😀
Oh, I was looking at the time next to the date here 🙂 Here it is 14:00 and almost time to go home. Just two more hours to go.
No drinking of tea involved?
If one chose to drink tea whilst tea bagging their partner they very well could I suppose so it wouldn’t be expressly forbidden. Could prove to be painful should your “tea bags” end up in scalding hot water. ouch! But chances are tea is not what these folks are toting. More likely a Meth Amphetamine/Viagra blend.
Caveman, are you still monitoring? Just read your comment #190. Interesting perspective.
My question is, couldn’t they put gigantic fan blades over it and use it like a gigantic windmill? Call me stupid, but it seems like it might keep something turning for a long long time and use it for free electricity.
Dee Dee:
It’s not worth the investment. There’s no demand for electricity in the middle of a desert. Cost to build, manufacture and deliver it to the nearest populated area is way to high compared to ROI. (return on investment) The area is in the midst of hostile countrys. On a global scale, the adverse effect this burning pit has on the enviornment is barely negligible. The best thing to do with this hole is just what it’s doing now. Burning the toxic gasses so they don’t escape into the atmosphere.
My dear Americans: this country has pissed of this planet, and any good that is (was) here has been bypassed by the bad it generated. It is such a disappointment to look around and see the people that have no consideration to anything non-American, anything different, anything that can ring the bell of change. The change that may mean that America is no longer what it was, and it is happening BECAUSE IT WAS WHAT IT WAS: selfish, ignorant, individualistic, hypocritical. Did I say stupid? Well, you don’t like this word, uh? :))) OK, let us skip it this time. But do you agree with other ones?
Hey every body look David’s back. Yea David your back. It just hasn’t been the same here with out your special brand of sunshine to warm the place. Just wanted to be the first to say welcome back. Now fuck off.:)
LMAO!!! Yes, it hasn’t been the same without him, it’s been better!
so many funny americans… so many of you trying to pretend that without me there is no problem in your beautiful country))) what a funny country)))
you are whack David! without you (and people like you) America will definitely have less problems!
oh sure, and the debt will reduce, and your soldiers come back home)))) you are reduculus, nigga
Just for info asshole – I’m not American and I’m a white woman dipshit! Oh, and your spelling sucks! go back to school
so why do you then argue?, Jo
No argument – I don’t argue with asses
H e e e e e’s b a a a a a c k!!!!
David: I believe everybody on this thread is aware of what it is you dislike about America. So, I would like to ask you if you could take a little time and put your linguistic skills to work in a bit more positive direction and explain exactly what type of Socio-Economic system you would rather see America transform into. I’m asking that you put aside bashing others’ ideologies, and name calling for a while and just explain your ideal vision of America to us. No need to explain how it should be done, or why it wouldn’t work or even to get into the whole Left / Right philosophy. Please just explain to us what your America would look like if you could write the plan and everybody agreed to it.
I think you might be pleasantly surprised how many people would agree with some or maybe a lot of your ideas. It is my opinion that almost everybody would agree that we need to make changes in our society. But, what changes? How should America be governed and who should decide who will govern us? Should we be a sovereign nation or should we submit to a world governing body? Is personal liberty important or should we be more strictly controlled in our freedoms? Who will own the property, individuals or the governing authority? Should business and industry be privately owned or government owned and controlled? How could corruption and greed be controlled? Should your America have its own military or would we be subject to an international policing body?
There are so many things that could be discussed in a respectful dialogue without reverting to personal attacks and name calling.
Just wondering if we could all try this approach for a while and see what interesting thoughts could be debated as opposed to the juvenile dialogues that have been so dominant lately.
Does anybody else agree?
Oh David, there is so much in this world that you are oblivious to. You pawn off on America the things that belong to the globalists, the corporatist aka fascists. They have been busy little bees here in this last decade. They are rooted in deep here in America as well as the European countries like England and Germany. Their technicals reach into the crown countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well. See their plan is to have one central bank by the end of this year with one world currency. So to accomplish this Herculean feet they needed to do several things. First and for most they needed to bring the American standard of living down so they introduced NAFTA and there went our manufacturing base next they needed to over extend us with debt so they declared war on Iraq. There is more to that but this is a short primer. Then they needed to send the banking system into a tail spin so they created the so called housing bubble that killed the economy and wiped out many banks, that where gobbled up by a few big ones making the next moves easier by consolidating. The banker bail outs where nothing but pay off cash for those banks that where deemed safe to bail. Then came the removal as the worlds reserve currency and now we are in the debasing part of the plan where they bring the worth of the dollar down and bring other currencies up in value and once they reach a point that has been deemed acceptable to the bankers they introduce the new world currency and exchange program. The Euro was introduced as a means to stabilize Europe during this whole process as it is a gold based currency it would have more stability. Most of Americas assets are being held in Chinese banks until this is all over. Make no mistake about it. What we are seeing today, what you are blaming on America, is a new kind of warfare that’s never been seen before. It is being wagged secretly against the whole world and those wagging it make no claims of any nationality for nationality is what they despise along with property ownership, individual rights and what has been called the American way of life. So David don’t worry as an American citizen your self you will soon get to see first hand what a great country you used to live in.
This is not the same David. It’s easy to choose any name you want when commenting on blog posts. I could choose to be David as well. Real David must have moved on. Maybe he got deported back to Somalia and doesn’t have internet access anymore. Who knows…
Oh well
Hello All,
I’m South African and a proud one to but seriously guys, this thread is here to comment on the burning pit, i was enjoying the comments until David started talking and bringing down others, so not cool!!! so lets keep to the topic at hand “door to hell”
personally i feel, this pit should be covered, if we can build sky crappers and stuff like that, surely we can put out this fire…..its scary, dont you think so.
Cheers for now.
Hey Ravi, great to have a fellow South African’s view. I also said that this thread is becoming a bit crazy.
My feeling on this is that thepit should be left for the gas to burn – but then again, does that not have an affect on the ozone layer?