The Darvaza Crater – The Gateway to Hell
Many people have heard of the Darvaza Crater, but very few people know where it is and how it came into being.
Often referred to as the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is one of the worlds last hermit kingdoms. The second largest country in Central Asia, it is made up of desert (covering 80% of the country no less), some of the worlds largest gas reserves, ancient ruins and some seriously bizarre sights. For evidence of the latter check out this article on Ashgabat.
What is the Darvaza Crater
Type Turkmenistan into a google image search and no doubt this is one of the images that will appear. It is basically a giant burning hole in the middle of the Karakum Desert. This stunning spectacle is the result of a slight error in judgement by a team of Soviet scientists in the 1970s.
Whilst on the hunt for natural gas the ground gave way to reveal a gigantic air pocket. As they took stock of what had just happened they smelled what they had been looking for: gas. Fearful of an explosion, they hauled themselves and the equipment out of the newly created crater. To get rid of the excess gas they decided to burn it off. Safe to say it didn’t work as the fire is still burning brightly today creating one of the strangest sights in the world.
Getting there and away
When considering a trip to Turkmenistan the first thing you need to tackle is the visa. You essentially have 2 choices. A transit visa which usually lasts 3 or 5 days and has a very high rejection rate with approvals seemingly at random or a tourist visa. Tourist visas are far more likely to be approved, but they are more expensive as you can only get these visas with an organised tour where you will have a guide with you at all times. We chose the latter for 2 reasons: 1) We were travelling with my bother and his girlfriend so obviously we wanted to give ourselves the best chance of getting a visa 2) Being that Miranda and I are not from the same country applying for a tourist visa was easier.
Guided tours will arrange all of your transportation. This makes getting to and from the crater very, very easy as its all arranged for you. If you arranging a trip in country on a transit visa, do be aware that the Manat is traded at approximately 3Manat = $1, as the official government exchange rate. In reality the black market rate is much closer to 10Manat = $1. Meaning that booking anything in country, where all prices are in Manat could lead to a very expensive trip.
There are two ways to get to the Darvaza Crater, from the capital Ashgabat to the south or from Konye Urgench to the north. Either way its a 3 to 4 hour drive through the desert.
Staying at the Darvaza Crater
The vast majority of tours offer you the opportunity to spend the night camping at the Darvaza Crater. It is definitely worth the sandy nights sleep. The view from the top of the hill as the sun is setting is simply breath taking as our photos can attest.
Where to go before and after:
A trip to the “Gateway to Hell” is usually at beginning or end of a trip to Turkmenistan. For us it was our first night in the country having crossed the border from Uzbekistan. We spent the day exploring the ancient ruins of Konye Urgench. This settlement, abandoned by it’s inhabitants in the 1700s was built during the Archaemenid Empire. It was recently classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. Some of the architecture there is truly mesmerising.
The next morning we headed onto Ashgabat, possibly the most bizarre capital city in the world. Passing villages and small settlements en route shows the disparity that exists between those lucky enough to live in the capital and the rest of the population.
Why Go
Simply put this is one of the most stunning and bizarre things we have ever had the pleasure of seeing. It was definitely one of the highlights of our time in Central Asia. It’s a surreal experience walking around the edges of the crater hearing the fire crackle and feeling your skin burn if you step too close. All the while in the knowledge you are hundreds of miles from civilization. Hopefully these photos can do this spectacular, yet bizarre place justice.
