Welcome to the Gates of Hell

If you were to mention Turkmenistan in conversation to most people you would probably get a blank look, if you did get a flicker of recognition it would probably be followed up by a mix of fact, misinformation and assumptions. For the record Turkmenistan is a landlocked nation in Central Asia, it was part of the Russian Empire in the 19th century, a republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century and it has a rich past that stretches way back into prehistory.

Often described as the North Korea of Central Asia, it is presented as a country where beards are illegal, smoking is forbidden and white cars are mandatory. I cannot claim to be an expert on Turkmenistan but I have been there and can confirm that none of those things are completely true.

Alongside the international criticism of authoritarianism and human rights abuses Turkmenistan is probably most famous for the fiery Darvaza Gas Crater, often called the Gates of Hell. The story goes that a Soviet exploration looking for natural gas inadvertently created this sinkhole in the desert that has been venting methane ever since. In an attempt to manage the situation it was decided to burn off the escaping gas. Exactly when and how this all happened is disputed but it has been on fire for decades and shows no sign of burning out.

It is now probably the biggest tourist attraction in the country and is most spectacular at night when the sky is filled with a beautiful orange glow and the true extent of the flames becomes far more apparent than under the harsh desert sun.

Despite talk of extinguishing the fires from time to time the Darvaza Crater continues to burn year after year and due to its unique and spectacular nature it continues to draw the small number of tourists who visit the country each year out into the desert to witness its fiery brilliance.

Share this post: