Return To Darvaza, Turkmenistan

Return to the "Doorway To Hell"

Darvaza, Turkmenistan - July 23 2019

In the summer of 2019 I was assisting Exodus Travels with a trip through the "5 Stans Of The Silk Road" (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

A highlight for me was returning to the Darvaza flaming gas crater in the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan, about 4 hour drive north of the capital of Ashgabat. This is the spot where I led a National Geographic expedition to be the first person to ever set foot at the bottom of the crater. The purpose was to collect soil samples for DNA analysis. That was in 2013, and coming back so many years later was a joy for me. It was like visiting an old friend. Interestingly, there have been a lot of changes there, and the site has become a serious tourist attraction now. (well, not that Turkmenistan gets a lot of tourists).

The crater was formed when a natural gas drilling rig collapsed into a sinkhole, leaking methane gas. It has been burning for many decades. It is still as surreal and beautiful as the first time I saw it. There is now unfortunately a fence that has been installed around the crater. The vigorous fires inside the crater looked the same to em as they did in 2013. During my main expedition here in 2013 I carried a flag from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. I brought one with me this time as well. Some of the new tourist infrastructure at Darvaza. There's covered spots for eating dinner, a proper flush toilet, and concrete pads for setting up yurt tents. An outdoor cooking area for tour groups to use. This is where we had our dinner. There was also a brick walkway installed from the dining area to the crater. A row of yurts for tourists who spend the night here. Members of our group along the fence (which was easy to step over). As night falls, the crater really becomes something special. Looking down at the crater from a nearby hilltop.

Mud/Fire Crater Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan - July 23 2019 Not far from Darvaza is another crater that was also the result of a gas drilling operation. At the bottom is bubbling mud and some fire. Our group, showing the vast size of the crater. When I was in Turkmenistan in 2013, we never got the opportunity to visit this particular crater, so I was pleased to get the chance this time. Crater selfie. A wider-angle view of the mud/fire crater. Methane and other gasses bubbling up through the mud. Like the Darvaza crater, this one also has fire at the bottom, but only a little bit. At some point, somebody ignited the methane. I have no idea how long it has been burning for.


The crater was formed when a natural gas drilling rig collapsed into a sinkhole, leaking methane gas. It has been burning for many decades.	It is still as surreal and beautiful as the first time I saw it. There is now unfortunately a fence that has been installed around the crater.	The vigorous fires inside the crater looked the same to em as they did in 2013.


During my main expedition here in 2013 I carried a flag from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. I brought one with me this time as well.	Some of the new tourist infrastructure at Darvaza. There's covered spots for eating dinner, a proper flush toilet, and concrete pads for setting up yurt tents.	An outdoor cooking area for tour groups to use.


This is where we had our dinner. There was also a brick walkway installed from the dining area to the crater.	A row of yurts for tourists who spend the night here.	Members of our group along the fence (which was easy to step over).


As night falls, the crater really becomes something special.	Looking down at the crater from a nearby hilltop.


Not far from Darvaza is another crater that was also the result of a gas drilling operation. At the bottom is bubbling mud and some fire.	Our group, showing the vast size of the crater. When I was in Turkmenistan in 2013, we never got the opportunity to visit this particular crater, so I was pleased to get the chance this time.	Crater selfie.


A wider-angle view of the mud/fire crater.	Methane and other gasses bubbling up through the mud.	Like the Darvaza crater, this one also has fire at the bottom, but only a little bit. At some point, somebody ignited the methane. I have no idea how long it has been burning for.