A Fire That Never Slept: Darvaza Gas Crater, the Door to Hell

The desert is dark and silent for miles. Then the ground opens, and it is full of fire.

In Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, a crater glows orange all night. It roars like a jet engine. It has been burning for more than 50 years.

People call it the Door to Hell. And slowly, quietly, the fire is starting to go out.

How a hole in the sand caught fire

In 1971, Soviet geologists were drilling here for natural gas. The ground beneath them collapsed into a huge cavern, and gas began to leak out of the earth. To stop it spreading, they set it on fire. They expected the flames to die in a few days.

They never did. Five decades later, the desert is still breathing fire.

There is no official record of the accident, so parts of the story come from local accounts. But the crater is real. It is about 70 m across and 30 m deep, more than twice as wide as it is deep, a round burning room in a desert that covers about 70% of Turkmenistan.

Now the story is changing. Turkmenistan’s state energy company says the flames have dropped by nearly three times. New wells around the crater capture the gas, so less of it reaches the fire. That is good for the environment, because burning gas releases emissions. But it means the Door to Hell may not glow forever. The fire you see today is still big, only smaller and calmer than in older photos.

Standing at the rim

Arrive before sunset, when the crater is only a pale shimmer in the sand. Then the light leaves the sky, and the fire comes alive.

Heat presses against your face. The gas burns with a low roar that never stops. Behind you, the desert turns cold and black. Above you, with no city lights for miles, the stars are everywhere.

Tour companies set up tents or yurts a safe distance away and cook dinner over a fire, so you can walk back to the glowing edge again and again through the night.

Before you go

• Where: Karakum Desert, around 260 km north of the capital, Ashgabat.
• Visa: Turkmenistan is one of the least visited countries in the world. Visitors usually need a visa arranged with a letter of invitation, normally through a licensed tour agency. Most trips include a driver and guide.
• Getting there: around 4 hours by road from Ashgabat. The last part goes off-road across sand, so you need a 4×4.
• When to go: Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October). Go after dark, when the glow is strongest. Summer days are extremely hot and winter nights are freezing.
• Where to sleep: an overnight desert camp at the crater is the classic experience.
• No barriers: stay well back from the edge, especially at night.
• Watch the wind: stand upwind so smoke and heat blow away from you.
• Pack: warm layers for cold desert nights, plus water and a torch. There are no shops nearby.
• Go with a guide: desert tracks are easy to get lost on.
• Make it a bigger trip: add Ashgabat’s white marble city, the ancient Silk Road city of Merv (a UNESCO site), or Kunya-Urgench in the north.

Your challenge

Why was the Darvaza crater set on fire? A lightning strike, to burn off dangerous gas, a volcano, or for a film? Answer on my post at @explor_shan.

Then try the AI prompt challenge and create your own night at the Door to Hell.

FAQ

Is the Darvaza crater still burning in 2026? Yes, but the flames are noticeably smaller than they used to be.

Can I visit on my own? In practice, most visitors go with a licensed agency, which also helps with the visa.

Is it safe? Yes, if you keep your distance from the edge and follow your guide.

A fire lit by accident is learning, very slowly, to rest. Would you sleep next to it before it does? Save this before the fire goes out, and tag your adventure buddy.