THE DOOR TO HELL: DARVAZA GAS CRATER OF TURKMENISTAN
The Darvaza Gas Crater, the Door to Hell, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern. Hundreds of natural gas fires burning since the 1980s, illuminate the floor and rim of the crater. Located north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's capital, it is a 260km drive across the Karakum Desert on a deeply cratered and potholed road and sandy tracks. I visited the crater on October 18, 2024.
