The Door to Hell Is Right Here on Earth

Have you ever wondered where the path to hell begins? Well, the gate to hell in Turkmenistan is a natural gas field which has been continuously oozing bubbling fire out of its crater for more than forty-four years and will answer all your queries about Hell! If you’re a thrill seeker, the ‘Gate to Hell’ should be on your bucket list.

The size of an American football field, the crater is 30 meters deep with a roaring hot fire erupting from its mouth. Be careful not to get burned! Legend states that the name ‘Door to Hell’ was given to the crater as not only fire erupted from the crater but also boiling hot mud which made it appear as an image of hell etched into the human sub-consciousness.  The most adventurous part of the entire visit is that you can stand right by the edge of the crater which will give you an adrenaline rush! However be careful as the sandy soil can crumble away instantly.

Did you know?

• The fire-pit was actually formed due to an accident by soviet geologists. As the soviet geologists drilled at the site to find natural gas, the ground beneath collapsed forming a crater which emitted dangerous gases including methane. Fearing that the methane would poison residents living nearby, the geologists set the pit on fire to cease the toxic emissions expecting it to cease within a few weeks. Little did they know that it would continue burning for forty-four years!
• An expedition in 2013 was carried out to figure out whether there could by any life inside the deadly crater and they discovered that there was bacteria living at the bottom of the crater!

Want to visit?

There are several local agencies which arrange tours to visit the crater, however make sure to book a night tour to appreciate the raging fire. We recommend you to try out Dragoman, which not only arranges transport to take you to The Door to Hell but also allows you to camp the night beside the crater! You can also book a trip with OrexCA where you can spend the beginning of the trip visiting the door to hell, after which visit other attractions alongside.

Doesn’t this sound like something right out of a fairy tale?