Have you already heard about Derweze crater in Turkmenistan heard? The crater of Derweze is located in the Turkmen Karakum desert and has a diameter of around 70 meters. The unique thing about this crater is the fire, which has been burning since 1971. Due to the seemingly endless flames and its appearance, the crater of Derweze is also known as "the gateway to hell". But how did this wonder of nature come about and why has it been burning for so many decades? I will answer these and other questions about the Derweze crater in Turkmenistan today.
Formation of the crater of Derweze in Turkmenistan
The Derweze crater did not form entirely naturally; as is so often the case, the impetus for this natural wonder came from us humans. Turkmenistan, and the Karakum desert in particular, is home to significant oil and gas deposits. When geologists were drilling in the desert in 1970, the ground suddenly collapsed. A huge crater was created without anyone being injured. The reasoning behind the subsequent decision was not immediately clear to me, but the geologists decided to burn the escaping toxic gases and hoped that the flames would quickly die out. But nature had something else in mind. Today, the flames are still burning because they simply could not be tamed. All attempts to extinguish them failed.
Although Turkmenistan's President Berdimuhamedow was personally on site in 2010 and ordered the closure of the crater in order to close other surrounding natural gas fields, the Derweze crater is still burning today. Burning the escaping methane produces carbon dioxide, which is much more environmentally friendly than methane that flows directly into the atmosphere. As a result, the Derweze crater is still burning today and has more than earned its nickname "the gateway to hell".
Tourism at the crater of Derweze in Turkmenistan
The country of Turkmenistan only welcomes around 15,000 tourists a year, which is why the crater of Derweze in the Karakum desert can still be described as a real insider tip. I'm not really a fan of turning such unique places into a tourist attraction, but as the crater has been reported on for several years and the number of tourists is only slowly increasing, I think it's okay.
This natural wonder is also difficult to destroy. Because anyone who ventures too close to the crater runs the risk of falling into the depths with the loose rim. Incidentally, a large part of the Karakum desert was declared a nature reserve in 2014 in order to protect nature and the crater itself. The crater of Derweze and Turkmenistan in general is definitely on my list of travel destinations.
Experience the crater of Derweze and Turkmenistan for yourself
In addition to the crater of Derweze, Turkmenistan has much more to offer. The Karakum desert alone covers an area of over 400,000 square kilometers. Since 2015, Turkmenistan has been opening up more and more to tourism, meaning that the variety of offers in this wonderful country is also increasing. The city of Awaza is located directly on the Caspian Sea, where you can spend a wonderful vacation time. The capital Asgabat and the cities of Merv, Köneurgenc and Nisa are very ancient and are perfect for a city break. I definitely recommend flying to one of the two airports Ashkhabad or Türkmenabad. Also at AirBnb there are very good offers as an alternative to the hotel.
It's always great when you can get the best tips from people on the ground. In any case, I wish you a fantastic experience.
Best regards,
PS.: If you want to see and experience more nature, just click through my entire Nature Travel Blog. Have fun!
