For decades, a flaming pit in the Karakum Desert has drawn travelers who want to stand at the edge of what looks like the underworld. Now the Darvaza gas crater is losing its glow. Turkmenistan says it is doing it on purpose.
A Fire That Wouldn’t Quit
The Darvaza gas crater, also called the Door to Hell or the Shining of the Karakum, sits in the desert about 260 kilometers north of the capital, Ashgabat. It measures roughly 70 meters (230 feet) across and 30 meters (98 feet) deep.
According to the popular account, Soviet geologists drilling in 1971 collapsed an underground gas chamber and set the leaking gas on fire to prevent poisonous fumes from spreading, expecting it to burn out within days. There is no firm record of that event, and Turkmen gas scientists have given a different date, saying an exploratory well was drilled on the site in 1963. The one thing everyone agrees on is that the fire never went out.
The Fire Starts to Fade
At an international conference on hydrocarbon development in Ashgabat in June 2025, Turkmengaz official Irina Luryeva said the reduction in the fire was “nearly threefold.” She explained that the glow, once visible from miles across the desert, could now only be seen up close. According to reporting by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, several mothballed gas wells nearby were reopened to draw gas away from the crater. The Times of Central Asia reported that independent satellite data showed a threefold drop in methane emissions at the site.
Visitors noticed the change. AFP described the crater as a charred pit with only a few small fires, leaving tourists underwhelmed.
Why Turkmenistan Wants It Out
The government has framed the blaze as both an environmental and an economic loss. In 2022, then-president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov ordered experts to find a way to extinguish it, citing the loss of valuable natural resources. The country is also one of the world’s biggest methane emitters through gas leaks, according to the International Energy Agency, and has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over the short term.
In late December 2025, Turkmengaz announced a plan to drill another well that would redirect gas away from the crater and “completely eliminate” uncontrolled emissions. Earlier attempts to find the original wellbore had failed because gas was leaking from many surface outlets. No reports have confirmed that the fire has been put out entirely.
A Cost for Tourism
Putting out the fire would end the country’s best-known tourist draw. A tour operator in Ashgabat told AFP that many tourism companies would lose income if the flames stopped. The road to the crater is also in poor condition, which already makes the trip difficult.
Planning a Trip to Central Asia
If you want to see Darvaza while some fire remains, or explore the region more broadly, here are the main costs and choices:
- Guided tours. Compare Turkmenistan tours, Central Asia tour packages and desert camping trips, since independent travel is restricted.
- Visas. Check visa requirements and processing costs well ahead of time.
- Travel insurance. Travel insurance with medical and evacuation cover is wise for remote desert destinations.
- Flights and hotels. Book flights to Ashgabat and hotels early.
- Photography gear. A night-photography camera, tripod and headlamp help capture the crater after dark.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Door to Hell? A burning natural gas crater in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, also called the Darvaza gas crater.
How long has it been burning? For more than 50 years, according to the commonly cited account dating to 1971.
Is the fire out? No. It has dimmed sharply, but no reports confirm it has been fully extinguished.
Why is Turkmenistan trying to put it out? Officials cite wasted gas and methane emissions.
Sources: Popular Science, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Times of Central Asia, Dawn, and Discover Wildlife, all covering the fading flames at Turkmenistan’s Darvaza gas crater and the government’s efforts to extinguish the fire.
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