5 / 5 - One review
How to get there
A 4 1/2 hour drive from Ashgabat
When to go
Year round
Minimum stay
A few hours
Darvaza (Uzbekistan)
©
@flickr cc Stefan Krasowski
Practical information on Darvaza
Reviews of Darvaza
A tiny Turkmen village razed in 2002 by order of the President, Derweze is famous for its fiery crater, nicknamed the "Door to Hell."
My suggestion:
I especially recommend that you visit the "Door to Hell" location at night, when the flames in the middle of the desert offer an even more incredible sight.
My review
It's hard to believe that a village of about 300 inhabitants, located in the heart of the desert in Turkmenistan is still present in this address selection! And yet it hasn't been usurped. First of all, for Derweze's unusual history, which saw the President of Turkmenistan decide to raze it in 2002 because it wasn't "aesthetically appropriate for tourists," leaving a virtually uninhabited ghost town.
And then an even more unusual history, the presence of a crater here that was created in 1971 during a gas drilling failure, from which toxic gas was released. The solution should be simple: just let the gas burn off, except that forty years later, the 70 meter wide crater is still burning and provides for some surrealistic photos in the heart of the desert. It's an experience that I found absolutely unforgettable in Turkmenistan!
©
@flickr cc Stefan Krasowski
