{"id":780,"date":"2020-08-27T10:09:25","date_gmt":"2020-08-27T10:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/staging\/?destination=darvaza-gas-craters"},"modified":"2024-06-06T01:39:20","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T17:39:20","slug":"darvaza-gas-craters","status":"publish","type":"destination","link":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/destination\/darvaza-gas-craters\/","title":{"rendered":"Darvaza Gas Craters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/api.mapbox.com\/styles\/v1\/visitsilkroad\/clvl3cel701dq01phev10aq9m\/static\/pin-s+ff0000(58.4164025,40.1902553)\/58.4164025,40.1902553,12.5,0\/725x300?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoidmlzaXRzaWxrcm9hZCIsImEiOiJjbHV2YWEzbDMwMWRvMmpvYXd1NzRkNDcwIn0.iA4-BEz1MfIrSQRk3uxVkw\">\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting There<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Darwaza, the former village close to the crater, is located halfway between Ashgabat and Dashoguz, and fits nicely in an overland itinerary between Iran and Uzbekistan. It\u2019s a three-hour drive from Ashgabat, and a five-hour drive from Dashoguz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to Expect<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>At night, in an empty desert with only the stars for company, red light emanates from the ground in the distance, and a distant rumble presages the crater. Shooting flames and fireballs across its hole, like a volcano, the crater must be viewed at night for full effect. In the morning, wake up to a desert sunrise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='pixels-photo'>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/500px.com\/photo\/156925133\/Darvaza-gas-crater-by-J\u00fcrg-Schmidlin-\" alt=\"Darvaza gas crater by J\u00fcrg Schmidlin  on 500px.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n  <img src='https:\/\/drscdn.500px.org\/photo\/156925133\/m%3D900\/v2?sig=d6ba4d2398731063b6aa99da58cddad5596b9affe7ecd54ad95ff555841e6c4e' alt='Darvaza gas crater by J\u00fcrg Schmidlin  on 500px.com' \/>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<script type='text\/javascript' src='https:\/\/500px.com\/embed.js'><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">History<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Darwaza gas crater, also known as the &#8220;Door to Hell,&#8221; dates back to 1971 when Soviet geologists accidentally stumbled upon a cavern filled with natural gas. To prevent the spread of methane gas, they set it on fire, expecting it to burn out in a few weeks. However, the crater has been burning continuously for over 50 years, turning into a popular tourist destination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='pixels-photo'>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/500px.com\/photo\/16982963\/gateway-to-hell-by-andrey-shapenko\" alt=\"Gateway to Hell by Andrey Shapenko on 500px.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n  <img src='https:\/\/drscdn.500px.org\/photo\/16982963\/m%3D900\/v2?sig=40f1364659d1736807c9ee6d71fc18f01ad6d6e05013b63ed4259ba6ac5bc7a7' alt='Gateway to Hell by Andrey Shapenko on 500px.com' \/>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<script type='text\/javascript' src='https:\/\/500px.com\/embed.js'><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>The origins of the gas crater have transformed it into an iconic landmark and a unique natural wonder in Turkmenistan. Its fiery glow and captivating history make it a must-visit site for adventurers and nature enthusiasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Facilities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Accommodation is available in Dashoguz and Ashgabat<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Located in the Ahal region, the Darwaza gas crater, also known as the &#8220;Door to Hell,&#8221; is a captivating natural phenomenon. Expect to witness a massive fiery crater that has been burning for decades, creating a mesmerising spectacle. This unique attraction offers a thrilling and otherworldly experience for travellers seeking to explore Turkmenistan&#8217;s extraordinary landscapes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4387,"parent":0,"template":"","destination_type":[17],"location":[46,27],"site_type":[166],"featured":[175],"class_list":["post-780","destination","type-destination","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","destination_type-site","location-dasoguz","location-turkmenistan","site_type-nature-eco-tourism","featured-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination\/780"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/destination"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination\/780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19269,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination\/780\/revisions\/19269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"destination_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination_type?post=780"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=780"},{"taxonomy":"site_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/site_type?post=780"},{"taxonomy":"featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitsilkroad.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured?post=780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}