Darwaza gas

The Gate of Hell is a natural gas crater located in the middle of the Karakum Desert in the Ahal Province of Turkmenistan. Formed in 1971 during drilling operations by Soviet geologists, it was burned to stop a methane gas leak. Contrary to expectations, the gas continues to burn. The crater is approximately 70 meters wide and 30 meters deep. In 2013, National Geographic explorer George Kourounis became the first person to enter it. Today, the area is one of Turkmenistan's most striking tourist attractions.