Darvaza Gas Crater more popular called The Door to Hell.
Darvaza Gas Crater is the most popular tourist destination in Turkmenistan, even though it releases carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. Despite environmental and safety concerns, the “Door to Hell” has been a significant tourist attraction, and its closure would mean losing a unique, albeit hazardous, landmark. This post will also tell about the famous Turkmenistan horses and a peculiar cemetery.
Darvaza Gas Crater
The Door of Hell has been burning since 1971. Soviet geologists were searching for oil and hit a natural gas pocket. The ground collapsed, forming a massive pit. To prevent methane from poisoning nearby villagers, they set it on fire, believing it would last for a few days. Because of the constant methane combustion, the crater releases tens of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere every year. So, the fire has been burning for more than 50 years, but it was much larger before, and it could look like it might burn out in the near future.
Despite its remote location and lack of infrastructure, it is a popular tourist destination. It is often visited at night when the fiery glow is most dramatic. A few hundred metres from the crater, they have set up a yurt camp. Here, you can rent a yurt, a circular, tent-like dwelling used by Central Asian nomads for thousands of years. However, they do not provide any food here, so you have to bring your own food, and it can be pretty cold at night.
The Akhal-Teke
Known as the “national pride” of Turkmenistan, the Akhal-Teke horses are a popular attraction that Turkmenistan showcases to tourists. The horses are known for speed, endurance, intelligence, thin manes, and a distinctive metallic sheen. The former President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, was believed to own approximately 500 Akhal-Tekke horses.
The famous horse race that the same president did in 2013 was on one of his horses. This video clip was initially attempted to be removed, but it gained popularity online shortly afterwards. After being transported by ambulance, the president appeared on stage and was presented with the medal for winning the race. Thankfully, YouTube is banned in Turkmenistan, so the people never “got to know” what really happened. Welcome to LaLa land!
But nobody can deny that they are a beautiful breed. It should also be noted that Turkmenistan has its own government department for horses.
Nohur and its cemetery
In this little mountain village, they have been very isolated from the rest of the country. So here they have had the opportunity to cultivate their own traditions. They are also stricter Muslims than in other parts of the country, and they practice polygamy.
Here you can see what makes it peculiar. At the cemetery of the isolated village of Nohur, nearly every grave is marked with the horns of a mountain goat. The goat horns are thought to fight off evil spirits and help the souls of the deceased to ensure a safe passage to heaven. In addition to their appearances at the village cemetery, skulls of mountain goats are found at some of the houses’ doorways in the village as well.
Conclusions
I know that when you buy a package trip to a country, you have to buy the whole package. And especially in a country as controlled as Turkmenistan. The guide was called up by the “tourist department” almost every day to ensure we were following the set plan and not going to any unauthorised places. After researching before travelling, it did not come as a surprise, of course, but you still get overwhelmed by how much energy they put into covering up the country’s shortcomings. And what their people are willing to put up with.
I feel a bit guilty for wanting to see the Door to Hell, when I know what damage it does to the environment. I can not find a good excuse; it was fascinating to stand by the crater. But we have to hope it burns down soon rather than later, and the country will have to find other attractions for the tourists.
