Karakum Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
desert in Turkmenistan
About Karakum
As themost remote partof one of the world's most remote countries, there's basically one attraction here, and that's the burning hole in the ground. The whole area is rich in natural gas and while drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of more than 70m (230ft) and they decided the best solution was to flare the gas. They hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but the gas is still burning today, more than 50 years later! You might want to arrive during the daytime, when the crater is impressive but not stunning, and then wait as night falls, when the Door to Hell erupts into a spectacular show. Camping just beyond the pit on the nearby dunes is h
Karakum Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: