Would you go to hell??

in #travel7 years ago

OK I don't mean literally!

Believe it or not there is an actual place on earth called "the gates of hell"or "door to hell".

It's actually a gas crater that is constantly burning, located in the Karakurum desert of Turkmenistan, near the village of Darvaza. This area is known to have the largest gas reserve in the world. Since 2009 it has become a popular tourists attraction location. Funny how an accident could become a place to visit for camping and sightseeing. Let me explain:

History could sometimes prove to be inaccurate so there are many versions of what really happened. In 1971, soviet engineers saw this as a potential oil field site. The engineers set up a drilling rig and operations to assess the quantity of oil available at the site. Soon after the preliminary survey found a natural gas pocket, the ground beneath the drilling rig and camp collapsed into a wide crater and was buried. Expecting dangerous releases of poisonous gases from the cavern into nearby towns, the engineers thought it best to burn the gas off. It was estimated that the gas would burn out within a few weeks, but it has instead continued to burn for more than four decades. Crazy how it was left this way, causing no real harm to anyone nearby.

Turkemistan isn't known to be very popular when it comes to tourism, but I think just to see visit this site, it's well worth the shot. Not sure my fiancee would agree with me, but I would certainly love to visit this country with friends, sharing a few beers, take some nice pictures and camping. I hear the gates of hell are a sight for sore eyes at night. If you go just make sure to take caution as there is no fence!