The blazing Darvaza Gas Crater is a mesmerizing phenomenon in the Karakum Desert and one of the most iconic landmarks not only of Turkmenistan, where it is located, but of all Central Asia. The crater lies in the Dashoguz region, 260 km north of Ashgabat and 90 km from the village of Erbent. The fire that erupted in 1971 has not gone out to this day, turning the crater into a fiery pit that looks as if it came straight out of a science fiction movie. The intense heat and roaring flames earned it the nickname “The Gates of Hell,” also known as the “Door to the Underworld.” Over time, it has become a kind of tourist brand. On the way to the Darvaza Crater, one can admire the majestic landscapes of the Karakum Desert with its sand dunes, saxaul thickets, and herds of camels. Modern civilization seems to have bypassed these lands, and they look exactly as they did hundreds of years ago when caravans passed through along the Great Silk Road.