Darvaza gas crater: the spider suicides at the Gates of Hell

Turkmenistan is a country shrouded in mystery. It’s a destination so far off the radar that it sounds nearly mythical to many. Adding to its intrigue is a handful of captivating adventures far beyond the borders of its marble-clad capital, Ashgabat. For proof, look no further than the Darvaza gas crater spider suicides.

Having earned itself the title of the Gates of Hell, the Darvaza gas crater has quickly gained traction among travelers looking to venture where few have gone before. Alongside its eerie atmosphere, visual spectacle, and remote location, the nightly exodus of desert spiders heading into the pit is a remarkable, if somewhat unsettling, scene. If you’re eager to brave the road less traveled to witness this unforgettable phenomenon, keep reading to plan your trip today.

A bit of background information: the Turkmenistan Gates of Hell

There is a place on Earth where, in the middle of thousands of miles of flat, featureless desert, the ground opens up to reveal a deep crater of perpetually burning flames. Colloquially called the Gates of Hell, the crater finds itself in the heart of Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert.

This inferno lights up the silent sky at night, and thousands of enormous desert spiders creep out of the darkness, drawn hypnotically and suicidally to the flames. Little can be said with certainty about how the crater came to be, but it is thought that the Soviets, drilling for natural gas in the 1970s, accidentally accessed a vast gas chamber into which the ground collapsed.

Fearful of releasing toxic fumes, the methane gas was set alight to burn off. Expecting the crater to extinguish itself in a few weeks, its raging flames have been burning since 1972.

While the crater and its now famous spider suicides have been around for many years, it wasn’t until recently that tourists could visit it. As one of the former USSR’s furthest outposts, Turkmenistan’s travel and tourism didn’t take off until 2017.

This and the fact that the Turkmen government didn’t recognize the crater out of potential embarrassment made visiting the Darvaza gas crater even more difficult for prospective visitors. That said, with growing approval from the Turkmen government, the Darvaza gas crater has steadily become one of the country’s biggest draws.

Visiting the Darvaza gas crater: what to expect

There’s no beating around the bush. Visiting the crater is an intense and multi-sensory experience that stays with you long after you’ve left and will stand out for the rest of your life. Hearing the crackling of the flames with the faint smell of burning gas as the heat from the fire warms your skin is a feeling second to none.

Considering the wonderment behind the natural gas crater and its spider suicides, one would think it to be busier, but daytime visitor numbers never rise too high. This changes at night, though, and while visitor numbers increase to see the nightly spectacle, you’re most likely to be part of a small group admiring the phenomenon.

At night, the darkness surrounding the crater presents the perfect pitch-black background to heighten the look, atmosphere, and experience for those who come to see it. As the only light source in the otherwise dark desert, the flames deliver a showcase second to none long before the spiders come out.

The best time to visit the Darvaza gas crater

While the Darvaza gas crater and Turkmenistan are year-round destinations, heading into the desert does come with some caution. The ideal time to plan a trip is from October to April, coinciding with the country’s cooler months. During these months, daytime highs are more bearable, with the contrast of the flaming crater against a cool winter night being remarkably breathtaking.

Getting around: reaching the Darvaza gas crater

The good news is that travel and tourism in Turkmenistan have improved significantly over the last six years. Tour operators are now starting to promote travel to the formerly obscure country. The bad news is that the visa process, apart from the Transit Visa, can be extremely tedious and often unsuccessful.

Keeping that in mind, most who come to Turkmenistan do so on a Transit Visa from neighboring Uzbekistan. A Transit Visa gives travelers enough time to visit attractions like the Darvaza gas crater. While you can visit the country on your own, our exceptional local tour operators can run excursions to the crater, filling you with confidence to plan a successful trip.

Seeing the Turkmenistan door to hell spiders

Raging inferno aside, witnessing the Gates of Hell engulf hundreds of giant desert spiders at night is a firsthand experience you have to see to believe. Regarding scientific explanations, the general consensus is that these arachnids are simply drawn to the glow of the flames in the dark desert landscape.

These camel spiders, native to the desert, typically hide underneath the sand during the hot desert days, but at night, they generally come out to eat and mate. That’s all well and good, but because of the size and intensity of the flames coming out of the crater, those spiders who call the surrounding area home are sadly drawn to it and their death.

Now, it might sound like a scene from a horror movie, but camel spiders are considered to be non-aggressive and have not been known to attack humans unless provoked. That said, they do have a painful bite, but their venom isn’t regarded as dangerous to humans. Their venom is typically used to immobilize prey, not in defense of themselves. While some claims exist that these spiders enjoy chasing humans or large animals, this is simply untrue.

Camel spiders are afraid of light and remain in shaded areas or the shadows of other animals and humans. This begs the question, then: Why are they attracted to the light of the crater? As enticing as the glow of the flames is to people, it should scare off these critters, but instead, the gas crater’s warmth lures them from their routine as they ceremoniously plunge into the pit.

Planning a trip to the Darvaza gas crater: Turkmenistan travel advice

• It is vital that you have the correct visa type, even if you’re only transitioning to another country. The country imposes heavy penalties for overstaying visas.
• You are required to wear your ID at all times, as security officials throughout the country are commanded to ask for it.
• It is recommended that you not visit any areas near the Afghanistan border due to ongoing civil unrest and high threats of violence.
• Medical facilities are limited, especially when heading to the Darvaza gas crater. Medicine and equipment are often in short supply.
• Some medications containing codeine and other morphine-based medications may be restricted. Ensure you stick to legal limits before arriving in the country and declare all prescription medicines. You will need to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival.

Make it happen

Few people visit Turkmenistan, and fewer still visit to experience the Darvaza gas crater spiders. Those intrepid enough to brave the basic conditions and the spiders will be rewarded with a truly memorable experience and a genuine claim to have taken the road less traveled! Our local travel company in Uzbekistan can run tours in Turkmenistan. Get in touch with them through our Uzbekistan page.