George Kourounis descends into the crater at Darvaza, Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan (Picture: National Geographic Channel)

Braving temperatures of 400C (750F) is all part of the day job for daredevil George Kourounis, who has become the first person to explore Turkmenistan’s Gateway to Hell.

The sinkhole’s fiery interior was created by Soviet gas engineers in 1971 when they tried to burn off methane leaking from the crater.

They wanted to protect a nearby village from gas poisoning and expected it to burn for only a few weeks. It has been burning ever since.

Canadian Mr Kourounis spent 18 months preparing for the expedition, which was part funded by the National Geographic Channel.


‘Surreal isn’t a strong enough word,’ he said.

It was created in 1971 but no-one guessed it would still be burning today (Picture: National Geographic Channel)

Temperatures can reach up to 400C degrees and it sounds like a jet engine (Picture: National Geographic Channel)

‘It was scary stepping over the edge, but when you’re at the bottom, it’s just so beautiful. Everywhere you look it’s thousands of these small fires.



‘The sound was like that of a jet engine, this roaring, high-pressure, gas-burning sound.’

Die Trying: Crater Of Fire premieres at 7pm on Sunday on National Geographic Channel