Introduction
It's been called one of the most alien places on earth — a "gateway to hell" and, in the words of British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, a veritable "land of death."
The sulfurous hot springs, acid pools, steaming fissures and salt mountains of the Danakil Depression resemble scenes from a science fiction movie. But the area is very real — and it's one of Ethiopia's top attractions.
One of the hottest places on earth (by average daily temperature) as well as one of the lowest (over 400 feet below sea level), the Danakil Depression entices three main types of people to the area: salt miners, scientists and travelers.
As they have done for centuries, miners travel hours — often by camel caravans — to extract salt slabs from the flat pans around Lake Afar. Salt is the region's "white gold" and was a form of currency in Ethiopia until the 20th century.
Scientists are attracted to the conditions. In the 1960s, the area was used to study plate tectonics, but more recently astrobiological exploration is the larger scientific draw.
In the spring of 2016, researchers from the University of Bologna, Italy's International Research School of Planetary Sciences and Ethiopia's Mekelle University studied whether microbes can withstand Danakil's scorchingly inhospitable environment (it turned out they can). Scientists wonder whether if extremophiles, as they are known, can survive there, they can survive on Mars too.
What is included in the tour
- Accommodation
- Meals
What is NOT included in the tour
- Flights
- Optional
- Additional Services
- Visit to a lava lake
- Visit to Ragad (Asebo)
- Visit to to lake Afdera
Day 1: Addis Ababa – Fly To Semera Drive To Afdera-Volcano
Day1: Addis Ababa – Fly To Semera Drive To Afdera-Volcano
This day we will meet you at the town of Semera airport then we will drive to danakil depression. We start early drive to lake Afdera(a salt lake that is located in the heart of Danakil Depressions and in this lake you may a chance of the natural hot springs then later you had a swimming around this lake we will be driving to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). Leave after lunch, possible at 01:30. After you pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, Dodom is about 9.5km from Erta Ale and it takes about 1 hrs trekking. Early dinner around 17:00, Camels transport all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. Danakil depression (dallol and Erta Ale) ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. Erta Ale is 613 meters, with a lava lake, one of only five in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century. O/n camping on the mountain
Day 2: ErtaAle-HamadEla-Dallol-Afdera
Day 2 ErtaAle-HamadEla-Dallol-Afdera
This day after an early breakfast we will drive to HamadEla 04:30, better village with a total population about 500 people. You will see lots of camel caravans and you will have the sun set look from the very shallow salt lake Assale.
Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where thelocalities are mining salt. 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi) the Afar Depression is covered by salt, and you will Look the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, local people are cutting in to rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity; Dallol + Lake Assale + salt canon, camel caravans, follow up camel caravans and Drive to lake Afdera
Overnight Camping in Lake Afdera
Day 3: Afdera-Semera-Addis Ababa-Departure
Day 3 Afdera-Semera-Addis Ababa-Departure
This day you may have another chance to see the beautiful of sun rise in lake Afdera then after breakfast we will drive to the town of semera and drop you at the airport for your departure
