Dallol * Dallol is located in the desert of the Danakil Depression and is officially the hottest place on earth. But not only is the temperature a sensation – Dallol contains a globally unique natural phenomenon. Thousands of years earlier this land was flooded by the Read Sea. Warping land along the Eritrean coast severed the connection to the open sea. The land slowly dried up, leaving a huge salt desert with nearly all of it below the sea level.
Dallol itself is located at an altitude of 116 metres below sea level and is therefore not only the hottest place on earth, but also the lowest point in Africa. Sweltering heat spreads endless throughout this lunar landscape where nothing grows and nothing lives. The texture of the soil varies from coarse saline sand to a continuous layer of salt. Mountains of volcanic origins are a blur on the horizon.
Amidst this surreal landscape the nature of Dallol presents an unbelievable spectacle. Bizarre shapes suddenly appear in the distance. Coming closer you find yourself standing on rough, cracked ground, consisting of broken salt crusts. Colours of yellowish-brown and purple prevail.
Just a few metres further, strange salt formations begin to sprout from the ground, similar to giant termite mounds. Structures resembling oversized mushrooms are scattered throughout the area. A sulphur yellow pond spreads out in the area and geysers spew boiling hot salt water that was brewing underground. Just a few steps further and the water turns a bright green.
Driving a bit further in the SUV comes suddenly out of nowhere a pool brimming with sulphur liquid bubbling like a cauldron. According to the locals, the pool was created just a few years earlier when there was a break in the earth. Then it’s once again an expanse of white salt covered land, dotted by seasonal shallow salt lakes. It’s almost like a dream.
It is here you will often encounter the long salt caravans of the Afar who are on their way to dig for salt. We can follow the caravans to the mining site located nearby.
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Ertale Volcano * The Ertale Volcano is the scene of another unique natural spectacle and is just a day’s journey away from Dallol. Ertale is regarded as Africa’s most active volcano and is part of a mountain chain, which consists of seven volcanoes. For nearly 120 years, the crater of Ertale has been home to the world’s only permanent lava lake. It is an unforgettable moment when reaching the ascent of the crater rim during the late evening hours. A deep red light glows inside the molten lava mass of the crater against the night sky and occasional eruptions break through the lava’s surface.
The crater is only 613 metres high, but the bottom of the volcano is located below sea level. Starting from the base camp El Dom, located at the foot of the volcano, the ascent is best carried out after sunset in order to avoid the extreme daytime heat. It takes approximately three to four hours to reach the crater rim by foot. It is also possible to do the trip by camel back.
The drive back to the base camp in the village Hamed Ela close to Dallol crosses over rubble and solidified lava, through overgrown desert scrub. But even this inhospitable, scorching hot no-man’s land is inhabited. Further villages of the proud, harsh Afar people are coming up and a lush oasis lined with palm trees invites you for a stop in the shade.
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Itinerary & Travel Time: A minimum of five days should be reserved for a trip to the Danakil Depression (including a tour of Dallol, the salt mining site and Ertale, exclusive of the salines of Lake Afdera) provided that Mekele is the starting point of the trip. A detailed description of the itinerary can be found at OUR TOURS: A Short Trip to the Moon – 5-Day Expedition in the Danakil Depression.
Travel Season: From November to March. Tours do not normally operate in other months due to the high temperatures.
Meals & Accommodation: Nights will be spent in the Afar village Hamed Ela, which is close to Dallol and the dry salt lakes. There is not a conventional hotel, but rather traditional huts on the edge of the village where local-style beds are placed under the open sky. These huts are used and reserved for tourists only. Sanitary facilities are not available, but water for washing can be arranged. Sufficient food and drinking water must be brought with you. Our cook will take care of that and prepare your meals for you. On an excursion to the Ertale volcano a night is also spent camping out in the open air near to the crater rim of the volcano.
Note: Due to the extreme conditions of the Danakil Depression it is necessary for travellers to be physically fit.
Note: There is currently a foreign security warning for travel to the Danakil Depression (see foreign travel information online, e.g. the UK government travel website). For your own safety during an expedition a security escort, usually local guides and two or more soldiers resp. police officers, is mandatory for certain parts of the tour.
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