2 Days Danakil Depression Tours

The Danakil Depression can be said to ‘begin’ here. It is one of the most inhospitable regions of the world, but is nonetheless spectacular, full of eye-catching colors, as in the sulphur springs. The desert has several points lying more than 100 meters (328 ft) below sea level; You pass through a small town of Berhale where the camel caravan stops before they proceed to the northern highlands. En route you see many long camel caravans coming to the salt mine and others going out of the Danakil with their salt-loaded camels. (3-4 hrs drive) Camp Hamedela. After drive to reach Hamad Ela, a better village with a total population of about 500 people. Sunset at Dallol. Overnight camping at Hamed Ela.

Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the localities are mining salt. Look at the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, cutting it into rectangular pieces, and loading it on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the different landscapes formed by volcanic activity, Dallol + Lake Assal + camel caravans. Excursion to Dallol (116 meters below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) colorful salts mining, visit Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans, and walk with the Afar people. Drive back to Hamedela and proceed to Mekele.

We start an early drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). Leave after an early breakfast, possibly at 06:30. This is maybe one of the worst roads in the world. The 80 km distance may take about 6 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm lined oasis. After you pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, Dodom is about 17km from Erta Ale and it takes about 3 hrs trekking. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to Ertale at 20:00 hours. 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. 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.

Overnight on the top of the mountain. 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. overnight at the rim of the Volcano.

Early Morning Descend from Erta Ale around 9 am Dodom – Leavame back to Dodom after an early breakfast, if possible at early morning You will reach latest at 9 am at the camp, time to relax. After drive to reach Eript, better village with a total population of about 500 people. Drive to Erbiti and proceed to Mekele.