INTRODUCTION
Danakil Depression Tour: Dallol volcano is located in the Danakil Depression in North East of Ethiopia offers an opportunity to see the first signs of a new ocean basin forming. South of Dallol, the crust is cut into rectangular salt slabs and transported up into the highlands a near endless procession of camel caravans. The salt canyons south of Dallol Mountain are some of the most impressive geological features in the area. It looks like another planet because there are lots of colorful rocks in each meter. It’s quite like a science fiction.
Not far from Dallol in the Danakil Depression north of the Great Rift Valley, the only volcanic crater below sea level has remained silent since 1926 as the seabed it will one day occupy gradually widens.
Another impressive natural phenomenon of this region is Erta Ale, an active shield volcano in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia. It is the most active volcano in Ethiopia. Erta Ale is 613 meters tall, 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. It is located in the Danakil Depression.
The Afar people inhabited this harsh inhospitable region, will give a cultural encounter to your stay in the area. The Nomadic Afar people, dominantly Muslim, the women are dressed colorfully, mainly they live on herding camels and livestock; their villages are made up of small circular mobile huts with very inter woven kinship social structure led by elders.
The tour starts and ends on Mekele, Meet and join the group at Atse Yohanes hotel Mekele. Proceed to Ahmed Ella, the first camp via the entrance point, Berhale. See the long camel caravans. Early drive to Dodom, a base for Erta ale, late afternoon after taking early dinner trek to Erta ale watch the dramatic active volcanic activity. Morning walk around the main and most southern pits and craters then back to Dodom, a free time for relax and proceed to Hamad Ella. A head to Dallol, one of the lowest points in the world, visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity, colorful salts mining, Lake Assal, camel caravans loaded with a bare of rock salt, Drive back to Hamed Ella and return back to Mekele.
Join our scheduled small group Danakil depression tour from Mekele and save your private tour cost.
Group Size
♦ Minimum number for guaranteed departure is 4 persons
♦ Maximum: 8 persons
Danakil Depresion Tour Duration:
♦ 3 Nights/4 days -Mekele to Mekele
Accommodation:
♦ In Afar, Danakil trip accommodation will be in a safe camping ground with well equipped camping gears.
Activity level:
♦ convenient and recommended for healthy travelers, simply the area is hotter than the usual temperature.
Transportation:
♦ A well kept Toyota Land cruiser 4×4 equipped with functioning AC on group sharing basis.
Itinerary
Day 1: Mekele – Hamede Ella
Morning Meet and join the group at Atse Yohanes Hotel Mekele. Drive to Hamed Ella via Berhale. 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 sulfur 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 caravans stop before they proceed to the northern highlands. En route you see many long caravans going to the salt mines and others coming out of the Danakil with their salt loaded camels. (3-4 hrs drive). Camp at Hamed Ella.
Day 2: Hamd Ella – Dodom
We start early, shortly after a 06:30 breakfast, and drive to Dodom at the base of Erta Ale. This may be 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 the occasional palm lined oasis. You pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, before reaching Dodom. You will trek from Dodom to Erta Ale which takes about 3 hrs. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to Erta Ale at 20:00. Camels transport all the camping materials and some food, sleeping materials, mattresses 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 and you will spend an unforgettable night on the top of the mountain. Camping
Day 3: Early Morning rise to walk around the pits and crater then back to Dodom – Hamad Ella
Early morning you will rise with the sun with time to walk around pits and craters. The main pit-crater, 200 m deep and 350 m across, is sub-circular and three storied. The smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep. You will leave around 7:00 to head back to Dodom for breakfast. You will reach latest at 10:30 am at the camp and after some time to relax you will drive on to Hamad Ella, a village with a total population about 500 people. Hamed Ella Camp.
Day 4: Morning tour of Dallol then back to Mekele to complete Danakil Depression Tour
Morning driving tour to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the salts are mined. Observe the breaking of the salt from the ground, cutting into rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity, Dallol, Lake Assal with photographing long chained camel caravans. Excursion to Dallol (116 meter 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 Hamed Ella and proceed to Mekele.
…..… End of the Danakil Depression Tour arrangemnt …….
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