Essential itinerary in the Danakil depression, ideal for who has just few days but wants to visit the most fascinating and evocative desert of East Africa, one of the few places in the world where it is possible to see the first stage of ocean formation.
It’s an expedition to a remote area, where there are no hospitality facilities, so Medir Tour organizes mobile camps with igloo tents and high quality camp kitchen. It’s possible to travel just from mid October to March (included), and sometimes the temperatures reach over 40º.
The intensity and spectacular nature of the visit will widely pay back the uncomfortable side of the trip.
VISITED PLACES
Awash National Park: in the heart of the Rift Valley, the park offers the possibility to spot different animal species such as antelopes, kudu, crocodiles and many birds.
Semera: Administrative capital of Afar region, a spectacular geyser is visited in the neighborhood .
Erta Ale:the great show of the lava lake will be the reward for the not long but demanding ascent.
Dallol:The hill of salt of Dallol is actually a volcano, the proximity to magma and the high mineral density in the underground create unreal landscapes.
The “salt plain” : in the lowest depression of Danakil, it lays a crust of salt that is extracted with hand-crafted procedure where the Afar from the lowland collaborate with the Tigre from the highland. It’s an evocative show out of time.
Caravans: long queues of camels loaded with salt blocks go back and forward on the ancient road along the river Saba, up to the market of Beraile.
Afar: nomadic shepherds, the ancient inhabitants of the Danakil desert, are proud and fascinating people, in the simplicity of a life lived without comforts.
Geyser in Alalo Bed
Erta Ale, the smoking mountain
Dallol, the astonishing hill
Salt extraction in Ahmed Ela
Salt caravans
ITINERARY
1- Addis Ababa- Awash. Visit of the park. Lodge
2- Awash- Semera. Panoramic transfer, geyser. Hotel
3- Semera- Erta Ale. Transfer and ascent of the volcano. Bivouac in huts
4- Erta Ale- Ahmed Ela. Caravans. Bivouac in huts
5- Ahmed Ela. Dallol and salt plain. Bivouac in huts
6- Ahmed Ela- Afar village. Karoum Lake, Afar. Camping
7- Afar- Mekelle. Transfer and flight to Addis Ababa. Connection to international flight
PERSONALIZATIONS AND EXTENSIONS
It is possible to personalize this itinerary by adding one night on Erta Ale volcano to visit the second caldera; by adding one day to visit Caterina volcano (demanding trekking); by extending of 2 or 3 days in Tigray to visit rock-hewn churches and to relax in one of the best lodges in Ethiopia; or by combining the itinerary with one in the North by land up to Lalibela.
We also recommend the following extensions:
Complete tour in the North of Ethiopia by internal flights, that allow to travel in a fast and comfortable way the big distances that separate the monumental sites, enriched with the fascinating region of Tigray. [...]
Three days extension that offers to the trekking lovers the opportunity to live an intense experience with the local community: Tesfa organizes several trekking circuits using guesthouses managed by the community. They are clean accommodations, [...]
Five days extension that allows you to visit the ancient Muslim city of Harar and its surroundings, with the colorful variety of its people. An essential impression for those interested in all shadows of the [...]