Trip to Danakill Depression
This adventurous trip focuses on the arid north – east of the country which counts amongst its treasures the fascinating Danakil Depression, one of the lowest and hottest places on earth. The trip starts in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia and center for the African continent. Then the flight takes you to Semera, the center to start a trip to explore the famous Danakil Depression after the war in the Tigray region. You will undertake a memorable trek to the top of the active volcano Erta Ale before discovering the alien salt landscapes of Dallol. The Danakil Depression lies between the Danakil Alps (east) and the Ethiopian Plateau (west), which were once joined until the rifting process tore them apart. The land surface is slowly sinking, and the Danakil Depression will someday fill with water as a new ocean or great lake is born. The Danakil Depression is one of the lowest areas below sea level and is also the hottest point on Earth as far as the year-round average temperatures are considered. Known by the Afar as the “smoking mountain” and “the gateway to hell,” Erta Ale is a 2,011-foot-high constantly active basaltic shield volcano. It is one of only a handful of continuously active volcanoes in the world, and a member of an even more exclusive group: volcanoes with lava lakes. While there are only five known volcanoes with lava lakes globally, Erta Ale often has two active lava lakes – making it a unique site. Dallol has some of the most colorful landscapes on Earth.