Ethiopia · Geological Wonders

4-Day Danakil Depression Tour from Mekelle with Erta Ale and Dallol

4 Days Round trip from Mekele Easy pace
Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
Volcanic eruptions at Danakil Depression
Erta Ale, Ethiopia

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Watch the dramatic action of the boiling lava at Erta Ale
  • 02 Spend a night at the rim of the volcano
  • 03 Discover the various landscapes formed by volcanic activity
  • 04 Swim in Lake Afdera and enjoy the nearby hot spring
  • 05 See salt miners at work and camel caravans crossing the salt flats

Explore the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia's Afar Triangle, a remarkable geological depression shaped by the meeting of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa. Admire the stunning, eye-catching colours of the sulfur springs, experience the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Dallol, and trek to Erta Ale to watch the boiling lava. This 4-day journey also includes Lake Afdera, hot springs, salt mining sites, and overnight camping in one of the hottest places on Earth.

Admire the stunning, eye-catching colours of the sulfur springs, experience the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Dallol, and trek to Erta Ale to watch the boiling lava.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included · Standard
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Mekele, Afdera, Erta Ale, Dallol
Languages Arabic, English, French, German

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Mekelle to Afdera and Lake Camping

  • Drive from Mekelle to Afdera (220 km). The Danakil Depression can be said to begin here. It is one of the world's most spectacular and inhospitable regions.

  • Continue to Afdera via the small village of Eribt. Afdera is one of the towns in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the saline Lake Afdera, located in the southern part of the Afar Depression.

  • Swim in the salt lake and enjoy the hot spring near the lake.

  • Camp near the lake.

2
Day 02

Afdera to Erta Ale Volcano

  • Drive from Afdera to Dodom (70 km).

  • Visit the salt miners - local people pumping saltwater and evaporating the water - near the lake.

  • Drive to Dodom, at the base of Erta Ale, about 8.5 km from the volcano. The trek takes about 3 hours.

  • Have an early dinner around 5 pm and trek up to Erta Ale at 8 pm. Camels transport all the camping materials and some food, including light mattresses and water, to the rim of the volcano, where you will spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. Erta Ale contains the world's only permanent lava lake. Erta Ale is 613 metres high, with a lava lake that is one of only five in the world. It has two craters: the north crater, which is inactive or sleepy, and the south crater, which is the most active and contains the lava lake at the summit.

Overnight camping on top of the volcano.

3
Day 03

Erta Ale Sunrise and Drive to Hamad Ela

  • Wake up early for sunrise and visit the north crater. Descend from Erta Ale around 7:00 am.

  • Return to Dodom and reach the camp by 09:30 am at the latest.

  • After breakfast, enjoy some time to relax.

  • At 10:30 am, drive to Hamad Ela (100 km).

  • Have a picnic lunch on the way in the shade of a palm tree.

  • Reach Hamad Ela at 04:30 pm, a village with a total population of about 500 people.

  • See lots of camel caravans, and enjoy the sunset view over the very shallow salt lake Assale.

Overnight camping at Hamad Ela.

4
Day 04

Salt Mines of Ragad, Dallol and Return to Mekelle

  • Go on a morning drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where local people mine salt.

  • Observe the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, cutting it into rectangular pieces, and loading it onto camels.

  • Drive on to Dallol and visit the different landscapes formed by volcanic activity.

  • Drive back to Hamad Ela for lunch and then proceed to Mekelle.

Erta Ale lava lake, Dallol volcanic landscapes, Lake Afdera salt flats

Where this trip takes you

Erta Ale lava lake, Dallol volcanic landscapes, Lake Afdera salt flats

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Mekele 4 cities · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Transport in recent-model, insured Toyota 4WD Land Cruisers with an experienced English-speaking Ethiopian driver

  • One additional car for staff

  • All fuel expenses and driver allowances

  • Plenty of bottled water and coffee or tea

  • All necessary entrance fees and licences

  • Necessary accommodation

  • Full-board meals with soft drinks

  • Local guide service for the Afar region

  • Cooking and camping equipment, with an experienced cook throughout the whole tour

  • Scout and police service in the Afar Region as per the programme

  • Camels and camel handlers in the Afar Region as per the programme

  • All government tax

What's Not Included

  • Alcoholic drinks

  • Personal insurance

  • Tips

  • Laundry

  • Other personal expenses

What to bring

  • Light for walking at night

  • Small backpack for the trek to the top of the volcano

  • Closed, comfortable shoes (trekking shoes)

  • Sunglasses

  • Sun protection such as sun cream and a hat

  • Jacket for the night on the volcano

  • Sleeping bag, pillow, or blanket (it can be provided by us)

Know before you go

  • This tour is also offered in Italian and Spanish.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Mekele, Ethiopia
Tour start
Mekele, Ethiopia
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 4 days finish where they began, in Mekele.

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Starting from

USD 55 /person
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Estimated room rates

Single Room $55.00 — $550.00
Double Sharing $55.00 — $275.00

When

Travellers

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