3 Days tour itinerary for Danakil Depression

3 Days tour itinerary for Danakil Depression

Heading to the "gateway to hell" - Danakil Depression tour starts and ends in Mekele.

Heading to the "gateway to hell" - Danakil Depression tour is a small group tour that includes accommodation as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more.

Additional information

Danakil Depression is one of the driest and lowest regions on earth and spend a night observing the boiling lava, just a km away. Also see the salt water lake of Giulietti, the crater lake of Assal and pass by the Berhale town during this tour.

The Danakil Depression is a desert basin which lies in the Danakil Desert in north-eastern Ethiopia and southern Eritrea. It belongs to the homeland of the Afar people. It laid up to 100 m below sea level one of the lowest spot in the world as a result of tectonic activity caused by plate movements.

Itinerary

Day 1: DAY 01: Mekele to erta ale

Stop At: Danakil Depression, 0125 Ethiopia
After breakfast in Mekele, drive to Eart Ale (the crust of the earth) via Dodom (the base of Erta Ale).

You will experience the worst roads in the world, for a distance of about 70-80 km. It takes around 6 hous to drive whilst passing through changing landscapes of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm-lined oasis. After you pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert, you will watch the smock of the crust of the earth.

Have early dinner and proceed to “the gate way to hell!”. Dodom to Eart Ale takes approximately about 3 hours of trekking. Don’t worry. Camels will transport all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where you can spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava just a km away.

Overnight stay in nearby active volcano.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Cottage or Camping

Day 2: DAY 02: Erta ale to danakil depression

Stop At: Danakil Depression, 0125 Ethiopia
Head back to Dodom after an early breakfast with the Ethiopian tour guide. You will reach latest by 10:30 o’clock at the camp, where you will be relaxing. As soon as possible, drive to reach the mythical Lake Giulietti (or Lake Afdera), a salt water lake located more than 100 meters below sea level, in one of the deepest depressions of the planet. Because of the picturesque landscape, it is interesting to visit the salt flats where the Afar people obtain the salt by evaporating the water of the lake.

On your way, enjoy caravan camels bring or towards to bring salts from Asebot. You will enjoy the area over passing through a small town called “Berhale” where the caravan camels stop before they proceed to the northern highlands.

Continue to Erbiti and overnight stay at Abaala/ Hamedela.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Cottage or Camping

Day 3: Day 03: Danakil depression to mekele

Stop At: Danakil Depression, 0125 Ethiopia
Drive to Ragad (Asebot) with the Ethiopian tour guide.Proceed to the Danakil Depression and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity. Danakil is 116 meter below sea level and one of the lowest places in the world with colorful salts mining.

Visit Lake Assal, and follow up camel caravans (No camel caravan on July, August and early September) and walk with the Afar people.

Drive back to Hamedela in the late afternoon and proceed to Mekelle.

Overnight stay in Mekele.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
No accommodation included on this day.