2-Night 3-Day Danakil Depression Tour without Flights

Embark on a 3-day adventure to the Danakil Depression, one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions in Ethiopia. See the Erta Ale volcano, the mythical Lake Giulietti, and the salt flats where the Afar people obtain salt by evaporating the water of the lake.

Day 1: Addis Ababa to Erta Ale
Start your day with a morning flight from Addis Ababa to Semera. Drive to Erta Ale, which means "smoky mountain" in the Afar language. Erta Ale is an active volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and a 1 km square caldera at its summit. It contains the world’s only permanent lava lake.

After a short break, trek up to Ertale. Vehicles will transport all the camping materials and food to the rim of the volcano, where you will spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava.

Day 2: Erta Ale to Hamedela
Wake up early to see the sunrise at the northern pit crater. Walk 5 minutes to the southern and central pits. The main pit crater is 200 m deep and 350 m across, and the smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep.

Descend from Erta Ale around 9 am and leave back to Dodom after an early breakfast. Reach the camp by 10:30 and relax. Drive to reach the mythical Lake Giulietti, a saltwater lake located more than 100 meters below sea level, in one of the deepest depressions of the planet.

Visit the salt flats where the Afar people obtain salt by evaporating the water of the lake. Continue to Erbiti and proceed to Abaala/ Hamed ela. Spend the night at Hamedela.

Day 3: Hamedela to Semera
Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the localities are mining salt. Watch the activity of workers breaking salt from the ground, cutting it into rectangular pieces, and loading it on camels.

Drive ahead to Dallol and visit the different landscape formed by volcanic activity, Dallol, Lake Assal, and camel caravans. Excursion to Dallol, one of the lowest places in the world, and see the colorful salts mining. Visit Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans.

Drive to Mekelle. Fly back to Addis Ababa.