Descend into the surreal, otherworldly Danakil Depression — one of the hottest, lowest, and most geologically active places on Earth. Located in northeastern Ethiopia near the Eritrean border, this UNESCO-tentative site is a cauldron of neon-colored sulfur springs, active volcanoes, salt flats stretching to the horizon, and ancient Afar salt caravans still plying their trade as they have for millennia.
Led by expert Afar-speaking guides and armed escorts (for safety in this remote region), you’ll witness bubbling lava lakes at Erta Ale, walk across the mirror-like salt pan of Lake Asale, and meet salt miners hacking blocks from the earth under the blazing sun. At night, sleep under stars in a mobile camp surrounded by silence and geothermal steam. This is not just a trip — it’s an expedition into the planet’s rawest, most primal landscapes.
Highlights
- Trek to the rim of Erta Ale Volcano and peer into its glowing lava lake (one of only 6 in the world)
- Walk across the dazzling salt crust of Lake Asale, meeting Afar salt miners
- Witness Dallol’s acid springs — neon yellow, green, and red mineral pools
- Experience Afar nomadic culture — one of the toughest on Earth
