Erta Ale Volcano Special: expedition to stay 4 nights on erupting Erta Ale

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Erta Ale Volcano Special

in response to recent high activitiy in the Southern crater and growing lava lake (Danakil desert, Ethiopia)

Nighttime impression of lava flow and spattering from the overflowing lava lake (Dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

A fresh pahoehoe lava makes its way from the overflowing lake across black lava flows that only recently covered the caldera floor (Nov 2016; image: Hans en Jooske)

A large lava bubble explodes at the surface of the full lava lake (Dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Boiling hot and overflowing Erta Ale lava lake (dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Strong nighttime glow of the active lava lake as seen from the caldera rim (bluish lights to the right are observers at Erta Ale camp site) (Dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Closer view of the large volumes of fresh pahoehoe lava flows that cover the caldera floor and are still red hot and liquid beneath their thin crusts (Nov 2016; image: Hans en Jooske)

Strong spattering from the boiling lava lake that is about to overflow (Dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Overflowing ´perched´lava lake of Erta Ale in November 2016 (image: Hans en Jooske)

The Dallol salt dome amidst dark green acid ponds with yellow ´salt cakes´ (dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Dallol´s hydrothermal system creates an ever changeing alien landscape of colourful salt deposits, acid ponds and miniatyre geysirs (dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Bizarre miniature geysers or salt springs at Dallol (dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Photographing the abundant green acid ponds amidst the white-yellow-orange salt deposits (Dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)

Erta Ale volcano has been in activity since January 2022:
the lava lake with approx. 200 meters in diameter continues to occupy the central part of the southern crater and is clearly visible and it show signs of constant activity related to the gradual widening of its walls.
For those quick to decide, we offer this Volcano Special tour to watch it and to visit the other best sites of Euthiopia.

2 nights and 1 full day on the summit of Erta Ale active volcano
Exploration of fascinating Dallol
Visit and swim in Afdera Salt Lake
Small international group
Excellent Ethiopian volcanologist as main guide
VolcanoDiscovery guide Tobias Schorr
Dedicated supply vehicle with experienced cook
Competent and friendly local team and drivers
Interaction with local people, introduction into local customs
Experience - we organise Danakil adventures since 2007

8-days itinerary

J 1: Arrival to Semera (Asaita)
Arrival at Semera Airport and meeting by Enku, Volcano Discovery Ethiopia Expedition Leader. Briefing about General Ethiopian Geology , Main Ethiopian Rift valley System, Afar / Ethiopian People and culture, Ethiopian Volcanoes and finally about the whole program. In the afternoon visist of Lake Afambo which is about 84Km from Semera and discover the chained lakes of Lake Afambo and Gummare. Return back to Asaita. Overnight at Local Hotel in Asaita small town.

J 2: Semera - Afdera Salt Lake
Drive along the main road from Semera to Serdo, then turn northward through a volcanic desert landscape into the Danakil depression - campsite at the shore of Afdera salt lake.

J 3: Afdera - Erta Ale summit
Drive to the Summit of Active Lava Lake of Erta Ale. After processing the permit with the local administration of Erta Ale area proceed to the base camp where the cars will be parked.
After relaxed light dinner, we will have 30 Minutes'walk to the Summit crater of Erta Ale. Overnight camping at the Summit crater, open Air without tents (Only Sleeping bags and mattress).

J 4: Explore Erta Ale's activity
Full day and night on Erta Ale to observe the volcanic activity and phenomena in the summit caldera

J 5: Descend to Dallol
Drive to Dallol. Overnight Camping at Ahmed Ela Small village with open air / Million star Hotel

J 6: Dallol-Afdera Lake
Early morning visit of Dallol with Salt Domes and geothermal pools. After completing the visit the drive will proceed back to Afdera for overnight at the Lake Shore. Camping at Afdera Lake.

J 7: Afdera - Logia
drive to Logia town and proceed to Allalobad (the water of Allah) Geothermal site. Return back to small town of Logia. Overnaight at Logia Local Hotel / Nazareth Hotel. Farewell Dinner

J 8: Flight Addis Abeba and back home or extension
Fly back to Addis and take your international flight back home .
City tour in Addis Abeba can be organized for extra charge or extension program to Lalibela or Semien mountains

Point de départ:

To allow for maximum flexibility for individual participants travel plans, this volcano special expedition starts and ends in Semera. The airline company that service this airport is Ethiopian Airlines. One can easily book this domestic flight from and to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia´s capital, as there are some daily connections. Or you may try to book the tickets: Your place - Addis Ababa-Semera (sometimes it is possible to avoid the night in Addis Ababa). In case you have a stop for a night in Addis Ababa, it is a good chance to get to know the capital of Ethiopia. Your flights to and from Ethiopia are not included as default since we have participants from all over the world. However, please do feel free to contact us if you would like any assistance with finding the best flight connections for you!

Thème: Aventure, Trek et Volcans: Volcans Actifs - Photographie - Aventure
Difficulté: Modérée
Groupe: 3-10
Durée: 8 days

Départs:

Départs sur commande possibles
4-11 déc. 2022

Prix (p. p.): $ 2590 €£¥

Le prix comprend:

Accommodation in double rooms / tents
Full board from dinner on the first day until breakfast after last hotel night
Drinking water
Professional Ethiopian guide who is an English-speaking geologist
VolcanoDiscovery guide
Private transport in 4WD vehicles
Experienced 4WD drivers and cook
Full camping equipment
Camels, camel drivers and porters to and from Erta Ale´s summit
Armed Afar guards and guides on Erta Ale
Tips for local staff (camel drivers, guards, local guides, ...)

Encadrement

Enku is the main guide on all our Danakil volcano expeditions. After obtaining a Diploma in Travel Organising and completing his BSc in Geology at the University of Addis Ababa, he spend 10 years traveling through Ethiopia whilst working both as free-lance travel guide and a contracted mining geologist for different oil and gold mining companies. Since 2006 he specialised in geological travel guidance for the Danakil depression and hence has lots of experience and competence in organizing expeditions to Erta Ale and Dallol. He likes to share his vast knowledge on the geology of the Danakil but will also gladly answer any questions you might have regarding Ethiopia´s fauna and flora, culture, history, food or traditions!

Our excellent Ethiopian main guide and geologist Enku!

8-days itinerary

J 1: Arrival to Semera (Asaita)

Arrival at Semera Airport and meeting by Enku, Volcano Discovery Ethiopia Expedition Leader. Briefing about General Ethiopian Geology , Main Ethiopian Rift valley System, Afar / Ethiopian People and culture, Ethiopian Volcanoes and finally about the whole program. In the afternoon visist of Lake Afambo which is about 84Km from Semera and discover the chained lakes of Lake Afambo and Gummare. Return back to Asaita. Overnight at Local Hotel in Asaita small town.

J 2: Semera - Afdera Salt Lake

After an early breakfast we continue our journey on the main road into Eritrea. Possible en-route stops are the crater lake and volcanic deposits at the southern end of the 2005 Dabbahu fissure eruption, and the ruins of a 1936 Italian basecamp. In Serdo (ca. 400 m) we finally leave the Awash - Asseb highway and turn onto the recently asphalted road heading north to Afdera salt lake. The drive first takes us up through a rugged moonscape characterised by volcanic rifts and faults, obsidian flows, young black lava and gravel desert, before we start our final descend down into the flat, salt-covered Danakil depression at the hypersaline lake Afdera (ca. -100 m). We reach the lake by late afternoon so that we can explore its shoreline and salt works before sunset. As our camp is set up next to the lake, we can enjoy bathing in hydrothermal springs and swimming in the salt lake underneath a starlit night sky!

J 3: Afdera - Erta Ale summit

Drive to the Summit of Active Lava Lake of Erta Ale. After processing the permit with the local administration of Erta Ale area proceed to the base camp where the cars will be parked.
After relaxed light dinner, we will have 30 Minutes'walk to the Summit crater of Erta Ale. Overnight camping at the Summit crater, open Air without tents (Only Sleeping bags and mattress).

J 4: Explore Erta Ale's activity

Panorama of what is left of the North Crater after its dramatic collapse one year earlier (Stefan Tommasini - January 2018)

Nighttime observation of the violently boiling and splashing lava lake at the bottom of the South Crater (Stefan Tommasini - January 2018)

Observing the nighttime glow from the lava lake in the south crater above Erta Ale's summit caldera (December 2010 - Tom Pfeiffer)

The full day and night are dedicated to exploring the ongoing volcanic activity and intriguing lava deposits and formations in the volcano's summit caldera. We will make a hike around the caldera rim to explore the north crater with its sulphur deposits and south crater with the actively boiling lava lake. In the evening you have another chance to observe and photograph the lava lake and its glow around sunset and in the nighttime.

J 5: Descend to Dallol

Early morning drive to Dallol, halo- volcanic geothermal complex through the desert road of sand, volcanic ash and salt. Rest in the shades in Ahmed Ela small village and acclimatize with the hot tempreture. Late in the afternoon drive to Dallol on the salt plain bed to visit brilliantly coloured yellow, green and blue pools, massive terrace systems, noxious steaming fumaroles and myriad mineral shapes and structures are all the product of a magmatic intrusion into salt. Overnight Camping at Ahmed Ela Small village with open air / Million star Hotel

J 6: Dallol-Afdera Lake

Early morning visit of Dallol with Salt Domes and geothermal pools. After completing the visit the drive will proceed back to Afdera for overnight at the Lake Shore. Camping at Afdera Lake.

J 7: Afdera - Logia

Early morning drive to Logia town and proceed to Allalobad (the water of Allah) Geothermal site to visit the dotted steam vents and small craters of hot mud and hissing gases, with beautiful several pools of hot water with nearly constant Geysers. These pools have an unusual, deep, green, blue and yellow colour. Return back to small town of Logia for Overnight.
Overnight at Logia Local Hotel / Nazareth Hotel.
Farewell Dinner party

J 8: Flight Addis Abeba and back home or extension

Fly back to Addis and take your international flight back home .
City tour in Addis Abeba can be organized for extra charge or extension program to Lalibela or Semien mountains

Départs	Disponibilités	Prix p.p. TTC ($)	*Supp. single ()**	No. de participants
4-11 déc. 2022	places disponibles	$ 2590 €£¥	$ 125 €£¥	3-10
(*) Supplement ch. single

Prix départs sur commande: sur demande

Le prix comprend:

Accommodation in double rooms / tents
Full board from dinner on the first day until breakfast after last hotel night
Drinking water
Professional Ethiopian guide who is an English-speaking geologist
VolcanoDiscovery guide
Private transport in 4WD vehicles
Experienced 4WD drivers and cook
Full camping equipment
Camels, camel drivers and porters to and from Erta Ale´s summit
Armed Afar guards and guides on Erta Ale
Tips for local staff (camel drivers, guards, local guides, ...)

Le prix ne comprend pas:

Flights to and from Semera airport
Single room/tent supplement
Light sleeping bag
Extra and/or alcoholic drinks
Extra nights in Semera or Addis Ababa (if required)
Tips for the main guide, drivers and cook
Costs of entry VISA

Réductions prix:

Retour de clients (5-8%): Nos voyageurs fidèles reçoivent 5% (ou 8%, à partir du 4eme voyage) de remise sur le prix de base du voyage.
Remise pour la réservation d'un groupe (5%): Si au minimum 4 personnes réservent ensemble sur un voyage de groupe, nous offrons 5% de remise cumulable avec le retour de clients dans une limite de 10% au maximum.

Modules:

3 day Dallol extension (colourful hydrothermal system, Assale salt lake)

950 USD per person (min. 2 participants)

Infos complémentaires

Condition physique:

The walks on this tour are not particularly difficult, but you should have experience with hiking on uneven and rugged terrain. Although we organise our Danakil during the cooler months of the year, temperatures in the Danakil depression usually range between 35-40 deg C (95-105 deg F), but can easily soar up to 45-50 deg C (120-130 deg F) in the hottest hours near Dallol.
The hike to / from Erta Ale´s summit area and caldera rim from base camp and back requires about 10 km trekking over uneven, but relatively easy and gently climbing terrain (about 500 m altitude gain / descend) and is done in the early morning hours prior to sunrise in order to minimize the impact of heat. To approach the edge of the lava lake and other parts of the caldera one needs to walk across the uneven, easy to moderately difficult to walk on platy, ropy or hollow pahoehoe lava flows. Good boots, long pants and gloves are a must. Extra care must be taken when walking over the lava tubes as the thin, glassy crusts of the hardened lava sometimes break so that you suddenly sink up to max halve meter into the hollow cavity below. Walking sticks to "test" the terrain and keep balance are recommended.

Sanitary conditions during most part of this expedition will be very to extremely basic and you should therefore be in excellent overall health. No proper washing facilities are available while in the desert (approx. 7 days). Unfortunately, the local toilet habits in the Afar region and in particular around the salt lakes and atop the volcano is to do your business more or less anywhere; the area around Ahmed Ela (the salt-cutters'town near Dallol) is littered with garbage and human and animal excrement, resulting in a high rate of stomach bugs / traveler´s disease among visitors to the region.
We therefore ask you to consult a medical doctor about going to the Danakil prior to joining the expedition. One should particularly take precautions / medicine against dehydration, diarrhea and stomach infections.

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