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Erta Ale Volcano Special
8-day expedition to Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia
Nighttime impression of lava flow and spattering from the overflowing lava lake (Dec 2010; image: Tom Pfeiffer)
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 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)

Erta Ale Volcano Special

8-day expedition to Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia
Tour type
Volcano expedition: active volcanoes - photography - adventure
Difficulty
Moderate
Group size: 3-8
Duration
8 days
Custom and group dates
Nov 2024 (exact date soon)
Dec 2024 (exact date soon)
Price per person
$ 3490 €£¥
Erta Ale volcano has been in activity since January 2023:
the new lava lake in the Northen crater has been formed with approx. 300 meters in diameter and with a depth of about 15 meters so far.
The steep-sided hornito within the southern pit crater continues to build itself protruding from the crater floor.

For those quick to decide, we offer this Volcano Special tour to watch it and to visit the other best sites of Euthiopia.
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  • 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
  • Ethiopian geologist as a main guide
  • 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

Day 1: Arrival to Semera
Own arrival at Semera, easily reached by domestic flight from Addis Abeba.
Pickup and transfer to your accommodation, briefing about the week ahead. If time permitting, afternoon visit of Lake Afambo and Gummare.
Day 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.
Day 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).
Day 4: Explore Erta Ale's activity
Full day and night on Erta Ale to observe the volcanic activity and phenomena in the summit caldera
Day 5: Descend to Dallol
Drive to Dallol. Overnight Camping at Ahmed Ela Small village with open air / Million star Hotel
Day 6: Dallol-Afdera Lake
Early morning drive to Dallol to visit brilliantly coloured yellow, green and blue pools, massive terrace systems, noxious steaming fumaroles and myriad mineral shapes and structures which are all the product of a magmatic intrusion into salt. After completing the visit, we proceed back to Afdera for overnight at the Lake Shore. Camping at Afdera Lake.
Day 7: Afdera - Semera
drive to Logia town and proceed to Allalobad (the water of Allah) Geothermal site. Return back to small town of Semera. Overnight in Semera at Kuriftu Lodge/Similar. Farewell Dinner
Day 8: Flight back to Addis Abeba or extension
After breakfast, transfer to the airport if you fly back to Addis Ababa.
On request, we can arrange a city tour in Addis Abeba or extension programs, for example to Lalibela or the Simien mountains.
Dates and details
Booking inquiry

Arrival info:

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).
On the first day of the program you are supposed to arrive with the morning flight 07:00 - 08:20. If you arrive with the next flight - the transfer to the hotel is on your own expenses and you miss the afternoon activity.
The best option might be to arrive 1 day earlier, stay for a night in Addis Ababa, take your chance to get to know the capital of Ethiopia and next day fly with the morning flight to Semera.

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!

Tour guide

The tour will be accompanied by a very experienced Ethiopian expedition leader. On most group tours, either a geologist from our Europe team or a geology professor from Addis Ababa's university also accompanies the group.

Additional info

Physical requirements

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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