in response to recent high activitiy in the Southern crater and growing lava lake (Danakil desert, Ethiopia)
8-days itinerary
Day 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.
Day 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!
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

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.
Day 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
Day 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.
Day 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
Day 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
Dates |
Status |
Price per person ($) |
SRS (*) |
Group size |
4-11 Dec 2022 |
space available |
$ 2590 |
$ 125 |
3-10 |
(*) Single room supplement |
Prices for tours at custom dates: on request
Included:
- 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, ...)
Not included:
- 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
Discounts:
Returning customers receive 5% (or 8% - if you have been on at least 3 trips with us) discount on the base tour price.
Group booking discount: If at least 4 people together book this trip, 5% (additional) discount is given, combineable to a maximum of 10%.
Add-ons:
3 day Dallol extension (colourful hydrothermal system, Assale salt lake) |
950 USD per person (min. 2 participants) |
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.
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). 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!
"the trip was, simply said, excellent and super"

Lizard waiting for the rest of vegetables thrown away from kitchen... (image: Richard Pichl)

...and one happy camel (same as I was) (image: Richard Pichl)
Dear Ingrid,
the trip was, simply said, excellent and super including logistics, staff, food, geology, etc. Enclosed you'll find a short excursion debriefing :-). The staff was excellent and I've never met better one. Enku is really great and sensitive person, willing to do whatever for others, and loving geology. He showed us everything he could or we wanted. Demis (our driver) is an even-tempered man all time smiling and was my personal guide on fragile lava. Meski (our cook) is so good in cooking. First day I was a little bit startled of eating unknown meals but next days I was eating so much (big portions of very tasty meals) that my weight increased by 1.5 kg.
Thank you very much for the beautiful trip and I'm looking forward to the next volcano expedition.
Many greetings from freezing Prague.
- Richard (from the Czech Republic) about his participation on our first Erta Ale volcano special in from 14 to 21 January 2017. Fellow traveler Paul shared his photographs of this unique high activity at Erta Ale.
"Hallo Tom!
Ich möchte Dir an dieser Stelle noch einmal ganz herzlich danken für die sehr gut organisierte Expedition zum Erta Ale und Dallol. Ich habe selten zuvor in zwei Wochen so viele positive und eindrückliche Momente erlebt wie auf dieser Reise. Neben dem Besuch der Vulkane wird mir die Danakil-Wüste mit all ihren facettenreichen Landschaften, die Freundlichkeit der Aethiopier, der sehr gute Teamgeist unserer Gruppe und natürlich die Kamelkarawane zum Salzsee in bester Erinnerung bleiben.
Auch erwähnenswert ist natürlich der Besuch der Felsenkirchen, welche eingebettet in einer fantastischen Landschaft liegen. Ich bin sehr dankbar für all diese eindrücklichen Momente! Sollte ich zukünftig wieder einmal auf Vulkanexpedition gehen, werde ich ohne zu zögern "VolcanoDiscovery" deswegen kontaktieren. Zudem erlaube ich mir, Dich in meinem Bekanntenkreis weiter zu empfehlen.
Herzlichst, André B.
Schweiz" (Expedition to the Danakil)

Frank working at the lava lake of Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia
"Hallo Tom, ich möchte mich hiermit bei Dir für die
exzellente logistische Organisation der Touren nach Äthiopien Januar 2008 (
Erta Ale, Dallol)
und Indonesien Juli 2008 (Krakatau und Tengger Kaldera) bedanken. Dank Deiner netten und kompetenten Partner vor Ort (Solomon, Doni und alle anderen) fühlte ich mich in sehr guten Händen aufgehoben und verköstigt. Somit konnte ich mich auf meine fotografischen Aktivitäten konzentrieren, ohne mir über organisatorische Dinge Sorgen machen zu müssen. Ich bin überzeugt, dass wir noch einige weitere Exkursionen zusammen machen werden und kann
Volcano Discovery Touren sehr empfehlen.
Good luck und gut Lava"
Frank Krahmer - Premium Nature Photography
http://www.frankkrahmer.de 
 Marlies and Solomon at Dallol Hello Tom Hello Solomon
WOW - the DANAKIL has it all
Sand - stones - rocks - lava - salt - camels, not to forget the fascinating volcano ERTA ALE and the mysterious and magic scenery at DALLOL. Thank you TOM for taking me on your pilot expedition. Thank you SOLOMON for being such a great and helpful tour guide. (Marlies B, UK, 2007 Erta Ale - Dallol expedition).
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