Off Road

We've travelled to quite a few parts of Ethiopia over the years, but there has been one place we have especially wanted to visit and that is the Danikil Depression. Up in the far north-eastern corner of the country, close to the Eritrean border, lies what the Bradt guide describes as:

 " the lowest spot of terra firma on the African continent..one of the driest and most tectonically active areas on the planet..a strange lunar landscape studded with active volcanoes, malodorous sulphur-caked hot springs. solidified black lava flows and vast salt-encrusted basins."

To travel there, you have to be part of an organised tour, because you need - amongst other things - two Land Cruisers (in case one breaks down), camels, and the help of the Ethiopian army.

It's an inhospitable place. There is no fresh water and no crops. The Afar people who live there rely on animals  - camels, goats and sheep. The present drought is making it even harder for them to survive.

There is a good road to Djibouti, built by the Chinese, but after this you need to go off road, across sand and lava. Our destination on the first day was the volcano Erta Ale, which has been in a state of continuous eruption since 1967 and has a permanent lava lake on top.

It was 8pm and dark by the time it was cool enough to attempt the 10km walk up to the top of the volcano, and even then, sweat was pouring off me. 
We walked by the light of head torches and it took plenty of concentration not to stumble. I can't really describe the experience properly here but it really was almost out of this world - sitting at the top of the crater for an hour watching the amazing show of boiling lava below. We slept up there on mattresses brought up on the back of a camel, but had to leave at 4am to get down before the sun rose too high in the sky.

Waiting for us was probably the most welcome breakfast I have ever tasted :-)