Visiting the Danakil Depression – The Hottest Place on Earth

As you all know, February is my favorite time to leave Europe. This time, it needed to be Africa. I have been to Asia and the Americas enough, so it was time to see a new continent. I’ve only been to Northern Africa, so it was time for something different. 

We chose Ethiopia. I’ve always been curious about the country. They call it the ‘land of origins”. It is also the only African country that a European country hasn’t colonized. The Italians tried and failed. I attempted to add Djibouti to the plan, but it didn’t work out. But that’s okay. These two places were more than enough in our time. Today, I will tell you about the most impressive part of Ethiopia that many try to see when they go: The Danakil Depression.

About the Danakil Depression

The Danakil Depression is one of the most unique destinations in the world—and I’m not just saying that for you to read this. It is in a remote part of the country to the northeast, close to Eritrea and Djibouti. It looks like Mars, the hottest place on Earth, in terms of the average temperature for the whole year. Yes, I know Death Valley National Park gets the honors.

The Otherworldly Landscape 

The Danakil Depression was formed by diverging three tectonic plates: the African, Arabian, and Somali. These plates are pulling away from each other, creating a rift valley, sinking the land, and exposing magma from the Earth’s mantle.

This area was covered by an ancient sea millions of years ago. As the waters evaporated, they left behind vast salt flats, which the Afar people still mine today using traditional methods.

The region has intense volcanic activity. Erta Ale is one of the few persistently active lava lakes, constantly spewing molten rock. Below the surface, magma heats underground water, creating hydrothermal fields like Dallol, where bubbling acidic pools and sulfuric formations give the landscape its vivid colors.

The Harsh Environment 

It’s one of the harshest areas in the world. Temperatures can easily exceed 45-50 degrees or ( 113-125 degrees for you Fahrenheit people). The terrain is also very unforgiving. There is very little to no fauna. The region has active volcanoes that continuously emit lava and toxic gases. A lot of dried lava also looks like sharp popcorn, making it impossible for anything to grow here.

The hydrothermal fields are filled with acidic hot springs, boiling pools, and geysers that release sulfur, chlorine, and other toxic fumes, creating a highly corrosive and hazardous environment. Even the local Afar people are not always there and are constantly on the move. Most of their work with the salt mines is seasonal, and they move to other, more environmentally hospitable areas in the region.

While many make this a part of their visit to Ethiopia, it is almost impossible to do alone. Firstly, the inhospitable and extreme conditions I just mentioned. Secondly, you also need specific permits and permissions from the Afar people who inhabit the area. Some lucky and determined middle-aged Dutch couple might have done it with their Land Cruiser. But there are also stories of some people trying to do it on their own, and it caused further accidents and complications with the locals. A couple of them spent a day or two in some makeshift jail. It’s not worth it to me. 

The Afar People and Local Culture 

Let me get to the area’s inhabitants: the Afar people.

The Afar people are a semi-nomadic ethnic group living in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eritrea. The Danakil depression is in the rather large Afar region of Ethiopia. They speak the Afar language and follow Islam. However, they are more influenced by their older customs than by religion.

I don’t know how they do it. They are resilient people. I hate using that word, as everyone overuses it. I also hate that people use it as a compliment because I find it dismissive of their suffering. But in their case, it is proper. I don’t know how much they consider themselves suffering. They take care of themselves and stick to the community. They may consider themselves free from outside nonsense, which you can make a case for.

I could not ask as many questions as our guides were not Afar, except the one who took us to the volcano. The Afars who helped us did not speak English and likely didn’t want to be quizzed. I was curious about how the social system in Ethiopia works for them, how education is conducted, what they do for healthcare, and what happens if one of them wants to be a lawyer in Addis or move abroad. I’m just curious about these things.

Historically known as fierce warriors, they have long defended their lands and independence. They still have this closed-off mentality. This is another reason why it is best not to go alone; they don’t trust outsiders. It’s also respectful to them. They live off so little that they don’t want to be exploited. The tours work out some deals with the locals, so they get their share of the money spent on the tours and aren’t left out. 

Some of them are more settled in some towns and are more modern, but even there, things seem pretty traditional.

The fun part: How to Visit the Danakil Depression 

Getting There: Generally, you fly to Mekele. However, many of them start in Samera and end in Mekele. Most people get picked up at one airport and stop off at the other. We stayed in Mekele to continue exploring Tigray more. Some tours also continue to Tigray. Tigray was safe, contrary to what people are told. But always check the latest reports, it was full of unrest a couple of years ago, and it seems to be heating up again.

Tour Options: Most tours last 2–4 days and cover Dallol, Erta Ale, and salt flats. We picked the 3-day one, and that was just enough. The 2 day one seemed rushed. The 4 day one would have been overkill. I was ready for a shower and bed. There are a ton of options. We paid 300 for our tour, a bit below the average price. Some go for a bit less. Usually, people spend around 450 for the 3-day tour. It’s not cheap, but for good reasons. It goes into the local economy, and many logistics go into it. 

The flights are not included in the price and can hold you back. If you book an International Ethiopian Airlines flight, you get half off on domestic flights. 

We went with Gebre at Planet Ethiopia tours. It was the right size and had knowledgeable guides, which some other tours don’t have. They also took us to the right place at the correct time. 

Some tour groups try to cram as many people as possible, and the guides aren’t always knowledgeable, so do some research. But on the other hand, some reviews are harsh, as some people expect first-class service for something that is not luxury travel.

Accommodation & Food: They provide all of that for you. They did an excellent job. I was expecting something minimal. But we were fed better on the tour than we ate on some other days. However, I would recommend not being completely stuffed at mealtime. It’s uncomfortable in the heat, and the outside is your toilet. You will be sleeping outside. The first night was more comfortable than the first. We were by the volcano, and there was no wind. It was also a very clear night. The second night, not so much, we spent it on the side of a road near the salt pad, and there was a very windy dust storm.

What to Pack: Bring some lightweight clothing and decent shoes. You will be doing some walking. Bring stuff to protect you from the sun. I brought some facemasks for the volcano, as you are walking around next to it, there could be some ash. It came in my favor for the dusty evening I had on my second night. It’s not fun sleeping in one. But it is less fun waking up with your sinuses full of dust. A headlamp is also helpful if you get up in the middle of the night, and it gets dark walking back from the volcano.

Safety Considerations & Ethical Travel 

As I mentioned, do not go alone. I am a big proponent of going to places alone, and I wouldn’t It sounds like a pain in the ass and probably dangerous if you have no idea to manage the landscape. Going on a tour helps the locals and other Ethiopian guides stay employed. Pick a licensed tour operator. There are a ton of them, and some are better than others. We picked this one. They were a team of nice Tigray guys who took us. 

Keep hydrated. I would take plenty of wet wipes as there is no chance for a shower on the tour. If you go in the salt water, they hose you off with some water, but that is primarily for the 2-3-4 days. 

Phone reception is terrible; you might get some bars on and off, so be prepared to avoid being in touch with the outside world. If you have some pressing thing going on in the outside world, don’t go. But make sure to have some music downloaded or something to read or listen to. You spend a ton of time in the car. While a lot is great to see, it gets repetitive. Sometimes it is good to dissociate and go into your own little world.

Be respectful to the local communities. Listen to what they say. If they tell you not to go somewhere or do something, don’t do it. They know where to go and what is not safe. Particularly around the volcano.

Try not to gawk at them and take a ton of pictures. I only have a couple of pictures with them at a distance and one with our guide. But taking excessive pictures of locals feels like 19th-century orientalist behavior. Also, as I said in a previous post, you are your country’s ambassador now. If you don’t like your country’s lousy reputation, learn to behave abroad to fix it.

Don’t be culturally insensitive, and try to avoid political discussions. We talked with our guide about Ethiopia and Tigray, but don’t fire these topics off first. Let them talk to you first about these things.

How did you like it?

Was this one of the most incredible things I’ve done? Yes

Would I recommend it? Absolutely?

Would I do it again? Likely not. It was a lot of fun, but it requires much car time, can get dirty, and is pretty expensive. I would do it for a professional reason or if a friend invited me. It should be on everyone’s list, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the marginal utility factor is maxed out after one visit.

Stick around for more stories of East Africa and leftover stories hanging out in my draft folder on Vietnam and Norway. There is always more to come.