4 Days Tour to the Danakil
and Erta Ale (From Mekele to Mekele)

Program
Day 1: Mekele - Hamed Ela (3-4 hrs) Morning fly to Mekele and meet our representative at the airport. Then drive to Hamedela via Berhale. This is where the Danakil Depression begins. It is one of the most inhospitable regions of the world, but spectacular with full of eye-catching colors of the sulphur springs. The desert has several points lying more than 100 meters (328 ft) below sea level. You pass through a small town of Berhale where the camel caravans stop before they proceed to the northern highlands. En route you see many long caravans going to the salt mines and others coming out of the Danakil with their salt loaded camels. Overnight- camp at Hamedela.
Day 2: Hamed Ela - Dodom (80kms, 9 hrs) After breakfast at around 06:30, head to Dodom at the base of Erta Ale. Enjoy the views while passing through the changing landscapes of solidified lava, rock, sand, the occasional palm lined oasis and several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert. After reaching at Dodom, start hiking to Ertale while camels transport all the camping materials and some food, sleeping materials, mattresses and water. Have an early dinner around 17:00 and visit Ert Ale at 20:00 to the rim of the volcano, where you spend the unforgettable night on the top of the mountain watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake and ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale
Day 3: Erta Ale-Hamed Ela Early morning rise with the sun with time to walk around pits and craters. The main pit-crater, 200 m deep and 350 m across, is sub-circular and three storied. The smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep. Then leave around 7:00 to head back to Dodom for breakfast and reach there latest at 10:30 am to the camp site. After some time of relaxation drive to Hamad Ela, a village with a total population about 500 people. Over night camping at Hamed Ela.
Day 4: Dallo-Mekele-Addis Ababa Morning drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the salts are mined. Observe the breaking of the salt from the ground, cutting into rectangular pieces and loading on camels. Have excursion to Dallol (116 meter below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) and visit different landscapes formed by volcanic activity, colorful salts mining, Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans and walk with the Afar people. Finally drive back to Hamedela and proceed to Mekele to check in at the airport for your flight to Addis. END OF SERVICE.
The Tour Includes:

• All Entrance fees and licenses as per the program,
• Accommodation,
• All meals throughout the tour,
• Bottles of water for the trip,
• Ground transportation with 4WD(Toyota Land-cruiser) including fuel expense and drivers allowance - minimum of 2 cars per trip with local security,
• Local guide service for the afar region as per the program,
• Cooking, camping equipment,
• Scout and police service in Afar Region as per the program and
• Camel hire in Afar Region as per the program,