Erta Ale and Danakil Depression

Erta Ale and Danakil Depression, The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest, driest, and lowest places on Earth. The area is in northeastern Ethiopia, in the Afar Region, close to the border with Eritrea.

The Afar Triangle is made up of the Danakil Depression and the Afar Triple Junction. The Afar Triple Junction is where three tectonic plates meet.

It seems like you are on another planet when you walk around the area. Volcanoes have lava lakes that bubble and melt, hydrothermal fields that are full of different colors, and huge salt pans that look amazing.

The Erta Ale Volcano is one of the most interesting places in the Danakil Depression. This is the name of the most active volcano in Ethiopia. It comes from the Afar language and means “smoking mountain.”

Erta Ale is one of the few volcanoes in the world with a lava lake that stays there for a long time. The basaltic shield volcano is 50 km wide and stands more than 600 m above sea level in the empty Danakil valley.

The volcano has an elliptical top crater that is 0.7 km by 1.6 km and several pit craters with steep sides. One of these craters has a lava lake inside it. To the southeast of the peak, there is a bigger depression that is 1.8 km long and 3.1 km wide.

It runs parallel to the trend of the Erta Ale range and is surrounded on the southeast side by curved fault scarps. Basaltic lava flows that look like they are brand new have poured into the basin and in some places gone over the edge of it. It is famous for one or two long-lasting lava lakes that have been there since at least 1967, and maybe even since 1906. A crack has recently erupted on the northern side of Erta Ale.

We try to find the most comfortable places to stay for an Ethiopian tour here, but it’s hard to find comfortable places to stay in the Danakil Depression. When it’s over 45 degrees outside and you only have your hut and a sleeping mat or cot, traveling in this harsh environment is more like going on an adventure than a vacation. Those who are willing to take on the task will never forget the scenery and experiences they have in the Erta Ale and Danakil Depression.