Adventure tour to discover the “pan of fire”

Spectacular yet haunting views of the Dallol sulfuric hot springs in the Danakil Depression. (Image: seeker.io)

The strange landscape where the giant “pan of fire” with the “gateway to hell” haunts the desert

Danakil Depression (Danakil depression) in the Danakil Desert at a depth of nearly 100m below sea level. The temperature of the day in the Danakil Depression (Danakil depression) rarely falls below 50 degrees Celsius, but often hits the 60 degrees Celsius threshold, making this place like a giant “fire pan”, with a typical crater likened to ” Gateway to Hell” (Gateway to Hell).

The Danakil Depression (Danakil depression) becomes very unique looking like the Red Planet (Mars)., with a typical crater likened to the “Gateway to Hell”.(Photo: Massimo Rumi)

The heat in the “fire pan” of the Danakil Depression (Danakil depression) is increased by active volcanoes. At the same time, the landscape is also strangely distorted with haunting beauties from sulphurous streams, thick black lava flows, giant multi-colored salt basins…

Despite the extremely harsh terrain and climate, there are peoples who have lived in the Danakil desert for many centuries. The main inhabitants of the Afar triangle are the Afar tribes with more than 2 million people, accounting for more than 90% of the population of the Afar region.

The village of Hamad Ale is inhabited by salt miners of the Afar tribe. Recently there has been a convenient road, just 6 hours drive to Mekele city and another 13 hours to Addis Ababa capital of Ethiopia. (Image: seeker.io)

The Afar tribe were originally nomadic people who migrated from the Horn of Africa to the Danakil Desert. The subsistence economy of the Afar tribe depends on livestock, mainly camels and goats, sheep and cattle. Some are fishermen in coastal areas or farming in the Assau oasis.

The Afar tribe survives by farming camels and “digging for white gold” in the desert

The Afar tribe in Ethiopia has a long tradition of mining and trading in salt. Dubbed as the “white gold digger” in the desert, it is one of the most difficult jobs in the world, but has been practiced by generations of the Afar tribe people to earn a living for a long time.

“Digging for white gold” in the desert is one of the world’s most difficult occupations, but generations of the Afar tribe have made a living by this tradition for a long time. (Photo: Massimo Rumi)

To avoid the worst heat at noon, salt makers from the Afar tribe usually start work before dawn. They dug up the salt from the ground, used an ax to cut it into large standard-sized slabs of “white gold” weighing 4kg called “bricks”, and then loaded about 30 salt “bricks” on the back of each camel.

The caravan of salt-carts is led through the desert for two to three days to the nearest town of Berhale, where the salt is traded with farmers in the highlands of Ethiopia and neighboring Sudan. (Photo: Massimo Rumi)

On good days, each worker of the Afar tribe can make 200 salt “bricks”, selling for about 4 Birr (nearly 0.08 USD) each. Centuries ago, these salt “bricks” were used as currency for the exchange of goods. Today, salt “bricks” are still sold throughout Ethiopia, with the main buyers being farmers to supply the minerals needed for livestock.

The Afar tribe is very hospitable and known for its chivalry. Traditionally, Afar men usually carry as weapons a curved knife. They are also willing to share with tourists a rich “store” of battle songs. (Photo: worqambatour)

There are many tours that take tourists to the Danakil Depression (Danakil depression). For example, the Danakil Depression tour lasts 3 days, departs April 17 from Semera Capital of the Afar triangle region, with stops including: Large volcanic shield Ertale (also known as Erta Ale) with crater typically referred to as “Gateway to Hell” (Gateway to Hell); Dallol valley; Lake Assale and Lake Afdera.

Tourists join the Danakil Depression Tour, a hot lake with beautiful green waters, at the Allalobad stop. (Photo: tripadvisor)

Particularly impressive are the cluster of geysers up to 30m high and the hot springs of Allalobad (the name means “Water of Allah.” This place is dotted with vents and small craters of hot mud and “hissing” gas. ” (hissing gases.) But the most beautiful are some of the hot pools with their strange green, blue, and yellow waters. These pools are very deep, filled with steaming hot water…