Nine Days Djibouti and Ethiopia Holiday
Day One: Arrival
On your arrival at the airport in Djibouti, the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will welcome you and then transfer you to the hotel for the overnight. Depending on your time of arrival, you may explore the capital. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Plein Ciel or similar.
Day Two: Lac Assal
After breakfast, we will head to the crater lake of Lac Assal – the lowest point in Africa (-150 m), as well as the most saline body of water in the world (up to 40%). One of Africa’s most impressive natural phenomena, its spectacular colors and unusual crystalline formations. We may see Afar herders or salt collectors on its shores. Later return to Tadjoura for the night. Dinner and overnight beach bungalows.
Day Three: Lac Abbe
Today, you will drive to Lac Abbe, stopping en route to meet local people and arriving in the late afternoon to watch the sun set over one of Africa’s most enigmatic and breathtaking regions. Dinner and overnight Lac Abbe Camp.
Day Four: Lac Abbe to Semera
On this day, we will visit the extraordinary landscape of Lac Abbe, a desolate salt lake with hundreds of limestone chimneys surrounding it. This landscape is so other-worldly that the classic science fiction film ‘Planet of the Apes’ was filmed here. From here we cross into Ethiopia and head to Semera, where we stay for the night. Dinner and overnight Kuriftu Hotel or similar.
Day Five: Lake Afrera
This morning, we will drive to the turquoise Afrera Lake, surrounded by palm trees. The Afrera salt lake is home to local Afar people harvesting salt flakes using traditional methods, and in the lake is the world’s lowest lying island in the world, Frachetti island (-102 m). Dinner and overnight camping.
Day Six: Erta Ale
You will drive to Mount Erta Ale through the Afar desert – Erta Ala is one of the highlights of this holiday, and is one of only five permanent lava lakes in the world. We hike 3 hours to the rim, while our equipment and water is carried by camels – we wait for sunset to see one of the world’s most spectacular sights when the red lava in the crater lights up the sky. Dinner and overnight camping.
Day Seven: Ahmedela
Today, you will head to Ahmedela along unmarked sandy tracks, passing Afar settlements along the way. Ahmedela is the base for exploring the salt mines and seeing the salt workers and camel caravans. Dinner and overnight camping.
Day Eight: Dallol to Mekelle
For this morning, we drive to the hot springs at Dallol, composed of different minerals along with sulphurs and potash and create spectacular colors. Dallol is renowned as being the hottest inhabited place on earth, between 1960 and 1966 an average annual temperature of 34°C (94°F) was recorded. You are likely to see the long ‘caravane de sel’ – camel trains loaded with salt. Later we drive to Mekelle for the night. Dinner and overnight at Axum Hotel or similar.
Day Nine: Addis Ababa
After breakfast, you will fly back to Addis Ababa. Go for the city tour if missed on arrival, then later transfer to the airport for your flight home.