Thirteen Days Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia Vacation
Day One: Arrival
Upon your arrival at the airport in Djibouti, the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will welcome you and the transfer you to the hotel for the overnight. Depending on the time of arrival, you may go out to explore the capital. Dinner and overnight Hotel Plein Ciel or similar.
Day Two: Lac Assal
After breakfast, you will drive 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
On this day, you will head 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
For 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
On this day, you will head to Mount Erta Ale through the Afar desert – Erta Ale is one of the highlights of this expedition, 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
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
This morning, you will 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
You will fly back to Addis Ababa, go for the city tour. Dinner and overnight Hotel Jupiter International or similar.
Day Ten: Hargeisa
After breakfast, you will fly to Hargeisa, on arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel. This afternoon we explore the city and visit its markets, see the moneychangers, who sit on the street with their huge piles of Somaliland shillings and see the civil war memorial. Dinner and overnight Damal Hotel or similar.
Day Eleven: Las Geel to Berbera
On this day, you will drive to Las Geel, one of the most important rock art sites in the Horn of Africa and with numerous well preserved paintings in various different places. The quality of the art here is particularly good and Las Geel is a real highlight of the vacation. From here we continue to the coastal city of Berbera, and in the afternoon explore its old quarter, Darole, with its Ottoman era buildings and atmospheric streets. Dinner and overnight Mansoor Hotel or similar.
Day Twelve: Dhagax Khoure to Hargeisa
Today, you will return to Hargeisa and visit the site of Dhagax Khoure, one of Somaliland’s most important sites for rock art and situated amidst some splendid scenery. On the way out here we pass small semi-nomadic communities and stop to meet local people. After exploring the paintings of Dhagax Khoure we return to Hargeisa for the night. Dinner and overnight Damal Hotel or similar.
Day Thirteen: Hargeisa
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for departure.