3-Day Danakil Depression & Erta Ale Volcano Tour Ethiopia

Lava lake at night, salt flats at dawn, the Afar Triangle on foot

A 3-day tour of Ethiopia's Danakil Depression and Erta Ale volcano, starting with a 6-hour drive across lava fields to the volcano's base, then a night trek to the rim where you watch the world's only permanent lava lake from the summit. Day two descends the volcano and crosses to salt lakes. Day three visits the salt miners at Dallol and Lake Assal before returning to Addis Ababa. The tour includes an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, all permits and entrance fees, and camping at the volcano rim.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Drive and trek to Erta Ale volcano

• Start driving to Dodom at 9:00 AM
• Pass lava fields and oasis
• Arrive at Dodom camping site
• Have dinner around 17:00
• Trek to Erta Ale rim at 20:00
• Camp overnight at volcano rim

Day 2: Sunrise and visit Lake Giulietti

• Watch sunrise at Erta Ale crater
• Descend from Erta Ale around 9:00 AM
• Return to Dodom camp by 10:30
• Drive to Lake Giulietti salt flats
• Visit Erbiti and proceed to Hamed ela
• Camp overnight at Hamed ela

Day 3: Salt mining and return journey

• Drive to Ragad salt mining site
• Observe salt cutting and camel loading
• Visit Dallol volcanic landscape
• See Lake Assal and camel caravans
• Walk with Afar people
• Drive back to Semera
• Fly back to Addis Ababa

The experience

Erta Ale means "smoky mountain" in Afar, and the name fits. The volcano rises 613 meters with a 1-square-kilometer caldera at the summit, and inside it sits the world's only permanent lava lake: one of just five on Earth and the longest-existing one, active since the early twentieth century. The road to reach it is one of the roughest in the world: the 80-kilometer drive from Mekelle to Dodom takes about six hours, crossing solidified lava fields, rock desert, and occasional palm-lined oases scattered through empty land. You start at 9 a.m., arrive at the Dodom camping site by afternoon, rest and eat dinner around 5 p.m., then trek up the volcano at 8 p.m. Camels carry the camping gear (light mattresses, mats, water) to the rim, where you spend the night watching the lava move and glow in the dark.

Day two starts before sunrise at the crater rim, where you can walk the main pit (200 meters deep, 350 meters across) and the smaller southern pit. You descend around 9 a.m., have breakfast at Dodom by 7 a.m. if possible, and reach the camp by 10:30 a.m. to rest. Then the tour drives toward Lake Giulietti (also called Lake Afrera), a saltwater lake more than 100 meters below sea level in one of the planet's deepest depressions, before camping at Hamed ela. The landscape shifts from volcanic rock to salt flats where the Afar people extract salt by evaporating the lake water.

The final morning takes you to Ragad, where salt miners break salt from the ground, cut it into rectangular blocks, and load it onto camels. You watch the work happen. Then the tour drives to Dallol, 116 meters below sea level and one of the lowest places on Earth, where volcanic activity has created colorful salt formations. You visit Lake Assal and walk with Afar herders and their camel caravans (these do not run July through early September). After this, you drive back to Semera and fly to Addis Ababa to end the tour.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide throughout.
• air-conditioned vehicle for all driving.
• all permits and entrance fees.
• camping at Erta Ale's rim with light mattresses and mats.
• camel transport of gear to the volcano.
• meals at Dodom and Hamed ela camps.
• visits to salt miners, Dallol crater, and Lake Assal.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00 and 09:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (30 to 65 years) · Youth (15 to 29 years) · Under 15: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for heart conditions

Operated by Ethio Travel And Tours

Is this one for you?This tour suits small groups and independent travelers with moderate to good fitness who want to see an active volcano and remote desert landscape over three intense days. The fixed itinerary and early starts mean you move fast through the Danakil, which is what fits the volcano, salt lakes and Afar herders into a single trip without backtracking.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 29 years). Under 15: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the lava lake at Erta Ale actually like when you reach it?

The lava lake is the world's only permanent one and has been active since the early 1900s. You watch it from the volcano's rim at night, where the boiling lava glows and moves in the darkness. The lake sits inside a 1-square-kilometer caldera at the summit, 613 meters above the base.

How difficult is the trek up Erta Ale, and what do I need to carry?

The trek starts at 8 p.m. from Dodom and goes to the rim where you camp. Camels carry all the camping materials (mattresses, mats, water and food), so you don't haul gear yourself. The tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. You should have at least moderate physical fitness for the climb and the altitude.

What is the road like from Mekelle to the volcano base?

The 80-kilometer drive to Dodom is one of the roughest roads in the world and takes about six hours. You pass through solidified lava fields, rock desert, sand, and occasional oases. The landscape changes constantly as you move deeper into the Danakil Depression.

Do I see salt mining and camel caravans on this tour?

Yes. On day three you visit Ragad to watch salt miners break salt blocks from the ground and load them onto camels. You also visit Lake Assal and walk with Afar herders and their camel caravans, though camel caravans do not operate from July through early September.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to arrange separately?

The tour includes an English-speaking guide, an air-conditioned vehicle, all permits, all entrance fees, and camping at the volcano rim. Alcoholic drinks and personal items like internet access are not included. Pickup is included. Children are welcome from age 15.