January 2-5
Hello everyone!
I’ve been to Ethiopia’s capital and its main tourist
attraction. Time to go off the beaten track to a place which is simply out of
this world.
 |
| Dallol |
 |
| Erta Ale volcano |
Ethiopia prides itself on being one of the main resistors to
colonialism. The British effectively prevented the Italians from taking the
land known as Abyssinia – what is now Ethiopia in the 1880s. Ethiopians will
tell you they were occupied, rather
than colonised, during the Mussolini era in the 1930s; even that period of Italian
control was a mere five years.
 |
| Ethiopia and Liberia were the only African nations not colonised in the Scramble for Africa in the 1880's |
This is not to say that Ethiopia has avoided the tribal and
territorial issues which have plagued the African continent since
decolonisation accelerated in the 1960s. Eritrea became its own
internationally-recognised country in 1993, and tensions between the two have
remained high ever since. The situation is at its most volatile along the
border, in an area called the Danakil Depression, a desert covering the north
and east of the country.
 |
| All borders between the two countries are closed |
If I were to tell you that this was where I was going, you
may think me to be slightly mad. That may change to downright foolish when you
learn that a tourist was shot dead in the area one month ago.
 |
| A screenshot of the BBC article reporting the death on December 3rd |
There’s another way of looking at this: very much glass
half-full. These attacks have happened once every five years. Additionally,
numerous statements were published about an increase in the Ethiopian military
and police presence in the region – many places are at their safest in the
aftermath of an attack due to such a security increase. The fact that the
victim went without security, which was strongly suggested before the attack
happened, also lends weight to the notion that visiting Danakil would be safe
if the right precautions were taken.
 |
| Security forces are present - and very visible - in the Danakil area |
This is not to say I didn’t have concerns or doubts about
going. A fair-weather traveller wouldn’t come near this place. I wasn’t sure
whether anyone else would risk a four-day excursion into the Danakil
Depression. I needn’t have worried about that…
 |
| We slept under the stars at Hamed Ale on the first night - any kind of amenity is rare |
 |
| Vehicles drive in a convoy for protection - ours had twelve 4x4's |
I was quite surprised, and certainly reassured, upon
discovering that there were almost thirty people on my excursion. Most on the
trip shared the view I have just explained; also, they were very eager to see
sights of this area, which at the moment is certainly off the common
‘historical’ route through the north and west of Ethiopia. Much of it is
uninhabited, with only members of the Afar tribe desperately struggling to
survive its inhospitable conditions.
 |
| The low level helps to explain why the region is one of the hottest on Earth, with temperatures often exceeding 50'C |
Those sights? I think it’s easier for the pictures to give
you an idea as to why people come to this area…
 |
| Lake Asale |
 |
| Dallol |
 |
| Yellow Pond |
 |
| Erta Ale volcano |
 |
| Lake Afrera |
This geological nirvana was created by the fact that it lies
at a point where three tectonic plates (the Arabian and two splitting sections
of the African plate). These helped to create the Rift Valley which is the
spine of much of eastern and southern Africa. As the name suggests, the Danakil
Depression is also a very low-lying desert area. The location of the colourful
rocks, Dallol, is 116 metres below sea level. After walking along the flank for
about ten minutes, your eyes fix on the rainbow of rocks in the distance.
 |
| This area is the second-lowest point in Africa - Lake Assal in Djibouti is at -155m |
 |
| The colourful rocks are higher due to volcanic activity pushing them up |
It looks like a geothermal image, or an Instagram photo
which has been doctored to wildly change the landscape. This is all natural.
The different colours represent different minerals and compounds found here:
red for iron, white for potash (potassium salt) and yellow for sulphur. Any of
you who have been in the presence of sulphur before, whether in a school
science lab or near a volcano, will be able to make an educated guess at what
smell dominated the area.
 |
| Dallol translates as 'Shining Gold' in the local Afar language |
 |
| Sulphuric pools at Dallol |
It’s a stunning sight. Arriving before other tour groups, we
were able to admire the different colours in an almost silent aura, with the
only noises being camera clicks, feet crunching over the solidified sulphur and
the hissing and bubbling of the liquid below. That liquid was sulphuric acid –
not something you want to touch.
 |
| The water can reach temperatures of up to 100'C - another reason to avoid contact with it! |
Jobs for the Afar people are few and far between but the
minerals help to provide a means of income. In particular, salt is extensively
mined in the Danakil.
 |
| Mining will occur in temperatures in excess of 50'C in June and July |
At the request of the Afar and support of the national
government, mining is done traditionally and without machines. This means salt
is extracted by hand and then dispatched by camel to the nearest major town. It
must be unbearable in the summer. I’d recommend that anyone visiting the area
buys some cheap sunglasses to donate.
 |
| The government wants to pacify the Afar as they help protect the Eritrean border |
Salt is prevalent throughout the region. Salt deserts exist,
with the one surrounding Lake Asale being 40 km by 30 km. The crunch underfoot
and bright reflection from the floor reminded me of a snowy Kazakh winter’s
day. I wouldn’t have been wearing a T-shirt then, though…
 |
| The strange shapes are apparently created by tectonic tremors |
 |
| Sunset at a salty Lake Asale |
It allowed us a bit of fun in Lake Afrera, a low-lying lake
which I imagine is similar to the Dead Sea as you can float in it. I tried swimming
and my legs kept popping up out of the water! Bizarrely, you feel different
temperatures in the same spot; the top of the water is very warm as it is
freshwater from a nearby hot spring, with the bottom, salt-absorbed part being
significantly cooler.
 |
| At -103m, this island is the lowest 'high point' of a land mass anywhere on Earth |
 |
| Floating in Lake Afrera |
Another hot spring is far less attractive. The ‘Yellow
Pond’, so-called due to its sulphuric content and hue in certain light, has
many dead birds around it. The birds are so parched and desperate for fluids
that they will drink from the pond and then perish around it. 80% of the lake
is potash, which is a useful fertiliser in this part of the world.
 |
| Carbonic rock which melts underneath the pond gives the water an oily appearance and texture |
 |
| The water is 20% sulphur |
The hottest place of all is also the most dangerous: Erta
Ale. Meaning ‘Smoky Mountain’, the volcano which rises to 613 metres above sea
level is constantly boiling and bubbling, causing toil and trouble for anyone
in its path when an eruption happens. The last eruption? 12 months ago…
 |
| Erta Ale is continuously active and smoking |
 |
| The crater of Erta Ale |
If it was easy to get to, Erta Ale would be a constant hive
of activity. Driving over sand, cooled lava and seemingly impassable boulders
at various points puts paid to that. Vehicles often get stuck, which is another
advantage of driving in a convoy. This is a tangible example of ‘off the beaten
track’. The lack of toilets would put many off as well…
We set off for the summit in darkness, just after 7:30pm.
With the moon yet to rise, the only light was a glowing red blur in the
distance. The crater of Erta Ale.
 |
| A contrast of fire and moonlight |
Three hours later, after a surprisingly gentle hike, we were
a mere 300 metres from the crater. This was where we were going to sleep, in
between visiting the top. Yes, we were sleeping very close to the opening of an
active volcano.
 |
| The slope is gentler than most volcanoes |
The walk across to the crater needs a little more care;
molten rock isn’t as strong as stone, meaning that large fragments of it have
the potential to break when you stand on them. Soon after, we reached the
crater…
 |
| Fragments from the caldera contain many minerals, including flecks of gold |
 |
| Nice and safe... |
In most other places in the world, we would have been stood
at least 10 metres away from the edge, which would be roped off and manned to
ensure no one did anything silly. Here, atop a windy, smoky volcano, we were told
to stay ‘about one metre’ from the edge. One metre from certain death. One
metre from a place which certainly would have protected the One Ring To Rule
Them All.
 |
| Admiring the crater from the edge of Erta Ale |
 |
| Erta Ale has one of the few persistent lava lakes in the world |
The smoke often shrouded the magma beneath; this explains
the poor quality of the pictures. It’s actually quite cold due to the wind
whipping around the peak. When you get closer to the edge, however, you can
feel warmth emanating from below.
 |
| No smoke without fire! |
What we were able to see was a river of magma, visible when
the activity beneath the chamber’s volcanic rock is too much for it to bear.
Flowing silently (well, from a distance) from right to left, it sporadically
sped up and whizzed very large pieces of rock out of sight. It reminded me of a
water slide. Admittedly, this slide would be fatal…
 |
| The magma carrying debris along its fiery path |
When the smoke cleared sufficiently to see the magma flow
far below, an almost hypnotic aura resonated around Erta Ale. Once again, the
colours visible are spellbindingly vivid. Once again, the only sounds were
camera clicks, the whipping wind and an occasional, barely audible crackling
from the fiery hell below. Once again, not a word was spoken.
 |
| Erta Ale is known locally as the 'Gateway to Hell' |
If it was safe and comfortable, visiting the incredible
natural sights of the Danakil Depression would be near the top of almost every
adventurer’s list. The challenges for a casual traveller are numerous – I
showered once in four days and made more use of the natural world as a toilet
in four days than I ever have in my life. More people are coming – an awful
visual example of this is the number of plastic bottles left on the flank of
the volcano – but this will never be classed as a ‘relaxing’ holiday spot. What
it is? An incredible experience of the extreme natural world, and an
otherworldly reward for anyone who is adventurous enough to come.
Love you all
Matt
