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Trip Report
Guided Tour in Ethiopia - The Afar Region
A 3-day tour in the Afar region, visiting some of the most unique places.
+ 9
AfricaEthiopia2 days / October 2019
Highs & Lows
Danakil Depression
Long car rides
Itinerary Overview
You start the tour in the city of Mek'ele and then spend 3-days touring the Afar region. The main attractions are the Danakil Depression, the volcano, and the salt lake.
I blindly booked a tour while I was in Ethiopia. Although I didn't know what was ahead of me, I was excited to be a part of an adventure. (Isn't that what traveling is about?)
Backstory: A friend invited me to join them in Ethiopia. I was like, "Dope! New country! Also, they can plan everything!" Well turns out my friend "forgot" to buy their flight, so when I landed in Ethiopia at 9 pm, I was solo and had zero ideas what I wanted to do.
After a night's sleep, I decided I wanted to see the Danakil Depression after seeing a photo of it. My usual protocol is to scour TripAdvisor and blog posts, so I understand the best tours/cheapest way to get there.
But since I had limited time, I skipped my usual protocol and didn't look anything up. The next morning I headed to the airport, booked a flight to Mek'ele, and went to the first guesthouse I could find. I talked to the guy at reception and told him I wanted to go to the Danakil Depression, and he signed me up for a 3-day tour.
I didn't question why the tour was 3 days; I was just happy that I would see the Danakil Depression.
The next morning I woke up and I realized I had no idea what I signed up for. What was the name of the tour group? Will there be food? Where will I sleep? Will anyone else join me? Why was it for 3 days??
A driver, who spoke little English, picked me up and we started to drive. After 1.5 hours, I switched to another car that had 3 other tourists. I excitedly introduced myself and immediately asked what the plan for the day was. They told me we were on our way to a volcano...Hmm...ok. Volcanos can be cool. Let's do it!
Q & A
What would you have changed?
If I were to rewind, I would've only booked a 2 day tour, but I still enjoyed my time visiting the volcano.
How was the food?
The food was basic on the tour.
What tips would you give a friend?
Download some podcasts since the drives are quite long.
Packing tips?
Pack sturdy shoes that you don't care about because the terrain is rouge and sharp in Dallol.
Any surprises?
The volcano was underwhelming
Lodging
Camping
The second night of the tour, I was lucky and got to stay in a hotel. Abala is a small town and the guides picked out a hotel that still had space. I can't remember the name, but it felt like a luxury compared to the previous night of camping outside the volcano.