Photo: filippo_jean https://www.flickr.com/people/26162032@N03/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Ethiopia Afar Region / Danakil 1 tour

Erta Ale Volcano

Active shield volcano with one of only five persistent lava lakes on Earth — 613 m summit over salt desert.

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Country

Ethiopia

Region

Afar Region / Danakil

Best time

November–February (avoid April–October extreme heat)

About Erta Ale Volcano

Erta Ale ('smoking mountain' in Afar) is a 613-metre basaltic shield volcano in the Afar Triangle. Its summit crater has held an active lava lake almost continuously since 1906 — one of only five such lakes on the planet. Access requires an armed escort, a 4×4 convoy across the Danakil salt plains, and a 3-hour night hike to camp on the crater rim. A truly other-worldly experience.

Highlights

Persistent lava lake (one of 5 on Earth)
Summit crater camp at 613 m
Night hike across basalt
Armed escort required
Salt-desert Afar villages en route

Best time to visit

November–February (avoid April–October extreme heat)

Itineraries

Tours that visit Erta Ale Volcano

Choose a curated departure or use any of these as a starting point — we'll tailor the itinerary, dates and pace to you.

Photo: Thomas Fuhrmann / CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Adventure & Active Challenging

Danakil Depression Expedition — 4 Days

Erta Ale lava lake by night + Dallol's technicolour sulfur springs — the hottest place on Earth.

✓All ground transport in a 4x4 convoy with experienced Afar-region drivers
✓Armed federal police escort and Afar local scouts (government-mandatory for all groups)
✓All park, protected-area, village and military permits and entry fees

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