Day 1 

fly addis - mekelle  – Volcano

We drive from Mekelle  – Dodom. We start early drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). Leave after an early breakfast, possible at 07:30. This is may be one of the worst roads in the world. The 70 km distance may take about 5 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm lined oasis. After you pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, Dodom is about 9.5km from ErtaAle and it takes about 3 hrs trekking. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to ErtaAle at 20:00 hours. Camels transport all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. ErtaAle ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. ErtaAle contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. ErtaAle is 613 meters, with a lava lake, one of only five in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century. O/n camping on the mountain

 

Day 2  

ErtaAle-HamadEla
waking up early ErtaAle -Dodom　Leave back to Dodom you will reach latest at 8.00 am at the camp , after　 breakfast time to relax. then  drive to HamadEla 100km, picnic lunch on the way on shed of palm tree, reach HamadEla 04:30, better village with a total population about 500 people. You will see lots of camel caravans and you will have the sun set look from the very shallow salt lake Assale.  Overnight camping at HamadEla.

 

Day 3

HamadEla- Dallol- Mekelle
Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the
localities are mining salt. 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi) the Afar Depression is covered by salt, and you will Look the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, local people are cutting in to rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity; Dallol + Lake Assale + salt canon, camel caravans, follow up camel caravans and　Drive back to HamadEla for lunch and proceed to Mekele.

o/n hotel 

 

Day 4

Early in the morning, embark on a full day of driving to Lalibela.  Here you will pass through several small villages, with typical sandstone homes of the Tigray people.  Proceed through this rural area for the stunning approach to the home of Ethiopia’s most prized destination – Lalibela.  Overnight in Lalibela.

 

Day 5 

with our professional tour guide visit the rock hewn churches of Lalibela. Lalibela is most famous for its churches. Visit the 12-13th century Rock hewn churches called the ̎Eighth wonder of the world ̋ which are still active places of worship and host many major religious Ceremonies. The churches are carved out of solid rock, and each has unique architectural features. Take a wander through the tunnels and stairways linking the churches together.

After lunch will drive to the site where we find a concentration of some of Ethiopians most famous Rock Hewn churches, mostly referred by many as ʺthe living wonders of the worldʺ this churches are, they have been here for at list 900 years, an active christen shrine, the spiritual centre of the counters religious life. The monolithic churches where carved out of 2600-sq natural rock terrace in the twelve century AD by king lalibela, over night lalibela.

NB: lalibela