A journey through the Danakil Desert, Ethiopia. The fascinating Afar region, with the ancient crater of Dallol and its poisonous psychedelic concretions; Asso Bole, a village lost in time, and the incredible reflections of Lake Assale; Ahmed Ela’s miners and salt caravans; the city of Harar, with its fascinating traditions such as the feeding of hyenas and Babile camel market; the monolithic churches of Wukro and the breathtaking views of the Tigray region. An unforgettable journey to the most inhospitable region on earth.
Travel Photography and Storytelling by Andrea Marchegiani.
The stories of my trip to Ethiopia. A travel blog with editorials, practical information and anecdotes about my adventures around the world!
CNN Arabic interviews Italian travel photographer Andrea Marchegiani about his incredible trip to Danakil Depression. Dallol Volcano, the salt mines and more…
Friendship between men and hyenas is an ancient tradition in Harar, Ethiopia. Every night, outside the city walls, a young man feeds them mouth to mouth…
Abreha we Atsbeha is a 10th century monolithic church in Ethiopia. The building is semi-monolithic: partially carved out of rock, partially built in masonry. It is located in Tigray region, in the north of Ethiopia. Here there are many well-known Coptic monolithic churches, where take place fascinating religious rites.
Asso Bhole is an Afar village in the heart of Danakil depression in Ethiopia. Here the caravans heading for the salt pans take a rest stop before climbing up the Saba Canyon. Nomadic tribes live here in the winter, but leave in the summer, when temperatures exceed 50 degrees.
Women of Asso Bhole are the progenitors of all humanity. Here, the remains of the oldest standing biped, lived about 3 million years ago, were found. And it was a woman. Lucy.
Dallol is an ancient volcanic crater in Danakil, on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is known as the most inhospitable in the world. Hell on earth, basically, with temperatures reaching 60ºC, salty deserts, pools of toxic water and craters with boiling lava in the open air. Dallol’s formations are simply amazing, with its geysers and salty, colorful concretions.
Danakil is an Ethiopian depression once covered by the Red Sea. When the water withdrew, it left a layer of salt deep up to 800 metres. Everywhere you look, there’s salt. In the salt flats of Ahmed Ela, people work all day to break it into pieces and transport it to the village to sell it.
Lake Assale, also known as Lake Karum, is a salt lake in the Afar region of Ethiopia, northeastern Dancalia. It is located 120 m below sea level and is surrounded by a vast salt plain, which is used as a salt mine.Temperatures are extreme and reach up to 50 degrees. Sunsets here are a real blast.
Harar is a historic town, the fourth largest in the Muslim world. Situated in a strategic position, Harar has been a trade hub from ancient times. Today, the city has 250,000 inhabitants. With its 82 mosques, six gateways and colourful labyrinthine alleys, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. People got to know Harar as poet Rimbaud’s favorite place to live, but it is also famous for its exquisite coffee…
Close to the town of Harar you will find the Babile camel market. I’m not sure what to expect, but my friend Johnny assures me that it’s very picturesque and that we have to be careful with our cameras. “They are very jealous of their beasts and they might get angry if they see us taking pictures of them.”
In Ethiopia taking a photograph is always a gamble…
Some of the stories I was told in Danakil at night. “A tourist died nearby last year, but I don’t want to tell you where,” my friend Johnny tells me as we approach Erta Ale volcano. We hope to see the lava spring out of the crater. “He had left his group at night and came across some soldiers patrolling the border. They asked him for his papers, and this kid got scared, he was afraid he’d run into kidnappers. So, he turned and ran. The cops mistook him for a terrorist and shot him in the back. It was an accident”.
Dancalia, Ethiopia, is the most inhospitable place on earth. Here temperatures exceed 50 centigrade and the heat does not give respite even at night, when temperatures reach 35 degrees.
Ethiopia will build your character, especially if you decide to visit it in the hottest period of the year.
No wonder mother Earth decided to put here such a deep rift it will split the continent in two. Will Africa disappear under the waters of a new ocean?
Visit the photo galleries of my trip to Ethiopia. 100% Travel Photography.