Desert, salt and volcanoes: February 2008 tour photos by Tom Pfeiffer
Salt, please: photo diary from our pilot tour into the Danakil desert, from 2300 m to -120 m a.s.l. in February 2008!
Our group leader Solomon: charming, knowledgeable, untireable, and when necessary, well armed;-) (P... [info]
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Here comes the group: first Solomon, helping Marlies on the narrow path through the treacherous acid... [info]
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Frank, the photographer. Smiling, even though today he doesn't expect any photo opportunities... (P... [info]
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Marco. Full of energy and in good mood. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Stefan and Irawaty waiting for lunch. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Karinna in the desert, her favourite place... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Franz on his first life volcano! (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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I don't take self-portaits, but spend lot of time fighting with the focussing of a 300mm lens... (Ph... [info]
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2300 m a.s.l., flashback: the tour starts in Addis, here a view from my balcony in the center of the... [info]
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Like all African countries, Ethiopia is full of colors; natural and rather artificial ones. (Photo: ... [info]
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Colorful stands of street vendors, this one selling drinks, snacks and plastic bags. (Photo: Tom Pfe... [info]
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Threshing of tef - the most important grain in Ethiopia, used to make the national break called inje... [info]
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1500 m a.s.l. We have left Addis and are now in the Rift Valley, where it is much warmer. Some plant... [info]
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This looks like a solid fruit, but it's mostly... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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air! It's the best possible insulation, and what is not air inside, is poisonous - what a combinatio... [info]
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A fresh-looking lava flow occuies a depression alongside the road. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Our way leads us through dry savannah with the escarpment of the Rift valley in the background. (Pho... [info]
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Lake Awash at the bottom of the RIft Valley mirrors Fantale volcano. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Stefan in the Awash savannah. (c) [info]
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Thanks to botanist Stefan, we find all sorts of strange plants. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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This one has really badly smelling flowers. Karinna rejects to get her nose closer... (c) [info]
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Grass steppe in the Awash National park. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View onto the Awash river who has carved its bed deep into the layers of lava flows of the Rift Vall... [info]
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Sunset mood on the flat savanna of the Awash Natl. park (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The truncated cone of Fantale volcano. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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On our way through the dry svannah to the trailhead to Fantale volcano (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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1047m a.s.l. We start hiking uphill on dry riverbeds and through more or less dense bush. (Photo: To... [info]
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Beautifully crafted nests dangle from the outer branches of Acacia trees. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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1700 m a.s.l. Finally,- Franz is the first to arrive on the rim and get a vew of the large caldera o... [info]
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Fantale is a large stratovolcano on the floor of the Ethiopian Rift Valley, truncated by a 6km wide ... [info]
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It's getting hot at noon and it's always nice to find shade. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Lunch rest at Fantale volcano's caldera. Mangos were never that delicious! (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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This large turtle has mastered the art of camouflage. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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On our way down, we pass through loose acacia tree savannah. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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A curious but shy girl wonders at us, coming down from the mountain. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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With all the dust, washing hands is particularly pleasant. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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In particular, if one opts for a typical local dish - "tips" (spicy, diced grilled meat) with injera... [info]
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826 m a.s.l. Cinder cones as this one are frequent signs of young volcanic activity along our way th... [info]
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Warm volcanic springs occur in the Rift Valley and create green oases. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The springs provide an opportunity for the locals to wash laundry. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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750 m a.s.l. Half way to Logia the savanna slowly turn into a grass steppe. Some of us take a stroll... [info]
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Others, professionally equipped with adequate sun protection, prefer to stay in the vehicles. (Photo... [info]
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Travelling along the Rift Valley, we encounter large fields block lavas, often truncated by faults c... [info]
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Occasional rainfalls create floods over the desert land, letting fresh grass grow. (Photo: Tom Pfei... [info]
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We stop in the small town of Logia. Children ask me to take photos... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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519 m a.s.l. On the next day, we continue our journey through the Rift Valley, ever descending. A la... [info]
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Ancient stone structures, probably graves in the desert. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Fragments of obsidian tools and a lava stone with interesting scratch marks. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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164 m a.s.l. The dirt road winds descending into the Danakil desert. At roughly -120 below sea level... [info]
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Only 100 m above sea level. A ghostly, tornado-like dust devil greets us on our way through fault-cu... [info]
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The remnants of an eroded volcano in the desert (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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We "climb" the axis of the rift zone near Logia. Behind is the Danakil... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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0 m a.s.l. Although not yet at its bottom, we are already in the Danakil desert, here in a part wher... [info]
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Grande Said! Our (excellent!) 4x4 driver doesn't miss out the chance to get us a fresh cold beer at ... [info]
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-80 m a.s.l. We have reached the flat bootom of the Danakil depression. A large, fresh-looking lava ... [info]
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The goal of today is (almost reached!) - a large salt lake, Lake Afrera, at -120 m a.s.l., occupies ... [info]
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It's 6am, but we decided to join some workers in the salines. It's a tough job to harvest the salt f... [info]
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A young worker from Afrera salt lake. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Life (and living conditions) is simple. Precious water from wells is transported by donkeys and fill... [info]
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Marco and 3 young boys writing their names. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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On the road again - well, there's no roads any longer, only tracks that change according to conditio... [info]
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Lunch break. It looks like the area has recently been flooded. Remarkably, the stones didn't sink in... [info]
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Mud cracks. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Mud cracks. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Two Afar men in front of one of the temporary huts. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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We have climbed back up to great elevation: +150 m a.s.l. and reached the base of Erta Ale, which ca... [info]
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We camp at the base of Erta Ale, enjoying unforgettable night under the desert sky. (Photo: Tom Pfe... [info]
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I miss a real film camera... Marco shows us the spectacularly bright zodiacal light on the Western h... [info]
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"The camels are in our bed" I hear Karinna shout in the middle of the night... As we had agreed upon... [info]
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Get up and ready early before sunrise, before it gets too hot! Erta Ale is waiting... (Photo: Tom Pf... [info]
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Stefan taking on the 10km hike full of energy. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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150 m a.s.l. We have left the sandy patches and are now in lava country. Most of the lava flows are ... [info]
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The Afar camels join us half-way up the volcano. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The camel carrying my backpack looks at me... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The trail starts with alternating sections of sand deposits and flat lava flows. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffe... [info]
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350 m a.s.l. Spectacular hornitos from some recent flank eruption invite for a break. Frank has clim... [info]
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This hornito reminds me of a creature between penguin and buffalo... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Ca. 500m a.s.l. We are neara the top. Vegetation has become rare,- not because of altitude, but beca... [info]
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600m a.s.l. We have arrived on the caldera rim; the camels have done an excellent job. We take a wal... [info]
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The active lava lake, about 75 m in diameter, is inside the north pit crater. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Stefan filming the lava lake of Erta Ale volcano (Ethiopia) (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Beautiful lava fountain on the lake. The waiting was worth while! (I have posted several galleries a... [info]
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Franz, Frank and Karinna watch the lava lake. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The lava lake gives us a "bonus" during the last night, overflowing its lower terrace. (Photo: Tom ... [info]
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During our 3 days and nights, we spend countless hours simply watching the lava lake at night. (Phot... [info]
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After 3 days in this hellish paradise, it's time to leave this wonderful hellish environment: early ... [info]
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Our Afar guides and some of us back at the base camp. Has all luggage arrived? Is everyone paid - ne... [info]
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In the end, everything worked out just fine. We are spending a night in the desert again. During the... [info]
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Even in the Danakil, one can find water deep under the sand. We are grateful for this opportunity to... [info]
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Mahari does the tricky job of actually filling the bin from the well. (PS: there are no shower cabin... [info]
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-120 m a.s.l. (I need to save on film, so we jump forward a bit). We are now in the northern part of... [info]
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During the past, the Danakil has repeatedly been flooded by the Red Sea and each time, the water has... [info]
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Ahmed Ela, a small town at the lake shore is the place where the salt workers live and the camel car... [info]
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Simple huts and beds in Ahmed Ela. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Camel caravans leaving from Ahmed Ela to the salt lake in the morning. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Solomon orders our special breakfast: "ful" (a delicious bean souce); two plain, two with chili... (... [info]
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Making "ful" brings not only great taste, but great colors into Ahmed Ela as well. (Photo: Tom Pfei... [info]
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Ful - close up. It is eaten with fresh bread, which is of wonderful taste as well, thanks to Italian... [info]
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Stefan washing his - ähem - hair... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Another excursion takes us to Dallol volcano: the volcano is hidden beneath the thick salt, but dome... [info]
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We hike uphill to Dallol, the strange volcano... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Green acid lakes, red and yellow sulphur deposits, thin dangerous crust,- some of the ingredients of... [info]
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A beautiful sulphate "egg" close-up. It's about 3 cm small. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Old tanks at the abandoned potash mine at Dallol. The heat is starting to be significant... (Photo: ... [info]
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A dark-blue lake near the eruptive center of the 1928 eruption. It has a surface of thin salt crust ... [info]
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In the heat of noon, we seek shelter in the shadow of a salt island towering in the lake. (Photo: To... [info]
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Close-up of salt - the whole lake and the rocks surrounding us are made of this!
"Just pick it... [info]
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"Just pick it... [info]
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Cubic salt crystals. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Eroded solid salt. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Salt cutters at work at Lake Assale. Each block should weigh precisely 7 kgs.This high-qualified wor... [info]
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Camels waiting to be loaded with salt blocks. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Proud camel owners, the "Arho". (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Camels waiting. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Salt cutters at work. The upper 10 cm of the salt lake are used to produce salt blocks. The "Focolo"... [info]
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Camel caravans leaving towards the highlands in the dusty horizon. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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We follow the camels' way into the highlands the next morning. The road is sometimes rough. (Photo: ... [info]
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Erosion valley at the west end of the Danakil depression. Countless floods have deposited huge amoun... [info]
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The first signs of water come in the form of green trees. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Finally, running water! Time to wash cars... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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... and ourselves! (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Some faults in the basement rocks caused a small waterfall in the little river, just big enough for ... [info]
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The small town of Berahile is the boundary of Afar country. Today, most of the salt is loaded from c... [info]
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The first cold drink after more than a week is highly welcomed! (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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2050 m a.s.l. We're back in the highlands. Isolated sandstone table mountains dominate the landscape... [info]
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We have climbed one of the mountains to visit one of the oldest rock-hewn churches. (Photo: Tom Pfei... [info]
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The view from the church on the clifftop over the landscape below. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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We're looking at the painted interior walls of Abraha Azba church from the 7th century. (Photo: Tom ... [info]
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Under the supervision of the priest, we are allowed to take photos. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Red and yellow sandstones dominate the beautiful landscape of the Tigray region. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffe... [info]
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Since I don't need it any more, I leave my umbrella from Logia to a young man who seems to have good... [info]
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Mekele - a fresh morning and the bright view over the town tells me that our tour is almost at its e... [info]
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A woman in her little dark kitchen with her child at her feet shows us how injera is made - the flav... [info]
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