Get our newsletter!     Volcano Calendar 2020: We're proud to present our 2020 volcano calendar: 13 different and attractive images of volcanoes, volcanic landscapes and phenomena taken during volcano tours over the past two years.  Volcano Discoveries: "One of the most eye-catching guides to the world’s volcanoes ever published.  VolcanoAdventures: Our professional team of volcanologists and photographers offers unique travel opportunities: volcano expeditions, photo tours, and relaxed walking & study tours.  The Volcano Adventure Guide: Excellent information and background for anyone wishing to visit active volcanoes safely and enjoyably. The book presents guidelines to visiting 42 different volcanoes around the world. Guaranteed tours: : spaces available / : guaranteed / : few spaces left / : booked out Random pictures | |  Erta Ale volcano is a large basaltic shield volcano in the Erta Ale volcanic range in the central northern Danakil depression (NE Ethiopia).
It is famed for its persistent lava lake which has been active during most of the past decades since it was first discovered in the 1960s.
Erta Ale is only 613 m high, but as typical for a shield volcano has a very gentle slopes and a large 40 km diameter base. The summit is truncated by a complex, elongated 1700 x 600 m wide caldera which contains vast lava flows and several larger and smaller pit craters, most notably the active north and south crater, which contains the lava lake at present.
Erta Ale is one of the main attractions of the Danakil, and had became a popular tour destination in recent years. Unfortunately, the deadly attack on 4 January 2012 against tourists and scientists camped on the crater rim, in which several were killed, illustrates that the area is politically unstable and can be subject to terrorist attacks. Anyone visiting the volcano should be aware of this.
Shield volcano 613 m / 2,011 ft
Danakil depression, Ethiopia, 13.6°N / 40.66°E Current status: erupting (4 out of 5) Erta Ale webcams / live data | ReportsErta Ale volcano videosErta Ale volcano books | ToursErta Ale volcano eruptions:
1873(?), 1903(?), 1904(?), 1906, 1940, 1960, 1967-2004, 2005-ongoing Typical eruption style:Effusive. Persistant lava lake. Last earthquakes nearbyErta Ale volcano toursDesert, salt and volcanoes (14 days expedition to Erta Ale volcano and Dallol hydrothermal field (Danakil desert, Ethiopia)) Latest satellite images  Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 Erta Ale (Ethiopia) volcano news:Erta Ale volcano (Ethiopia): intense activity continues, possible lava flows outside the caldera (?)Thursday Dec 29, 2016 19:40 PM | BY: T  Hot spots on Erta Ale (MODIS data, Univ. Hawai'i)
Activity remains elevated at the volcano in the Danakil. The latest available information show simultaneous effusive activity from both the north and the south crater - the latter, which contained the famous lava lake has been overflowing and building a new lava shield that started to partially fill the summit caldera. It seems that lava flows have started to overflow even outside the caldera through the low part of the rim on the NE side (judging from satellite data). Our next Erta Ale Volcano Special tour is soon (on 14 Jan) leaving for the volcano to stay 4 days and nights. Participants will hopefully be able to provide fresh information from the field. Previous newsWednesday, Dec 07, 2016 Two participants on our tour in mid-late November sent us impressions from the very active Erta Ale volcano (lava lake currently overflowing) and Dallol (increased activity at the hot springs). ...
[more]Sunday, Nov 13, 2016 The lava lake in the volcano's southern pit crater started again to overflow repeatedly since early November. Fresh lava flows have been covering significant parts of the caldera floor, our expedition leader reported. ...
[more]Wednesday, Mar 02, 2016 The level of the active lava lake in the volcano's southern pit crater of the summit caldera has sunk a bit again after its last overflow in mid January, but remains highly agitated. Our expedition leader Enku who was there with a small group from 12-15 February reported: ...
[more]Monday, Jan 18, 2016 The lava lake of Erta Ale has overflown, our correspondents from Ethiopia reported. The first lava over-spilled the rim of the containing crater at midnight of 15-16 Jan 2016. It seems that the situation is similar to the spectacular events in November/December 2010 when the lava lake last overflowed. ...
[more]Thursday, Dec 03, 2015 During our recent volcano expedition to the Danakil depression, we have observed the active lava lake of Erta Ale - which had been at very high level just a few meters before overflowing - for three continuous days (19-21 November 2015). ...
[more]More on VolcanoDiscovery: Volcano and photo tour to Java, Indonesia: Visit Java's famous volcanoes: Krakatau, Merapi, Bromo, Semeru, Ijen and others, crossing Java from west to east. This study and photography trip for a small exclusive group is one of our classic and best tours.  Blue flames of burning sulfur: Ijen volcano in East Java has one of the most impressive sulfur deposits on earth. They are so hot that the sulfur often ignites - a mysterious display at night caught on camera.  Monthy earthquake reports: For each month since July 2012, we publish a summary of quake activity world-wide: find the list of largest quake, a map showing all significant quakes as well as detailed statistics on seismic activity during this time.  Ijen volcano photos: Ijen volcano in East Java is famous for its turquoise acid crater lake and the large sulfur deposits that are being mined by local workers. At night, the scene is illuminated by ghostly blue flames, as sulfur ignites. |
