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Overland adventures are not for the faint-hearted. It takes determination and a level of endurance and self-confidence.
The very fact that you want to have an African Safari and a tour of discovery and exploration shows that you have what it takes to go on Adventure Tours.
Nevertheless, these tours require some level of preparation in the right kind of cloth, luggage and other items required by the adventure traveler.For the sake of prudence, here are brief descriptions of what the various adventure tours are all about, together with the relative level of difficulties to be encountered.
Outdoor Life:
The relatively least difficult of the adventure
tours, involves persons that are so passionate about nature,
that they like nothing more than loosing themselves inside
Ethiopia's vast wilderness. They want to be absorbed by open
spaces, limitless skies and awe-inspiring scenery. Sport Fishing
in one of the numerous lakes and rivers surrounded by ideal
sceneries, and caving inside one of the world's most extensive
underground caverns may also be part of this adventure.
Trekking:
The next relatively more demanding adventure involves
trekking across the Semien and Bale mountains, or among the
indigenous peoples of the Omo Valley. Mountain trekking requires
reasonable levels of fitness as the trek involves considerable
amount of walking and trekking up the mountain. The elderly may
ride mules and/horses for part of the more difficult terrains.
Mules do also serve to carry utilities and luggages. If you are
new to trekking, it is very helpful to get some practical tips
and advices from experienced trekkers who have been to your
proposed sites.
The trekking in the Ethiopian highland is very open, with no tourists stepping on your toes. You will still be trekking with a group, which will provide you with the joy of meeting and trekking with new enthusiastic and friendly fellow travelers who support one another.
Challenging the Elements:
The Adventure Tours to the Afar Region requires more careful
planning and preparedness.
The Dalol Depression is one of the lowest, (116m below sea
level), and consequently one of the hottest places on the
planet. The adventurous traveler must therefore be adequately
prepared for the unrelenting high temperatures that may unnerve
persons with less endurance and stamina.
Although the condition of the environment is not comfortable, the discomfort will be insignificant when compared to this experience of a lifetime. As one amazed visitor said, 'Visiting Dalol is like visiting another planet.' Without any exaggeration whatsoever, these are unique experiences that only Ethiopia can offer you. Visiting these unique phenomenal places is a life-time achievement that you can write and talk about for years to come.
Overland Sports:
Outdoor adventures such as paragliding, mountain climbing and
white-water rafting require a certain amount of expertise. Hence
beginners need the support and guidance of the more experienced
members. These sports are usually handled in groups and by units
that have specialized in those fields and are equipped with the
necessary gadgets.
Adventure: Outdoors Experience
For those that live in major cities where the days are filled
with hectic timetables and always rushing, the tranquility among
the clean and uncontaminated natural elements is truly soothing
to the spirit and mind.Persons that live in big cities where the
stars are hidden with the smog from factories, find the open air
experience of the Ethiopian highlands quite rejuvenating.
What more can one asks other than watching the beautiful African sunsets and sunrises!
Truly great Outdoors
Camping in Ethiopia is almost the only way to visit the most
beautiful, undeveloped and unspoilt areas of the country. Some
recognized campsites are provided in National Parks and other
popular tourist areas, but finding somewhere to camp is seldom a
problem. One word of caution: velvet monkeys and baboons are
fond of picnics and will enter any open car or tent in a flash!
In the National Parks and most highland areas, campers may pitch a tent, climb in, and enjoy a good night's sleep, untroubled by worries of unwelcome night visitors. Country people are for the most part, pacific, hospitable, and co-operative.
Fishing
Conditions for sport fishing could hardly be better than in
Ethiopia. Rivers and lakes are full of a wide variety of fish,
some of extraordinary size. Ethiopia boasts more than 200
species of freshwater fish, including Nile perch, immense
catfish, tiger fish, and brown and rainbow trout. Very few
Ethiopians are anglers so visitors will find many unspoiled
areas where they can fish in peace. A typical day's fishing may
also include the bonus of seeing families of hippo, giant
crocodiles, or pink clouds of flamingos.
Caving
The Sof Omar cave systems, 120 kms east of Goba in Bale region,
is one of the most spectacular and extensive underground cavern
in the world. Formed by the Weyb River as it changed course in
the distant past and carved a new channel through limestone
foothill, the 16 kms cave system is an extraordinary natural
phenomenon of breathtaking beauty.
The dry, cool caves contain many marvels of natural architecture, including soaring pillars of stone 20 meters high, flying buttresses, fluted archways and tall airy vaults. Finally the river itself is reached, flowing through a deep gorge. You can explore the caves on foot, without special climbing equipment, but preparations have to be taken. Torches or other lighting are needed. A map is also another thing that is highly recommended. The most direct route through the first part of the caves takes about an hour.Outdoor adventures are personal interest tours and as a result are conducted on an individual basis. Hence if you are interested to experience any one of the above outdoor adventures.
Adventure: Trekking
Trekking in Ethiopia does not involve being super-fit. Horses,
mules and donkeys are universal means of transport, so horse
trekking has been a natural development.
Trekking in the Semien Mountains
National Park
As the name indicates, the 'Semien', which means 'North' in
Amharic, is an area of highland country in the northern part of
Ethiopia.The Semein mountains National park, which is one of the
principal mountain massifs in Africa, is commonly known as the
“Roof of Africa”. It has been declared as world heritage site by
UNESCO.The marvelous scenery combined with the varied endemic
plants, mammals, birds and the breathtaking environment make the
area an ideal place of mountains trekking.
Trekking in the Bale Mountains
National Park
In the Southeast part of the country, the Bale National Park is
the largest area of Afro alpine habitat in the whole of Africa.
Bale Mountains is an area of high altitude plateau that is broken by numerous spectacular volcanic plugs and peaks, beautiful alpine lakes and rushing mountain streams that descend in the deep rocky gorges on their way to the lowlands below. It is home for various Endemic Birds and Endemic Animals.
The Bale Mountains remain an untouched and beautiful world. Rising to a height of more than 4,000 meters, the range borders the southern highlands of Ethiopia. Mount Tullu Deemtu, the 2nd highest peak in Ethiopia, is 4,377 meters above sea level.
Trekking among the Omo Valley People
the remote south-west highlands, east and west of the Omo Valley
where strong and colorful cultures complement the appeal of
scenery, flora and fauna, is another site ideal for trekking and
cultural interactions.
Adventure: Dalol & Ert' Ale
In promotional works involving tourist attractions, superlative
words such as 'wonderful', 'extraordinary', etc. are very
common. In this web site, we have tried to refrain ourselves
from over applying the terms. Nevertheless, there is no way we
can fully describe some natural, historical and cultural wonders
without using these words. One of these is the magnificent
natural sceneries involving the Dalol Depression and Ert’ Ale
Volcanoes.
The Dallol (Danakil) Depression
Dallol is at the northernmost extension of the
[Great] Rift Valley. It is below sea level and acts like a
cauldron, trapping all the heat. Dallol is a field of phreatic
craters in the barren salt plain NNE of the Erta Ale Range in
one of the lowest (and hottest) areas of the desolate Danakil
depression.
The Dallol craters are the Earth's lowest known sub aerial
volcanic vents. The most recent of these craters, Dallol, was
formed during an eruption in 1926. Colorful hot brine springs
and fumarolic deposits are found in the Dallol area.
This is a desert with some areas that are more than 116
meters (328 feet) below sea level. This is special because it is
one of the lowest points on earth not covered by water. There
are hot yellow sulfur fields among the sparkling white salt
beds. Heat isn't the only thing people feel in the Dallol
Depression. Alarming earth tremors are frequently felt. There
are also several active volcanoes.
The active volcano Mount Erta Ale, (in whose crater lies the
world's only below sea level land volcano, and world's only
permanent lava lake), techno-colored landscapes, incredible
mineral deposits, sulphur lakes and bubbling sulphur springs,
are fascinating sights not to be missed.
So just how hot is it at the Dallol Depression?
Weather wise, the hottest places on earth are the Dallol Depression in Ethiopia and Death Valley in California.
Temperatures can reach as high as 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63
degrees Celsius) in the sun, and top 93° Fahrenheit (34°
Celsius) every day of the year. In the summer, not a single day
dips below 104° Fahrenheit (40° Celsius). Dalol holds the record
for the highest average annual temperature.
Danakil and the Afar people This inhospitable land has been home
to the Afar (Danakil) people for at least two thousand years.
Afar men were renowned for their ferocity and xenophobia as
recently as the 1930s until which time loping off the testicles
of male intruders was customary! Traditionally the Afar are
nomadic pastoralists and, together with the Tigrians, are still
involved in mining salt bars from the lake in the Dallol
depression and carrying them by camel caravan up to Tigray,
along age old routes.
This is an adventurous trip, not for the fainthearted and those
needing luxury of any kind. The unrelenting climate can have an
enervating effect unless you are well prepared for the
temperatures. This is a demanding trip in an area with little
infrastructure. In fact Dallol, is one of the least accessible
destinations on the planet. In many areas there are rough and
sealed roads, and camel caravans are the only way to travel.
Despite the harsh conditions, the Dalol Depression is a truly extraordinary place to visit with superb scenery, a fantastic experience for the adventurous traveler. Moreover, they are unique to Ethiopia, as they are not found anywhere else.
We offer first grade logistic support for volcanologists that wish to study on the site. Adventure travelers that want to experience this demanding but highly rewarding trip, may select any one of the suggested trips below. The trips can further be fine-tuned based on your particular requirements.