Page 73 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

50 Africa

Figure 3.4 Rectangular slabs of salt crust are loaded onto camels and donkeys for transport into the highlands after
workers manually cut the crust into rectangular slabs
Source: Richard Roscoe

from periodic flooding of the area by sediment- of Dallol and Erta Ale, in their itineraries. American,
rich waters out of the nearby highlands, and its French, Swiss and German tourist agencies are
subsequent dessication. South of Dallol, workers particularly active in the region, and their activities
manually cut the crust into rectangular slabs bring some money and work to the area. Small
which are then loaded onto camels and donkeys convoys of 4WD vehicles are the usual mode of
for transport into the highlands (Figure 3.4). This transport. These can reach the base of Dallol
process and the near-endless salt caravans also Mountain and can cross the lava fields up to a point
attract tourists to the area. The salt slabs are sold in only about 10km from Erta Ale summit caldera,
Mekele for processing into common salt.
from which a path leads up to the volcano.
Volcano tourism in the Before 2002 it was, however, very complicated
Danakil Desert to reach Erta Ale. The northern land route from
Mekele was considered too dangerous due to the
Visiting the Danakil Desert is a breathtaking activity of armed groups in the area. On the southern
experience. The first individual ‘tourists’ in Danakil route, the Afar people living around Lake Afdera
were probably the group led by the German didn’t allow tourists to pass their villages, in spite of
adventurer Rüdiger Nehberg, who crossed the official papers and permits issued in Addis Ababa. It
depression on foot from south to north in the late was virtually customary to be subjected to one or
1970s. Today, expensive package tours offered by two days of enforced hospitality in an Afar village,
specialized international agencies frequently which at least gave one the chance to improve one`s
include the Danakil, and its prime volcanic features negotiation skills before proceeding further.

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