Dates: November 5 to 11, 2022
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Number of participants: 6 – 12
Cost per person:
• USD 1590 subject to 10 – 12 participants,
• USD 1790 subject to 8 – 9 participants,
• USD 1950 subject to 6 – 7 participants.
10% early booking discount (in case you book before June 5, 2022)
Everything is included except for:
- international flight to Addis Ababa roundtrip
- domestic flight Addis Ababa – Semera – Addis Ababa roundtrip
- international medical insurance,
- Ethiopian visa (on arrival at the airport at 50 USD)
Estimated cost of all flights – from Moscow to Addis Ababa roundtrip and from Addis Ababa to Semera roundtrip: USD 550 – 850 (Usually bought on your own)
Single supplement: USD 120
TRAVEL PROGRAM: TOUR TO ETHIOPIA
TRAVEL PROGRAM:
Day 1. November 5, 2022. Addis Ababa
Early morning arrival in Addis Ababa airport. Transfer to the hotel. After rest, Addis Ababa city tour with visiting the Orthodox Church, Mercado market, the biggest in Africa, National museum with Lucy skeleton, local cafe and observation desk. Back to the hotel for overnight.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Blue Birds Hotel
* Recommended flight from Moscow to Addis Ababa:
— with Ethiopian Airlines, direct flight ET-761, departure from Moscow on November 4 at 22:50, arrival in Addis Ababa the next day, November 5, at 6:10 am,
— or with Turkish Airlines, with a stopover in Istanbul, flight from Moscow TK-414 with a departure at 13:20 on November 4 and an arrival in Addis Ababa on the next day (November 5) at 00:45 am with flight TK-676,
— or with Egypt Air, with a stopover in Cairo, flight from Moscow MS-730 with a departure at 17:05 on November 4 and an arrival in Addis Ababa at 3:05 on next day (November 5) with flight MS-852,
— or any other flight arriving in Addis Ababa no later than at 9 am on November 5.
Day 2. November 6, 2022. Addis Ababa — Semera — Ertale
After early breakfast, morning flight to the North, to Semera. Departure at 7:00 am. Arrival in Semera at 8:20 am. We set off on 4WD jeeps to Danakil depression. Travel through the desert to Erta Ale volcano area (270 km, driving time ____ hours). At dusk start hiking up to the top of Erta Ale volcano (613 meters above sea level), 9 km distance, 450m ascension, walking time 3-4 hours. Dismount into caldera and watch the lava lake in the evening and at night, standing on the edge of a 100-meter crater.
Dinner and night on the edge of caldera: in a shack or in the open air.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: in a shack or in the open air
Day 3. November 7, 2022. Erta Ale volcano
Before dawn descent to the crater to watch the sunrise. After breakfast hiking to the second crater of the volcano. Watching lava fields, lunch, having the rest. After dinner sunset at the lava lake. Night watch of a unique natural fire show. Night on the edge of caldera: in a shack or in the open air.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: in a shack or in the open air.
* For the last years, the activity of Erta Ale volcano is unstable, despite the fact that it is permanent lava lake volcano, one of the 4 such kind volcanoes on Earth. During our travel dates, the lava lake can be barely active or too smoky in order to see lava. That's why we take 2 days at volcano in order to have bigger chances to see lava.
Day 4. November 8, 2022. Ertale — Dallol volcano — Hamedela
Descent from the volcano (9 km, 3 hrs). About 3 hrs car transfer to unique Dallol volcano, which is a volcano of various acid colors with fumaroles, small spitting acid springs and lakes. Dallol is considered the hottest place on Earth. Due to incredible colors at Dallol you feel like on Venus.
Visiting another extraterrestrial place called New York. Proceed to Assale lake and traditional salt mining not far from Dallol. Visit the oil lake. Swim in the natural pool in Assale lake, where the water is much salter than in the Dead Sea.
At sunset try to find the caravans of camels carrying salt. Short drive to Hamedela.
Dinner and Night in the open air with very basic conditions.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: open air camping
Day 5. November 9, 2022. Hamedela — Assale lake — Afdera lake
After breakfast, Visit Afar traditional hat in Hamedela or in the area. Communicate with Afar people, photography. Transfer to the lake Assale, on the dried bottom of which Afar people get dark salt in a traditional way, then cut it into square blocks and deliver it on camels along medieval route to Sudan.
Transfer to the lake Afdera on 4wd cars (some 120 km, _____ hours driving). Bathing in hot springs and in the extremely salt lake. Dinner and Overnight at the lake shore in open air.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: in the open air
Day 6. November 10, 2022. Afdera lake — Semera
Morning bathing in hot springs and in the lake. Visit salt mining systems at Afdera lake.
Drive for about 3-4 hrs to Semera (220 km). After having lunch in Semera, Visit Alolebed spring waters and lake Gumare. Overnight at Semera Kuriftu Resort.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Semera Kuriftu Resort
Day 7. November 11, 2022. Semera — Addis Ababa — Return flight
Take morning flight from Semera to Addis Ababa. Departure at 10 am and arrival in Addis at 11:10 am.
Free time in Addis Ababa and further connection evening flight back home.
*Or, for those who travels to Southern Ethiopia, further connection flight to Jimma at 15:30.
Meals: breakfast
Accommodation: no
* Recommended flight from Addis Ababa to Moscow:
— Ethiopian Airlines direct flight, departure at 23:00 on November 11 with flight ET-760, arrival in Moscow at 8:15 am the next day, November 12.
— or Turkish Airlines with a stopover in Istanbul, flight from Addis Ababa TK-677 with departure at 1:45 am оn November 12 and arrival in Moscow at 12:25 pm on November 12 with the flight TK-413,
— or Egypt Air with a stopover in Cairo, flight from Addis Ababa MS-852 with departure at 4:05 am оn November 12 and arrival in Moscow at 16:05 on November 12 with the flight MS-729,
— or any other flight with departure from Addis Abeba no earlier than at 4 pm on November 11.