Danakil - a desert that resembles dark alien landscapes

It is believed that one of the inhospitable places on our land is in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, lovers of extreme rest pay a lot of money for visiting such an unusual corner, whose landscapes resemble scenery to a fantastic film.

Surprisingly, on semi-nomadic people Afar lives on practically unfit for living area, considering the mysterious zone as its home.

Harsh territory

Danakil is a desert of volcanic origin, which carries danger to all living things. Located in the north of the country, it was opened to Europeans in 1928 by travelers who have traveled a great distance. In the most severe place on the globe, the tectonic plate breaks up under the influence of volcanic activity and earthquakes. Through the appeared failures the burning lava comes out from the depths outwards.

Erta Ale - a volcanic lake

The volcanic lake of Erta Ale is an incredibly attractive and extremely dangerous sight. Hot lava inside a raging cauldron that has not slept for more than fifty years sometimes breaks to the surface, absorbing all the living things, and the frozen magma around it forms gloomy compositions that stretch across a vast territory.

If there is an ejection, the inhospitable Danakil (desert) will dress in the dark garments of ashes, and the blue empty sky will be tightened with a gray blanket. Constantly boiling point with a magnet attracts risky extremals.

Local Attractions

The nearby Dallol volcano is considered the lowest point in the African state. Its uneven surface is visible from afar because of its unusually bright coloration: a green-orange palette shimmering with all sorts of shades is the result of the emission of toxic gases.

Salt lake Assal - a kind of attraction of the exotic corner called Danakil. The desert keeps in the heart of this fantastically beautiful pond, reminiscent of its beauty of the Uyuni solonchak in Bolivia.

The shore of the emerald lake is strewn with crystals, forming fantastic figures and silhouettes, in which everyone sees something of their own. Probably, under the influence of the mystical zone, demoniac characters seem to many. And of course, no one leaves without souvenirs - pieces of salt covering the water surface.

A monster created by nature

Dangerous for man Desert Danakil, a photo of which resembles eerie alien landscapes, takes travelers to a dangerous world with a shortage of moisture, poisonous sulphurous fumes, a scorching sun, the possibility of an eruption of a volcano. However, year after year, those who wish to visit the local places are not diminished.

Constant seismic activity destroys tectonic plates, and they form uneven elevations in one place, exposing horrendous failures in the other. It is unlikely that an ordinary traveler will want to travel thousands of kilometers and spend a fortune not only to look at the territory of the famous desert of Danakil, but also at the cost of his own life to be threatened at every turn by threats.

The underworld for extremals

Incredibly dangerous squally wind "Samum", raging in this gloomy corner of the earth, falls asleep travelers faces with hot sand, burning and depriving them of the opportunity to breathe normally. However, even in rare moments, the calm is very difficult: toxic emissions can cause serious poisoning, and then this trip will be the last.

The abnormally high temperature of the desert, coupled with evaporation, makes the long stay of Europeans dangerous, and the depressing landscapes of gloomy terrain and the general atmosphere attract both physical and psychological tests.

However, this becomes the stimulator for extremists, even though they admit that the poisonous beauty of the Danakil desert literally draws energy.

The Dangers of Local Tribes

"The branch of the underworld," as they call this bleak territory, attracts all adventurers who do not have enough adrenaline. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that aggressive local tribes have long been fighting for the right to possess this place, the conflicts of which turn into armed bloodshed.

The main treasure of this place is salt, which has been extracted for many decades and is used as a currency, changing clothes, food and even people for it. White mineral from time immemorial sent to the mainland, and on the remaining tracks from loaded caravans are now driving afar.

And while the question of belonging to the desert is not settled, any of its visits turns into a "Russian roulette" for a traveler. By the way, even the children of the tribe are armed to the teeth and pose a serious danger to tourists.

However, the number of travelers who choose this sinister place instead of comfortable rest does not decrease. From all corners of the globe come those who dream of touching the pristine nature and sad beauty of Danakil.

The desert provides a unique opportunity for everyone to see what our land looked like before the advent of civilization. And someone, probably, will present, that has got on the mysterious alien territory storing set of riddles and dangers.