- Location: East Ethiopia, Danakil Depression
- Height: -48 m
- The diameter of the crater: 1450 m
- The last large eruption: 1926.
- Average annual temperature: +34 ° С
The volcano Dallol is located in the desert of Danakil in Ethiopia, in its northeastern part, and is considered one of the most interesting places in the world. Unearthly landscapes compare it with the landscapes of Io, the first and most active companion of Jupiter. Frozen lava, whimsical salt pillars and sulfur lakes of different colors create a unique view of Dallall's crater.
Education of the volcano
The volcano Dallol is located in the desert of Danakil in Ethiopia, in its northeastern part, and is considered one of the most interesting places in the world. Unearthly landscapes compare it with the landscapes of Io, the first and most active companion of Jupiter. Frozen lava, whimsical salt pillars and sulfur lakes of different colors create a unique view of Dallall's crater.
Education of the volcano
Scientists believe that this mountain is more than 900 million years old, while the very process of its occurrence in the hollow is still a mystery. One version suggests an internal eruption, when the volcano itself released magma, which brought down its walls, which created such an original form of a crater with a high-necked neck.
Ethiopian Dallall today
The last large eruption was recorded in 1926, but even now the volcano does not sleep, continuing its active activity. He raises mineral salts on the crater lake surface:
- potassium;
- iron;
- manganese.
They paint salt deposits in reddish, yellow, greenish colors, creating amazing rainbow landscapes that can be seen on all the photos of Dallall volcano.
The salt itself, which crystallizes on the surface, often forms pillars of different heights from 20 cm to several meters, which creates an inimitable architectural ensemble inside the crater.
Another local feature can be found in the inner lakes - these are salt formations of a special form, most resembling bird eggs with a thin shell.
Extraction of salt in Dallall
Earlier on the slopes there was a settlement of the same name, from which eventually all the people left. Now the territory of the Dallol volcano is uninhabited, only the development of salt deposits is being carried out, which are constantly being updated. Nearly 1000 tons of salt is extracted annually on the Black Mountain, which is next to the volcano , which is subsequently processed and used in the food industry. Local residents working in the salt mines cut it into large slabs that are sent to the factories in Makel.
Infernal abyss
There is an opinion that the crater of the Dallol volcano is the gates of Hell, described in the first century. BC. e. Enoch of Ethiopia in his book. It is about the impending end of the world that will begin when the gate opens and the whole world consumes the fire that came out of them. He also mentions a tribe guarding the entrance to hell, which differs in severe manners, which is very reminiscent of the once-living Tribes. Exact coordinates in the book is not indicated, but many scientists and researchers believe that Dallall is well suited to all descriptions of the beginning of the future Apocalypse.
How do I get to Dallol Volcano in Ethiopia?
The volcano is in the most remote part of northern Ethiopia , in Afar, where there are no roads and other signs of civilization. The only route here from the nearest town of Makele is a caravan route through which the salt produced in the region is delivered on camels. Go on the "ships of the desert" to the volcano will have a whole day.
Travelers to get to Dallall often choose full sightseeing programs in the north of the country, which start from the capital of Ethiopia Addis Ababa . Depending on the program, the tours take from 1 to 2 weeks. They include, in addition to the volcano, visits to the desert of Danakil, Salt Lake Afrera, houses of local people belonging to the Afar tribe, and many others. etc. Such tours are convenient because they completely provide travelers with everything necessary, including accommodation and vehicles, as well as security, water and food supplies for the entire tour. The trip takes place on powerful off-road vehicles, which are not afraid of sands. The average price of the tour is $ 4200.