Is this the world’s hottest tourist location?
If you’re ever feeling a bit hot under the collar spare a thought for people living in the Danakil Depression, in northern Ethiopia.
With an average year-round temperature of 34.4 degrees (frequently tipping 50) the Danakil Depression is one of the hottest, least hospitable place on earth. It’s also one of the most beautiful.
The only way to visit the Danakil is vial Mekele, a town about 700 kilometres north of the capital Addis Ababa, where tour guides will take you via 4WD to the amazing site.
Crumbly black volcanic rock, geothermal mineral deposits and glowing lava pits frequently capture your gaze as you explore this desolate region that can at times feel like a sensory overload.
But it’s a feeling that’s well worth it, and visiting this region will give you a newfound appreciation of our comfortable surrounds, and a newfound respect for the Danakil salt miners, who work hunched over in the blazing sun for weeks at a time as they hack slabs of salt from the ground.
Ethio Travel and Tours frequently runs trips to the Danakil region, but make sure you check in with the Australian Government’s Smart Traveller resource before planning your tip.