Worldwide Photographic Journeys

Africa & Madagascar

ETHIOPIA: DANAKIL EXPEDITION – Volcanoes, sulphur lakes, the Afar people of the Danakil Depression and the rare African Wild Ass

Wednesday 18th November – Sunday 29th November 2026

Leaders: Inger Vandyke and a local guide

12 Days Group Size Limit 6 (tour guaranteed)
Rock Churches of Lalibela Extension

Sunday 15th November – Wednesday 18th November 2026

4 Days Group Size Limit 6 (extension guaranteed)
Mountain Churches of Gheralta Extension

Sunday 29th November – Tuesday 1st December 2026

3 Days Group Size Limit 6 (extension guaranteed)

DANAKIL PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITIONS WITH WILD IMAGES: OVERVIEW

The remote Danakil Depression in northeastern Ethiopia, technically described as the hottest place on earth, is home to some of the most stunning and otherworldly landscapes in Africa. Imagine a vast, volcanic landscape with active lava craters and fields of rainbow-coloured, mineralised lakes; nomadic tribal people who mine salt and carry it for miles across salt lakes in a trade that has lasted for centuries. This is the Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia. Now, this amazing place certainly ranks as landscape and people photography with a difference!

During our visit to the Danakil, we will spend search for the world’s rarest wild horse, the Somali Wild Ass, in the remote Mile Serdo Wild Ass Reserve, we will make a short trek into the spectacular live volcano of Erta Ale, visit nomadic Afar people, swim in some of the area’s geothermal springs, visit one of the deepest depressions of Africa (down to 116 metres below sea level) and explore the sulphur lakes and fumaroles of the incredible Dallol.

In recent months the region surrounding Erta Ale has once again become peaceful for tourism. Wild Images has engaged a specialist Afar cultural guide to immerse our expedition group in the world of the Afar, one of the most isolated ethnic groups in the entire Horn of Africa.

The Afar people are a warrior tribe who are very good at using knives and daggers in battle. They are immensely proud of their culture, which is transmitted orally through poems and proverbs. There is a proverb in Afar that says: (koo liih anii macinay kamol ayyo mogolla), which means “I accept you in my home as a brother, but I do not accept that you question my authority.” It is a simple homily that underpins their warrior status among their neighbouring tribal people.

One of the Afar’s claims to fame is the world’s most important anthropological find of the last century. In 1974, anthropologists discovered a new species of man at Hadar in the Awash Valley in Ethiopia. This new species was termed Australopithecus afarensis (“afar ape-man”) and is believed to have lived in Eastern Africa between 2.9 and 3.8 million years ago. The body was found to be female, and scientists named her Lucy. Lucy was able to walk upright on a human-like body while still retaining a small, ape-like head and primitive teeth. She now has a special home of her own in a museum in Addis Ababa, and she is possibly one of the most visited museum exhibits in all of Ethiopia.

During our expedition, we will have numerous opportunities to photograph Afar people, including visiting them in villages, accompanying them on livestock herding trips, visiting salt miners, searching for Afar salt caravans, and visiting them at a lively tribal market.

Along with searching for the world’s rarest wild horse, the Somali Wild Ass, and visiting some of Africa’s most stunning landscapes, our Danakil Expedition is surely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

PRE-TOUR EXTENSION: The Rock Churches of Lalibela

In a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia, some 645 km from Addis Ababa, lies Lalibela, an earthly realm featuring eleven medieval monolithic churches carved from a rocky mountain. Their building is attributed to King Lalibela, who set out to construct a ‘New Jerusalem’ in the 12th century, after Muslim conquests halted Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Lalibela flourished after the decline of the Aksum Empire, and today the subterranean churches stand as a testament to a rich history of worship, pilgrimages, and the Orthodox Christian faith of Ethiopia.

We are offering a pre-tour extension to Lalibela to photograph these beautiful churches and their head priests at times of day when shafts of light might capture a silent pilgrim praying or a priest thumbing his ancient Bible. The late-afternoon sun will bathe the clay walls in golden hues, and the walkways will be plunged into ethereal shadowlands.

Lalibela is a magical place to begin your journey in Ethiopia, offering a glimpse into the country’s oldest belief system as you explore the most beautiful ancient churches in Africa.

POST TOUR EXTENSION: The Mountain Churches of Gheralta

Around two hours’ drive from the endpoint town of the Danakil Expedition, Mekelle, lies the dramatic rock escarpment of Gheralta. It pierces the skies over a vast wilderness, lending this mountain a truly otherworldly feel.

Hidden deep in these mountains’ precipitous cliffs are countless ancient cave churches, each adorned with intricately painted murals and housing ancient libraries of Bibles and religious texts. Of these, only around 35 are ‘accessible’ on steep hiking trails worn smooth by a millennium of barefoot pilgrims climbing the mountains to meet the resident priests and honour their saints.

Construction began on these churches in the fifth century, when a nomadic priest named Father Yemata sought isolation from the world by scaling lofty heights and carving these solitary spiritual spaces over the remainder of his life. As word spread of his constructions, more and more fellow aesthetes joined him to create places of worship that are now some of the most secluded and spectacular in all of Ethiopia.

Accommodation and Transport

Accommodation on the expedition (outside Addis Ababa, where we have a comfortable hotel) will be fully supported camping, with generators for refrigerators and battery charging. On the extensions, we will be staying at comfortable tourist-class hotels. Transport will be by four-wheel-drive vehicles for all sections of the tour.

Walking

In most locations, walking distances are short, and walking is relatively easy. At Erta Ale, the hike to the volcano has recently been shortened to only about 40 minutes! It is a relatively easy hike on flat ground, and assistance will be provided to carry our luggage and camp equipment, allowing us to camp closer to the volcano itself.

In Lalibela, the walking is on uneven ground but is mostly easy. In Gheralta, there is hiking involved to reach the cliff churches, but assistance will be provided.

Climate

The Danakil Depression has been classified as one of the hottest places on earth. Our expedition has been timed to take place in the coolest time of year, when temperatures will average between 30 and 40C during the day. Owing to geothermal heat, nighttime temperatures are around 30 °C in some areas (for example, Erta Ale) but much cooler in others.

 

Photographic Highlights

  • Two full nights at Erta Ale to get the best shots of the volcanic crater at dawn and dusk
  • Visits to the nomadic Afar people of the Danakil at home in their villages
  • The stunning rainbow-hued volcanic landscapes of Dallol
  • The sculpted landscapes of Erta Ale and Hamed Ela
  • Join local Afar people as they go out herding their animals
  • A visit to the salt mines of Asale where workers still cut salt by hand
  • Camels carrying salt for the Afar traders on Lake Asale
  • Visit the bustling tribal market at Assaita for street photography of Afar people
  • A chance to photograph one of the rarest animals on earth, the Somali Wild Ass
  • Safaris to visit some of Ethiopia's most treasured wildlife including Beisa Oryx, Arabian Bustard and Somali Ostrich
  • A stopover at the breathtaking Awash Falls with its resident Nile Crocodiles
  • A Pre-tour extension to explore the iconic rock hewn churches of Lalibela
  • A Post-tour extension to visit the ancient cliff churches of Gheralta, some of the oldest churches in Ethiopia

OUTLINE ITINERARY

  • Pre-Tour Extension: The Rock Churches of Lalibela
  • Day 1: Arrival in Addis Ababa and overnight
  • Day 2: Morning flight to Lalibela with rest of the day spent exploring the churches
  • Day 3: A full day of photography inside the Lalibela churches
  • Day 4: After a final morning of photography in Lalibela, fly back to Addis Ababa
  • Main Tour: The Danakil Expedition
  • Day 1: Arrival in Addis Ababa and overnight
  • Day 2: Drive from Addis Ababa to Alledeghe via Awash National Park
  • Day 3: Full day on safari in Awash National Park with a final stop at the spectacular Awash Falls with its resident Nile Crocodiles
  • Day 4: Drive from Alledeghe to Sordo Mile where we will have our first safari searching for Somali Wild Ass
  • Day 5: Morning safari searching for Somali Wild Ass then an afternoon with an Afar people taking village and livestock herding photos
  • Day 6: Full day of photography with Afar people in their villages
  • Day 7: Full morning visit to the bustling tribal market of Afdera and then an afternoon at the salt mines to photograph the workers
  • Day 8: Full day with the Afar visiting them at their villages and salt mines. Late afternoon drive to Erta Ale volcano
  • Day 9: Full day at Erta Ale and the surrounding landscapes with visits to a local Afar village
  • Day 10: Leave Erta Ale early to visit Lake Assal and search for the salt caravans
  • Day 11: Full day in the rainbow coloured landscapes of Dallol
  • Day 12: Final morning of photography at Dallol and with the Afar people before flying from Mekele to Addis Ababa where our expedition will end.
  • Post-Tour Extension: The Mountain Churches of Gheralta
  • Day 1: Drive from Mekele to Gheralta and spend the remainder of the day exploring the churches in Gheralta
  • Day 2: A full day of exploring and photographing the cliff churches of Gheralta
  • Day 3: After a final sunrise at Gheralta, drive back to Mekele and fly to Addis Ababa where our tour will end.

To see a larger map, click on the square-like ‘enlarge’ icon in the upper right of the map box.

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PRICE INFORMATION

Wild Images Inclusions: Our prices include transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

Our tour prices also include all tipping, including tips for local guides, drivers, camp staff, accommodations and local people who are willing to be photographed.

Kindly note that the tour price includes the cost of the internal flights, provided you are flying into Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines. You will need to provide us with your Ethiopian Airlines booking reference. In the event you are not flying into Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines, a supplement of US $200 will apply.

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

 

 

 



2026: £4740, $6500, €5550, AUD9100. Addis Ababa/Addis Ababa.
Rock Churches of Lalibela Extension: £1160, $1600, €1360, AUD2240. Addis Ababa/Addis Ababa.
Mountain Churches of Gheralta Extension: £940, $1300, €1110, AUD1810. Mekele/Addis Ababa.

Single Supplement: 2026: £140, $200, €170, AUD280.
Rock Churches of Lalibela Extension: £90, $130, €110, AUD180.
Mountain Churches of Gheralta Extension: £80, $110, €90, AUD150.

If you are travelling alone, the single supplement will not apply if you are willing to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

ETHIOPIA – DANAKIL DEPRESSION PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION: DETAILED ITINERARY

LALIBELA EXTENSION

Lalibela: Day 1

Arrive in Addis Ababa and stay overnight.

Lalibela: Day 2

We will take an early morning flight from Addis Ababa to Lalibela and spend the rest of the day photographing the rock hewn churches and their wonderful priests or “Abas” (fathers) until sunset

Lalibela: Day 3

A full day exploring light, shadows, and the beauty of Lalibela’s churches

Lalibela: Day 4

After a final morning of photography in Lalibla, fly back to Addis Ababa for the start of the main tour.

THE DANAKIL EXPEDITION

Danakil: Day 1

Our expeditions begins with our arrival in Addis Ababa where we will meet for a welcome dinner.

Danakil: Day 2

Our Danakil photography expedition begins this morning at Addis Ababa. We will leave Addis Ababa for the beautiful nature reserve of Awash.  Situated close to the huge Danakil Depression, its hot and arid landscapes are home to beautiful Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelles, Northern Gerenuks, Sacred (or Hamadryas) Baboons, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse and Arabian and White-bellied Bustards. With just a bit of luck we will see and photograph a Northern Carmine Bee-eater riding along on an Arabian Bustard’s back! One of the ‘Holy Grail’ wildlife images from Northeast Africa.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Alledeghe.

Danakil: Day 3

Today we will be on safari in Awash National Park during the morning and afternoon with a midday break to escape the heat.  Stretching vast expanses of savanna grasslands and featuring some beautiful wildllife, we will explore the landscapes of this beautiful reserve and visit the stunning Awash Falls for photography.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Alledeghe.

Danakil: Day 4

After breakfast, we will leave Awash for Sordo Mile Wild Ass Reserve. Covering 8766 square kilometres, this remote and arid habitat is primarily established to conserve the Critically Endangered African Wild Ass. As the fragile ecosystem is utilized by local pastoralists and their livestock, encountering the wild ass is not an easy task but with persistence we should be successful.

We will also search for other wildlife in the area during our safaris into the reserve. Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Northern Gerenuk and Soemmering’s Gazelle are all found in the reserve and the diverse birdlife includes the huge Arabian Bustard.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Sordo Mile Reserve.

Danakil: Day 5

Today we will be on safari in Sordo Mile Wild Ass reserve during the morning. For the entire afternoon we will be visiting remote communities of the region’s Afar people and will join their herding activities for photography.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Alalobed.

Danakil: Day 6

After packing up camp we will spend a full day visiting traditional Afar people and their homes.  The Afar are more ethnically related to Somalis than Ethiopians, yet the largest population of nomadic Afar people now reside in Ethiopia.  Their huts are often equipped with simple but efficient utensils and tools for everyday life. The Afar tribes are adorned with striking traditional costumes and elaborate hairstyles with Afar men adorning their hair with ash from their fires mixed with animal fats.

Overnight:  Hotel in Ardi

Danakil: Day 7

Today we will be visiting the bustling tribal market for Afar people at Asaita before we venture deep into the Danakil depression to Afdera where we will have the opportunity to swim and bathe in geothermal springs. Lying around 100m below sea level, Lake Afdera is one of the deepest depressions in the world. Finally we will go in search of traditional salt miners on the lake.

Overnight: Supported camp at Afdera

Danakil: Day 8

Today we will rise early to enjoy the stunning sun rise on the picturesque Lake Afdera. We will take a walk on the salt flat and photograph the local Afar people obtaining salt by evaporating the water of the lake. Then, we will drive around three kilometres from Afdera to visit local Afar villages. Returning back to Afdera, we will then proceed onto Erta Ale where we will make a short 40 minute walk to one of Africa’s most active volcanoes. That evening we will enjoy the night watching and photographing the constantly bubbling and exploding lava of Erta Ale’s crater. At the time of writing it is possible to approach the lava within 10-15 meters range.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Erta Ale.

Danakil: Day 9

Full day exploring Erta Ale for photography with a rest in the middle of the day.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Erta Ale.

Danakil: Day 10

This morning we will  trek out of Erta Ale to be at the base camp early. From here we will drive on to the Dallol area to stay two nights at Hammed Ela. Here the dramatic desert landscapes turn into a rainbow of geothermal features softened by the expansive salt flats of Lake Assal.

Overnight: Supported camping at Hammed Ela.

Danakil: Day 11

Today we will spend the full day exploring the Dallol area. At 116 meters below sea level, Dallol is the lowest point in Ethiopia and one of the lowest in Africa. Dallol is home to amazing mineral formations, strange colours, bubbling sulphur/hot springs and much more. We will have also an opportunity to visit Lake Asale where the local Afar men mine salt slabs by hand and load them up on camels for transport to sell.

Overnight:  Supported camping at Hammed Ela.

Danakil: Day 12

We will spend the first part of today photographing places we have enjoyed already in Dallol but would like to return to for more shots.  We will then leave Hammed Ela for Mekele and our flight back to Addis where the expedition will end.

GHERALTA EXTENSION

Gheralta: Day 1

Guests ending the tour with the expedition will be transferred to the airport in Mekele for the flight to Addis Ababa.

Guests on the extension will drive from Mekele to Gheralta (around 2.5 hours) and spend the rest of the day exploring the landscapes and cliff churches of Gheralta.

Gheralta: Day 2

A full day exploring the ancient cliff churches of Gheralta

Gheralta: Day 3

After a final morning at Gheralta we will drive back to Mekele for our flight to Addis Ababa where our tour will end.

Please note: Day use hotel rooms are available at a small extra cost, on request.

Important: While we will endeavour to deliver our entire outlined itinerary, please note that if the situation on the ground changes in terms of security or if we hear of a special tribal celebration, we may need to adjust the itinerary to suit these events.