PTT 0501 - DENAKIL DEPRESSION AND ERTALE (14 DAYS/13 NIGHTS)

Day 1:
Arrive in Addis Ababa to a warm welcome by PTT staff at the airport, and then
transfer to your hotel. Morning will be free. Afternoon, start your sightseeing tour
of Addis Ababa, starting your tour from the Trinity Cathedral, visit to the
National Museum (archaeological and historical), which has the best collection of
Ethiopian antiquities and archeological discoveries, including the famous oldest
hominid “Lucy”; then drive up to Mt. Entoto, the highest part of the capital, where
you will have a panoramic view over the town of Addis Ababa; a visit to the adjacent
church of St. Mary; a drive down to the biggest open air market in East Africa
called Mercato.
Drive back to the hotel for overnight.

Day 2:
Drive Addis to Kombolcha. On your way, you will visit the weekly market of Senbet, where you will see the Afar, Argoba, Amhara and Oromo people market. Lunch will be served on the way in lunch boxes.
Overnight will be at Tekele Hotel.

Day 3:
Drive to Woldya via Bati Monday Market-lunch will be served in lunch boxes.  Bati Market is a very colorful market of the Afar, Amhara, Oromo and Argoba people- very colorful partly because of the various fascinating hairstyles of the Afar people. Proceed to Asayta for overnight.
Camping at the local hotel.

Day 4:
Drive to Lake Afambo, which is a salt lake. Lunch will be served in lunch boxes. Later in the afternoon, drive back to Asayta for overnight.
Overnight camp at local hotel.

Day 5:
Continue driving towards the Afar people and drive to the town of Semera.Here, you will acquire all necessary permits to visit the Danakil depression, which is only 117m above sea level.
Overnight camp.

Day 6:
Dive from Semenra to Dododm, and on the way visit Lake Afrera, where the Afar people extract salt. Here you may also chance to see a camel caravan. Proceed then to Dododm, from where you will prepare to visit the active volcano Ertale. Lunch will be served on arrival at Dododm.
Overnight camping at Dododm.

Day 7:
Drive to the bottom of Ertale volcano, one of the few active volcanic sites in Africa. Enjoy a night trek and then make an overnight camp.

Day 8:
A day of trekking activities, with meal and water supplies availed by a personal cook. Later on, trek back to Dododm, where you will make an overnight camp.

Day 9:
Drive from Dodom to Bidodom. En route, admire the desert, land of caravans, inhabited by the Afar people. Arrive at Bidodom in the afternoon and make an overnight camp there.

Day 10:
Drive from Bidodom to Ahmed Ale. En route, pass through different Afar villages. Later in the afternoon, arrive at Ahmed Ale.
Overnight near the village.

Day 11:
Drive from Ahmed Ale to Dalol, one of the lowest parts of the world-117m below sea level. Here you will see the camel caravan people around the village and also admire the interesting way of salt extraction. Late in the afternoon, return to Ahmed Ale village.

Day 12:
Drive from Ahmed Ale to Mekele, and visit Workro, Chekos and Abreha Atsebah on your way. Later in the afternoon, arrive at Mekele.
Overnight will be at Hilltop Hotel.

Day 13:
Drive from Lalibela to Kombolcha.
Overnight will be at Tekele Hotel.

Day 14:
Drive from Kombolcha to Addis Ababa, and arrive in Addis Ababa in the afternoon. Overnight will be at a hotel in Addis.