Rise early to soak in the last views of Erta Ale before descending back to Dodom, arriving by around 8:00 AM. After a well-earned breakfast and time to rest, begin your journey to HamedEla, approximately 100 km away. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route beneath the shade of desert palm trees. Arrive in HamedEla by late afternoon, a small desert village with around 500 inhabitants. This area is home to striking salt formations and camel caravans transporting salt across the desert. Cap off the day by watching the sun set over Lake Assale, one of the shallowest and saltiest lakes on Earth.

Begin the day with a drive to Ragad (Asebo), a hub of traditional Afar salt mining. Witness the age-old process of extracting salt from the ground, cutting it into rectangular blocks, and loading it onto camel caravans bound for the highlands. Continue your drive to Dallol, a geothermal marvel known for its bizarre, vividly colored mineral formations and acid pools—some of the most alien-looking landscapes on Earth. Explore the salt canyons, bubbling springs, and the edge of Lake Assale before returning to HamedEla for lunch. Afterward, drive back to Mekelle, concluding your Danakil Depression journey.