Erta Ale & The Danakil Depression

I have visited only a couple of volcanoes up-close (mainly in Indonesia), and none of it with any visible lava activity. So I was pretty excited when I finally came face-to-face with a lava lake in the crater of a volcano!

There are not many volcanoes out there with an active lava lake, and Erta Ale in northern Ethiopia is one of them. However, reaching it is an endeavour not to be taken lightly. Erta Ale lies in a region known as the Danakil Depression - a geographical depression and one of the lowest places/land in the world (-125m). It is also one of the hottest places in the world with temperatures reportedly soaring above 50 degrees Celsius, and with almost no rain year-round. Needless to say, this harsh and inhospitable land poses a logistic challenge to anyone who wants to go there.

Afar nomads in the harsh environment

Drought-stricken land

In order to visit the volcano, permits, military escorts and local politics add to the complexity. The Afar region, as it is also known, with its proximity to Eritnea and Djibouti, is pretty lawless and so a permit and four military personnel are required for a visit. Two local policemen were also deemed necessary for company, and of course, a special local Afar guide. And then it's hours of bumpy and dusty jeep ride in 40-ish degree or more temperatures (we went in Oct). While our jeeps have air-conditioning, oftentimes our driver had to switch it off intermittently for fear of engine overheat and/or to conserve power to maneuver over harsh terrain etc.

Finally, our jeep could only bring us to a El Dom, a village "base-camp" of sorts, close to Erta Ale itself. Led by the Afar guide and the militia, a 3-4 hour hike in darkness over jagged rugged volcanic terrain would then bring us up to near the crater to see the lava lake. The hike should only be attempted after the sun set, as otherwise, the heat would probably suck our bodies dry!

But brave through all of the above, and you would be rewarded with one of the most surreal and mesmerizing nature displays on earth....!

Heading towards the glowing crater mouth

Lava Burst

Photographing the lava lake!

Flowing Inferno

Pardon the poor timelapse video, which was done using an old GoPro2

The hardship is not over yet! A short nap in some ramshackle huts close to the crater allowed us some rest and before sunrise, we had to head back to El Dom. This time though, the brightening sky made the going easier. Otherwise, we certainly wouldn't want to be caught in the heat when the sun rose too high!

One of our soldier guide resting on the volcanic terrain

If it's not evident already, visiting Erta Ale is certainly quite costly. Most trips start from the city of Mekele, and typically would include another highlight of the Danakil Depression - the sulphur springs and salt mines of Dallol which I would cover in the next blog post. So, watch out for it!

Kawah Ijen, East Java Indonesia

Volcano visiting in Indonesia is definitely one of the must-do's given that there are so many volcanoes in the country. One of the more interesting ones to visit is Kawah Ijen in East Java.

Kawah Ijen is an active volcano and it's crater holds the world's largest acid lake. The crater lake is quite a sight to behold with its mesmerizing turquoise colour. But its beauty belies the danger surrounding it. The water in the lake was measured to have a pH value of 0.5!! So it's literally really acid! And at the edge of the crater, a vent throws forth volumes of noxious fumes and volcanic gasses. And it's here that an active sulphur mine operates.

Visiting the crater lake entails close to 2 hours hike up, but half-way through the journey, one would have encountered the sulphur miners already. These miners literally carry blocks of sulphur weighing 75-90kg on their shoulders, and make their journey from the crater edge down to the volcano base. The sulphur fumes that they had to endure further aggravates the situation, and to make matters more miserable, they are paid pittance. It was an eye-opener (and heart-wrenching one) watching these miners working amidst the harsh and surreal environment.

For the adventurous, one could start the journey to the crater and sulphur mine at 1+am, and you would be rewarded with views of the 'blue flame'. Essentially, the molten sulphur in the mine burns with a beautiful blue flame, and it would really been quite a sight. After that, a hike to a viewpoint for sunrise completes the adventure. I did not take up this option as I arrived at 11pm after a 9+hr ride from Surabaya and was pretty tired. Do note that it is actually quite dangerous as the descent into the mine is quite steep, and even with torches, once the sulphur fumes obscure your sight, you are pretty much helpless!

Accommodation options near Kawah Ijen is limited though. The nearest village of Sempol has a Arabica Homestay which was popularly used by many agencies but reviews were pretty bad, and the room we had was indeed not particularly clean. The other options would be in Bondowoso, which is abit further away.

There are many agencies in Surabaya who can arrange the trip (together with Mt Bromo) and I think it's one of the more interesting volcano trip I had! For Singaporeans, it makes a great long weekend trip, especially with so many cheap flights to Surabaya. Check it out!

Mt Bromo, East Java Indonesia

Mt Bromo, one of the top travel destinations in East Java Indonesia, is an active volcano situated in a surreal but spectacular massive caldera. While very busy with tourists, almost to the point of being a put-off at the sunrise viewpoints, it is definitely still worth a visit.

The case in point is that from night till sunrise, tourist jeeps are already plying the Sea of Sand - the name given to the flat ashy ground of the Tengger caldera where Mt Bromo is. Some head towards the Mt Bromo crater itself, while most others, towards Mt Pananjakan, where "Viewpoint 1", the most popular sunrise viewpoint stands.

Light trails of the jeeps heading towards the smoking Bromo crater and Mt Pananjakan

The view from Cemoro Lawang, the access town on the edge of the Tengger caldera is already quite something, but from the higher viewpoint at Mt Pananjakan, it is even more spectacular. And hence, even when we set off at 3.30am, we were almost deprived of viewing space at the viewpoint. With the number of people increasing as the hours go by, and with locals and tourists alike smoking while waiting, it is perhaps not the best of my "sunrise moments". But all is forgotten when the light touches the volcanos! Not to forget too, the light on the mists, as well as the views of the town of Cemoro Lawang itself!

Beautiful morning light on the volcanoes and the swirling mists

Cemoro Lawang on the edge of the caldera, as morning mists float within

After the sunrise viewing, most would then proceed to the Bromo crater itself, to peek into the smoking crevice. For first-timers to a volcano, it is indeed an interesting experience, sans the crowds of course.

The line of tourists going up to the crater of Mt Bromo

However, for those who have an extra day, the areas around Cemoro Lawang is worth a walk. The contrast of the barren caldera and the lush green around Cemoro Lawang is stark and definitely yields different photographic opportunities. Moreover, it seems that many of the locals have their own viewpoint for sunrise, just behind the famous Lava View Lodge! And if you are lucky, perhaps you could also catch a 'Glory' cast onto the mists on the Sea of Sand. I had just blogged about seeing one on a flight in my previous post, and then, I managed to see yet another one! And the best part is, you can actually enjoy the sunrise with alot more space!

Lush green around Cemoro Lawang, a stark contrast to the caldera

Morning light on Mt Bromo and Mr Batok, as well as a 'glory' on the mists

For Singaporeans or those in Singapore, there are quite a few lowcost airlines flying to Yogyakarta and Surabaya, the common access cities to Bromo, at really low prices. On Jetstar Asia, it could go as low as us$80 for a return flight!! And there's plenty of agencies in these cities to arrange for a weekender the trip. So, check it out!

Mount Batur, Bali

It was again, one of those unplanned things. While I could be lazing at one of the beaches in Bali before my flight home, I decided, instead, to do something more active. And so, I decided to summit a volcano.



Mount Batur is an active volcano in Bali, and is one of the easiest ones to climb. It's last eruption was in 1804, and while active, you won't be seeing any red flowing lava :). We were picked up at our villa in Ubud at 3am, and the journey to the start of the trek takes about 1 hour. When we arrive, there were already several groups preparing to set off. The air is cool and slightly chilly, which is really great for the trek. The initial part was a really nice walk, until the actual ascent. While the slope is gradual, the ground is covered with many small rocks which makes it easy to slide and slip. However, slow and steady, we eventually reach the summit.



At 6am, the sky has already brightened but it was really misty. While waiting for the sun is rise above Mount Agung, there is a concrete shelter built up there where food and drinks can be bought. Once the sun burst out of the mountain range, our guide brought us around to show us some steaming fissures and caverns, although I had a hard time trying to understand his English. The descent started at 7-ish through the same ascent route, and before 9am, we were back to our transport, ready to go back to Ubud. Afterwhich, a bath, some sleep, before catching my afternoon flight back to Singapore......