Is the Danakil Depression the Hottest Place on Earth?

Photo by Jorge Tung on Unsplash

One of the hottest and lowest places on earth, salt flats, a lava lake, and colorful chemical geysers are just some of the things you will see in the Danakil Depression in Northeastern Ethiopia. This unique place, where many natural phenomena come together, is sometimes compared to Mars.

The Danakil Depression is on the list of the top 3 hottest places on earth, and while Death Valley, CA has the highest recorded temperature at 134.5 Fahrenheit (56.7 Celsius), Danakil has the highest average year-round temperature at 94 degrees (34.5 Celsius)!

One of the coolest attractions in the area is an active volcano that you are able to climb and peer over into a bubbling lava lake. The red fire and intense smoke will make you feel like you are on another planet, and it is one of only 6 lava lakes in the world.

The hot springs and chemical reactions in the geysers combine for a colorful and unique landscape. Lower down is the area of the salt flats where each year the tiny amount of rain causes the upper layer of salt to replenish after the natives harvest giant salt chunks to sell in nearby markets. If you’re lucky you can catch a glimpse of the Afar people, who survive in the hottest habitable place on Earth.

View this post on Instagram

White Gold #danikildepression #saltmining #ethiopia

A post shared by ALEX DALLAS (@alex_dallas12) on