Hamed Ela (also written Ahmed Ela) is a small Afar settlement at the edge of the salt plain and the practical base for the northern Danakil. Most tours that combine Erta Ale with Dallol and the Asale salt flats spend a night here, in simple compounds of wooden and stone shelters, with beds set up outside under the stars.
There is not much to “see” in the village itself, but it gives you a glimpse of everyday Afar life in one of the harshest environments on the planet — and it puts you close enough to Dallol to arrive at dawn, before the heat.
Top things to do at Hamed Ela
Sleep under the stars
Most groups sleep on traditional beds (a wooden frame with woven cords) in the open air. The night is warm and the sky is enormous.
Watch the caravans come in
In the salt season, caravans and workers pass through on the way to and from the flats.
Start early for Dallol
Hamed Ela is the launching point for the dawn visit to Dallol and the salt canyons.
How to get to Hamed Ela
- Reached by 4x4 from Mekele via Berhale — about a day’s drive including stops.
- Tours coming from Erta Ale drive across the plain to Hamed Ela, usually on the second or third day.
- Only accessible as part of a licensed tour with escorts.
Insider tips
- Facilities are very basic: shared toilets and little or no running water.
- Bring wet wipes, a head torch and earplugs.
- Ask before photographing people and homes.
Best tours that include Hamed Ela
These licensed expeditions are the practical way to reach Hamed Ela — transport, permits, Afar escorts and meals are all arranged for you:
3-day expedition from €396 Mekele: 3-Day Danakil Depression Tour & Volcano
A straightforward three-day circuit from Mekele, the traditional starting point for the Danakil. You drive down from the highlands to the salt plain, cross the lava fields to the volcano, walk up to the rim for the night and finish at Dallol before climbing back to Mekele.
- Round trip from Mekele with 4x4 transport
- Sunset, night and dawn at the Erta Ale caldera
- Dallol hydrothermal field and the salt caravans
3-day expedition from €402 Semera: Dallol & Danakil Depression Volcano Expedition
A three-day expedition from Semera that visits the sulphur springs of Dallol, the salt flats and the Erta Ale volcano, through one of the hottest inhabited places on the planet.
- Dallol’s vivid sulphur springs
- The vast salt flats
- Erta Ale volcano
3-day camping from €308 3 Days Desert Adventure: Discover Danakil’s Hidden Wonders
The best-rated budget option on the list: three days from Semera with a night camping at the volcano, the salt flats and Dallol’s sulphur springs. Group sizes and vehicles vary, so read the latest reviews before booking.
- Camping beneath the stars at Erta Ale
- Salt flats and sulphur springs
- Strong reviews at a lower price
