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This trip has been designed for those who, over a short period of time, wish to make an incursion into Ethiopia during their stay in Djibouti. Thus you will appreciate some of the jewels of the Republic of Djibouti, such as the Assal Lake whose beauty is a source of inspiration for poets, the Goubet and its Devil's Island, the Abbé Lake famous for its lunar landscapes and its sunsets and sunrises; You will stay in 2 famous camps of the country, one on the seaside near Tadjourah where you will be amazed by the underwater fauna and flora, the other one in the Goda Mountains well placed in a green setting, which will give you the opportunity to visit gardens and villages around.
You will spend the second part of the trip in the 2 major cities of South-East Ethiopia: the peaceful Diré Dawa with its markets, and Harar where you will stay one night in the heart of the old walled city; you will have the opportunity to visit the elephant sanctuary of Babillé, a site of rock carvings, ... without forgetting the spectacle of the meal of the hyenas at nightfall.
JOUR 1 : arrivée – visite de la ville de Djibouti ou du refuge DECAN
Transfer to Africorne Travel accommodation
Africorne Travel offers you a comfortable air-conditioned apartment to stay overnight, where you can have a breakfast prepared according to your wishes. Of course, if you prefer, hotel accommodation can be booked.
Matin: visite du marché de Ryad et d’Arhiba avec un guide habitant le quartier
Lunch at the restaurant
Après-midi : visite des places du 27 juin (ex place Ménélik), Mahmoud Harbi (ex place Arthur Rimbaud) les « caisses », la rue des Mouches….
En fin d’après-midi, suivant jour et heure d’arrivée, visite du refuge DECAN qui est a wildlife park near Djibouti, where animals from the country and also from other parts of Africa live.
Evening meal in Djibouti
Night in the apartment of Africorne Travel
DAY 2 From Djibouti to Tadjourah via Lake Assal - 230 kms
Morning: departure from Djibouti. About forty kilometres before reaching Lake Assal, we'll stop to admire the breathtaking scenery of the Dimbiya canyon, nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of Djibouti"...
A few kilometres further on, another stop at the stele of B. Borrel, the French magistrate whose partially charred body was found at the bottom of the cliff on the morning of 18 October 1995. The "Borrel affair" soured relations between Djibouti and France for several years.
We then leave the road to take the "slip road" to Lake Assal. Located 153 metres below sea level, Lake Assal is one of the saltiest lakes in the world (over 300 grams of salt per litre of water). This fact, combined with the very high evaporation rate due to the intense heat, explains why salt has been mined here for hundreds of years. No living organism can survive in the waters of Lake Assal. We'll be able to take a dip in the lake, as we'll be taking a shower in fresh water to avoid being turned into a statue of salt (lol); plastic shoes are necessary to avoid injuring ourselves on the sharp salt crystals.
The very high temperatures that prevail in this place do not make it very hospitable, but its legendary beauty, described in particular by the adventurer writer J. Kessel, makes it a site not to be missed.
Lunch: picnic on the beach at Le Goubet in the shade of a hardstand, facing Ile du Diable and close to the shark pit.
Afternoon We will visit the lava field located between Assal and Goubet, where we will observe the rift fault on a few meters; at this place it is only a few centimeters wide. Then we will take the road to Tadjourah.
Arrival in the evening at Ras Ali camp just after crossing Tadjourah.
The Ras Ali camp is located at the very edge of the sea, at the end of a track of about ten kilometres. The sanitary facilities are rudimentary for a European, but very adequate and clean. The food is excellent and the site is a paradise for snorkeling. You can also practice kayaking.
Evening meal and night at Ras Ali camp
DAY 3 From Ras Ali beach to Bankoualé camp - 50 kms
Morning: Swimming, snorkeling, kayaking on Ras Ali beach
Lunch at Ras Ali camp
Afternoon Departure for the Bankoualé camp
The Bankoualé camp is set in a green hillside. It's a charming, pleasantly cool spot, renowned for its gardens on either side of the wadi. A tiny village of a few huts lies opposite the camp on the other side of the wadi. Shortly before Bankoualé is the village of Ardo, with its craft cooperative and school.
On the way, we'll make a diversion to the town of Randa to admire its imposing, centuries-old strangler fig tree.
Dinner and night at the Bankoualé camp
DAY 4 Visit of the surroundings of Bankoualé and return to Djibouti
Morning : excursion dans les jardins de Bankoualé et visite du village d’Ardo, de son école et de sa coopérative artisanale.
Lunch in Bankoualé
Afternoon: Retour à Djibouti
Evening meal at the restaurant in Djibouti
Night in the apartment of Africorne Travel
DAY 5 Visit to the Lac Abbé 'planet' 200 kms
MorningDeparture from Djibouti. As far as Dikhil, we take a 120 km asphalted road, the route taken by Ethiopian truckers from the port of Djibouti to Addis Ababa, to import the goods needed for the country's economy.
We will cross the semi-desert expanses of the Petit Bara and the Grand Bara where we will observe mirages, whirlpools and gazelles with a little luck.
Lunch at the restaurant in Dikhil
Afternoon : After Dikhil, we leave the road to cover 80 km of sometimes sandy tracks. We'll pass through the villages of As Eyla and Koutabouya. Keep an eye out for Pelzen's gazelles and warthogs at the end of the route.
On the border between Ethiopia and Djibouti, Lake Abbé offers a unique panorama. Its limestone chimneys offer a lunar landscape, much sought-after by photographers from all over the world, particularly at sunrise and sunset.
The lake takes its name from the sulphurous scents wafting from the many fumaroles. Abbé means "rotten"!
The unique landscapes of the chimneys, which can reach 50 metres in height, would almost make us forget the presence of the lake, on whose shores pink flamingos can be observed!
Arrive at the Lac Abbé camp in the evening to watch the sunset.
Evening meal and night at the Lac Abbé camp
DAY 6: 1st day at the Neem farm Lac Abbé – Arta- Djibouti – 220 kms
Morning: We'll have to get up very early to watch the sunrise over the chimneys! Then we'll get close to the pink flamingos on the edge of the lake. We'll also see some boiling water springs.
Then we take the way back to Djibouti.
Lunch in Arta at Sunny Hill, which is nothing less than the country's hotel and catering school!
Arta is a charming locality, "perched" at 600 meters above sea level, where the notables of Djibouti have a second home to enjoy its mild temperature, 4 or 5 degrees lower than Djibouti.
AfternoonWe will take the track leading down to the pebble beach for a snorkeling session: a guaranteed wonder!
Evening meal: Restaurant in Djibouti
Night: Africorne Travel apartment
DAY 7 Djibouti to Harar via Dire Dawa - 360 kms
Morning : journey by 4×4 vehicle -
Lunch on the way
Afternoon Stroll in the "new" town of Harar - visit of its brewery
Evening: Hyenas meal show
Evening meal at Fresh Touch in the old town
Night in an amazing traditional inn in the old town
DAY 8 Harar to Dire Dawa via Awaday "world capital" of khat- 45 kms
Morning Visit of the old town of Harar with its colourful houses and alleys, the Arthur Rimbaud centre, a coffee factory and shop - Visit of one of the markets
Lunch at Fresh Touch in Harar
Afternoon Babillé Elephant Sanctuary (32 kms from Harar, Jijiga road)
Drive to Dire Dawa in the late afternoon
Evening meal at African Village
Night Selam Blue Hotel in Dire Dawa
DAY 9 Visit to Dire Dawa and surrounding sites
Morning Visit of the big market of Kafira - visit of the old Ethiopian Railway Company
Lunch at Selam Blue Hotel
Afternoon Visit to the Lega Oda cave with its cave paintings
Evening meal in Dire Dawa at Paradiso restaurant
Night Selam Blue Hotel in Dire Dawa
DAY 10 Return to Djibouti
Morning: Return trip to Djibouti by 4×4 vehicle
Afternoon : visite de la ville de Djibouti: notamment les secteurs animés comme la place Arthur Rimbaud point de départ des transports en commun de la ville, la place Ménélik, la rue de l’Ethiopie, la rue commerçante des Caisses…suivant programme effectué la première journée.
Evening meal in a restaurant in Djibouti
Night at Africorne Travel apartment
DAY 11 Day at the beach de Korambado près de Djibouti (1)
Relaxation day before departure. Snorkeling on the program for this day
Lunch in a straw hut on the beach
A good 4×4 vehicle is needed to go down to Korambado. Not far from Djibouti, the site is interesting for snorkeling (east side). Some "local color" straw huts, installed on the seafront, provide the shade and the meal necessary to spend a very pleasant day.
Evening meal in a restaurant in Djibouti. On the menu Yemeni fish; the fish you choose yourself, is cut into two slices and placed in a circular oven....
(1) La journée à Korambado peut être remplacée par une journée sur l’île Moucha moyennant un supplément – Nos parcours sont entièrement sur-mesure, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour nous faire part de vos souhaits
In the evening transfer to Djibouti airport
Note: unpredictable events can lead us to modify the program (ex: flooded wadi on the way).
For all your trips in Ethiopia or Djibouti, Africorne Travel planned everything. We do discover extraordinary places, mostly authentics, with all inclusives tours, pre planned our fully customized.
Come to discover rich and exotic landscapes, atypical culture and a strong piece of history through our tours.
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