The lowest volcano in the world. Volcano Dallol. Ethiopia. Strange volcano and lava of incredible colors

Dallol Volcano- volcanic crater Danakil fault, northeast of Eartha Al Range in. The volcano and the area around it seemed to have come out of the paintings of artists who imagined what Mars or Jupiter might look like.

The Dallol volcano, reminiscent of the planet Jupiter with its unearthly beauty of landscapes, is located in the Afar Valley. It is located 130 meters below sea level. Danakil is the most inhospitable and most hostile desert on the planet, where the soil is literally torn apart by the shaking of the earth's crust.

One of the smallest and strangest volcanoes, Dallol, is located near a huge salt lake. Lake Karum is located at an altitude of 120 meters, in some places the thickness of the salt layer reaches 1000 and even 2000 meters. But at night, Afar nomads mine salt in Karum; here, even at night, the temperature reaches 52 C. The Dallol volcano is located in the very middle of this salty desert.

Volcano Dallol It is considered the lowest volcano in the world, since its mouth is located at 45 meters below sea level. Secondly, in an ancient manuscript called the “Book of Enoch” this territory is described as a hellish abyss that will soon break into our world and swallow it up. The records contain many references to the end of the world, and the apocalypse will begin precisely with the opening of the gates to the hellish abyss, that is, from the moment of the volcanic eruption.

Most likely, the gate refers to the crater of the volcano. However, since the writing of the Book of Enoch, Dallol has erupted several times, and its last awakening dates back to 1926. However, this eruption was rather weak, so all these prophecies about the end of the world can be attributed to the superstition of ancient people. At the moment, the volcano has “fallen asleep”, and there is no activity in its crater.

The volcano has a small, gentle cone. Dallol rose thanks to volcanic pressure, it was broken by tectonic shifts, washed away by rains, and blown by the wind. Dallol is a landscape that is constantly forming and in motion. Dallol is an oval dome 2 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, its height is 41 meters. The top of the crater is located at an altitude of less than 83 meters, this is a completely atypical volcano. It is believed that it was formed as a result of the explosion of a magma pocket located at a very shallow depth. The only thing that Dallol has in common with other volcanoes is active craters.

In the vicinity of the volcano, salt crystallizes, amazingly beautiful acidic puddles splash, the beautiful green color of which is given by the acid. Entire acid lakes can appear and disappear here. Multi-colored puddles are water that has oxidized when interacting with magmatic gases.

In July and August, rainwater seeps deeper through cracks in the surface. Penetrating into the depths, it absorbs all the minerals through which it passes and which give it color.

After 4,000 meters it meets magma, boils and oxidizes, and then it comes to the surface in the form of hot thermal springs that penetrate through the salt layers, crystallizes and hardens.

Dallol is a salt dome erected by the power of a volcano. The rocks that appeared in the Dallol Desert are the result of chemical interaction with water. Although Dallol does not look like a volcano, it is a real active volcano. Its last eruption was hidden by geothermal activity, as a result of which deposits of calcareous tuff formed everywhere, gradually hiding the crater underneath. This is a zone of tension, the local terrain is constantly changing, there are many cracks and faults, and every time water gets into these cracks and rises again, it chooses the easiest path, and when new cracks open in other places, it runs along them.

Such an unearthly landscape cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Dallol has been little studied, it is impossible to stay here for a long time, sweat turns into acid that corrodes the skin and eyes. It is impossible to breathe air saturated with acidic vapors; it stings your nose and lips, and all this in heat up to +58 C in the shade.

Dallol means to dissolve, a very appropriate name for such an unusual place. It is very difficult to stay here for a long time - harmful gases contained in the air, incredible heat, too dry climate, frequent earthquakes and tectonic movements. Gases and concentrated acid come out of the fumaroles. Where the zone is in the drying stage, the acid, increasingly concentrated, flows over a layer of crystallized salts, the air is also increasingly saturated with acidic fumes, and as the heat increases, all the colorful puddles dry up. As long as there is water in the depths, Dallol is also active, when all the rainwater that falls on the mountain plateau evaporates, the whole process will stop.

Dallol is an incredible result of the interaction of water and volcanism. The magma is located at a depth of 3000 meters and the thermal flow is very powerful. The temperature of the acid on the surface reaches 50 - 60 degrees, this is a very aggressive environment.

The eastern border of the volcano has no activity, faults or gases, which makes Dallol even more mysterious. This area is riddled with canyons radiating in all directions. The white coating, consisting of anhydrite, protected the thick layer underneath from erosion. Rainwater washes away the salt, leaving only the areas directly covered by this coating.

The volcano is located in Afar region, 1 day's journey from Mekele and 2 days from the main road Addis Ababa-Djibouti. Travelers who are lucky enough to visit Erta Ale consider the Dallol volcano to be one of the most unusual places on the planet.

Volcano- this is a geological formation, a place where magma comes to the surface. The release of magma is accompanied by the formation of lava, volcanic gases and pyroclastic flows. Separate sciences are responsible for the study of volcanoes - geomorphology and volcanology. Volcanoes are usually classified by type of construction, shape, method of eruption, and other characteristics. But today we will not talk about a simple volcano...

Today we want to tell you about the unusual volcano Dallol which is located in the desert Danakil in the north Ethiopia.

Coordinates:14.241667, 40.300000

Danakil Desert known not only for its famous volcano, but also for its world record temperature. Average annual temperatures for the period 1960 - 1964 are here did not fall below 34 degrees Celsius . Recorded maximum so far remains unbeaten temperature record.

But tourists are attracted not by the hot climate, but by the local attraction - amazing volcano Dallol, which is located at 48 meters below sea level. The volcano is named after a small village of the same name located nearby.

So to whom or what does the Dallol volcano owe its uniqueness and variety of colors?

The answer is simple - of course, chemistry.

Complex chemical processes, occurring underground, release geothermal water, which is a complex mixture of many chemical elements, onto the surface of the Dallol volcano. The main “dyes” here are ions of potassium salts, iron, manganese and sulfur.

Ions of salts and other chemical elements, once on the surface of the earth crystallize, and then completely freeze. This results in the volcano being covered with many rock formations, often not exceeding 40 meters in height.

Additional “cosmic character” of Dallol is provided by endless gas emissions, creating many fumarole (alluviums of thin layers of salts).

Last eruption of Dallol volcano was recorded back in 1926. It was accompanied by a large explosion, which resulted in the appearance of a poisonous lake of purple-yellow color. The deceptive shine of the water attracts the inhabitants of the Danakil desert, for whom the vapors of the acidic liquid can be fatal.

To ensure the excursion ends successfully safety precautions must be followed: use special closed shoes with thick soles, use special thick clothing, avoid getting fumes into the respiratory tract, avoid getting “colored water” on the skin.

From year to year, the surface of potassium formations around the crater increases by several thousand tons, which makes it possible extract salts in large quantities.

Once there was even a railway along which British businessmen, using Chinese workers, planned to transport all their products to the sea, from where they could be transported to another continent.

But local residents were not happy with this option, and they made every effort to ensure that their landmark remained untouched. The workers were expelled, and businessmen left the volcano territory forever.

Today you can meet only a few representatives of the people here afar, who are still searching for salt crystals, which they then cut into plates and deliver by camel to the nearest city Mekele for the purpose of sale. This allows them to earn at least some money to feed their family and keep livestock.

By the way, Dallol is one of the poorest settlements in all of Ethiopia.

Local residents believe in the legend that the local Dallol volcano- this is the so-called “gate to hell”. That is why they are trying to protect it from outsiders.

Landscapes Dallol volcano perfect for travel and new experiences, and will also serve as a source for bright and unforgettable photographs!

Dallol Volcano video (Ethiopia, Danakil Desert)

One of the most mysterious and little-explored corners of our planet is the Dallol volcano, which is located in the middle of the desert in Ethiopia. The area around the volcano is considered uninhabited due to harsh natural conditions, but in fact there is one human settlement not far from the volcano...

At the beginning of the last century, a small settlement appeared in the basin called Afar. Over the years, the settlement grew to the size of a small town, whose inhabitants were mainly ordinary workers who mined potash ore in the Dallol volcano.

The area around the volcano is considered one of the hottest places on earth. The average temperature is 34 degrees, while in summer the thermometer rarely drops below 40 degrees! These are the conditions in which people had to work...
However, in the middle of the last century, the mining of potash ore was suspended, and the city gradually fell into disrepair. At the moment, you can only get to this forgotten town using caravan routes...

There are many versions of why the mine was abandoned. If you believe the official version, production was stopped due to an incredibly aggressive environment in which even the latest equipment quickly broke down, and people who inhaled toxic gases became seriously ill.

It would seem to be a completely true story, if not for one thing: people still live not far from Dallol! The local nomadic Tribes tribe not only manage to survive in conditions of constant heat and supposedly toxic emissions from the volcano, but according to eyewitnesses they also look quite healthy! In addition, people from the tribes tribe are very fond of the lands around the volcano and are trying in every possible way to interfere with all research carried out near the volcano.

So what is so remarkable about this area and the Dallol volcano itself?! Firstly, the Dallol volcano is considered the lowest volcano in the world, since its mouth is located at 45 meters below sea level. Secondly, in an ancient manuscript called the “Book of Enoch” this territory is described as a hellish abyss that will soon break into our world and swallow it up. The records contain many references to the end of the world, and the apocalypse will begin precisely with the opening of the gates to the hellish abyss, that is, from the moment of the volcanic eruption.

Most likely, the gate refers to the crater of the volcano. However, since the writing of the Book of Enoch, Dallol has erupted several times, and its last awakening dates back to 1926. However, this eruption was rather weak, so all these prophecies about the end of the world can be attributed to the superstition of ancient people. At the moment, the volcano has “fallen asleep”, and there is no activity in its crater...

The area around the volcano itself looks very unusual. Given the intense heat and amazing landscape, the traveler may feel like he is on another planet! The local hills and rocks are all yellow, green and red. The area received this color due to salts that are washed out of the volcano and, once on the surface, instantly crystallize. In the southwestern part of Dallol there are beautiful salt canyons that were formed due to erosion.

One of the hottest places on Earth is Dallol, Ethiopia, 48 meters below sea level. A mysterious, unreal landscape, similar to the atmosphere of Io, the satellite of Jupiter, mineral springs, plains of mineral salts, and the mouth of a volcano. According to legend, this is the legendary gate to Hell, at least that’s what the local population, the tribal people, believe. They guard the secrets of the mysterious volcano, preventing outsiders from exploring the volcano from the very beginning. Actually, nature itself is also in no hurry to reveal the truth about Dallol to people. Winding roads, stunning heat, a volcano whose origin is unknown - for lovers of secrets and extreme travel - this is one of the best places on Earth, untouched by civilization.

It cannot be said that Dallol is a place for family travel, but risky singles and courageous travelers can still recommend this corner of Northern Ethiopia. You can only feel like a fearless explorer of land there, in the heart of the African desert.

You can only see and feel the harsh land of heat and sand in person. Let me, future traveler, tell you about what awaits you at the Dallol crater?

First of all, forget about civilization. It’s not here, there’s only Africa, the heat, and your own strengths and abilities.

Secondly, don’t forget, the tribes are a warlike tribe that does not like strangers. And it is armed, as befits a tribe, with daggers. Oh, yes, adult members of the tribe may well be armed with Kalashnikovs.

Thirdly, this volcano is a desert area with abandoned mines, volcanoes, a real hellish abyss, stretching for many kilometers around.

But not everything is so scary, at least the lowest volcano in the world is not yet about to wake up. And the locals are not as bloodthirsty as they might seem at first glance. Knowing the features of this unique place, the pearl of Ethiopia, armed with information and patience, thrill-seekers can definitely recommend this region, which has not known civilization. If only because Dallol to this day is the most beautiful and mysterious place on Earth.

If you, a brave traveler, can fall in love with this region, it will answer you with such selfless reciprocity that after leaving it, you will return here again and again. After all, where else on the planet can you see springs of clean water through the desert, and when making your way through the sands you will find tasty, chemical-free food? Where else can you touch the history of a people who are shrouded in the same legends? What secrets does impregnable, sultry Ethiopia keep? If you just think about it, having found a common language with the inhabitants of this region, you can become the one who will reveal the long-standing secrets of Dallol - after all, the crater of the volcano was formed more than 900 million years ago, and the answer to its origin is still not known.

• Location: eastern Ethiopia, Danakil depression
• Height:-48 m
• Crater diameter: 1450 m
• Last major eruption: 1926
• Average annual temperature:+34 °С

Volcano formation

The Dallol volcano is located in Ethiopia, in its northeastern part, and is considered one of the most interesting places in the world. Its unearthly landscapes have been compared to the landscapes of Io, the first and most active satellite of Jupiter. Solidified lava, bizarre salt pillars and sulfur lakes of different colors create a unique view of the Dallol crater.

Volcano formation

Scientists believe that this mountain is more than 900 million years old, while the very process of its emergence in the depression is still a mystery. One of the versions suggests an internal eruption, when magma came out under the volcano itself, collapsing its walls, which created such an original shape of a crater with a high area neck.

Ethiopian Dallol today

The last major eruption was recorded in 1926, but even now the volcano does not sleep, continuing its active activity. It raises mineral salts to the surface of the crater lake:

• potash;
• iron;
• manganese.

They color the salt deposits in reddish, yellow, greenish colors, creating amazing rainbow landscapes that can be seen in all the photos of the Dallol volcano.

The salt itself, crystallizing on the surface, often forms pillars of varying heights from 20 cm to several meters, which creates an inimitable architectural ensemble inside the crater.

Another local feature can be found in inland lakes - these are salt formations of a special shape, most reminiscent of bird eggs with a thin shell.

Salt mining in Dallol

Previously, on the slopes there was a settlement of the same name, from which all the people eventually left. Now the territory of the Dallol volcano is uninhabited; only salt deposits are being mined here, which are constantly renewed. On the mountain closest to Black Mountain, about 1000 tons of salt are mined annually, which is subsequently processed and used in the food industry. Local residents working in the salt mines cut it into large slabs, which are sent to factories in Mekele.

Hellish abyss

There is an opinion that the crater of the Dallol volcano is the gates of Hell, described back in the 1st century. BC e. Enoch of Ethiopia in his book. It talks about the upcoming end of the world, which will begin when the gates open and the whole world is consumed by the fire that comes out of them. He also mentions a tribe guarding the entrance to hell, which is characterized by harsh morals, which is very reminiscent of the Tribes who once lived here. The exact coordinates are not indicated in the book, but many scientists and researchers believe that Dallol fits all descriptions of the place where the future Apocalypse began.

How to get to Dallol Volcano in Ethiopia?

The volcano is located in the most remote part of the north, in Afar, where there are no roads or other signs of civilization. The only route here from the nearest town of Mekele is the caravan route along which the salt mined in the region is delivered by camels. It will take a whole day to travel on “ships of the desert” to the volcano.

Travelers to get to Dallol often choose full excursion programs in the north of the country, which start from the capital of Ethiopia. Depending on the program, tours take from 1 to 2 weeks. They include, in addition to the volcano, a visit to the Danakil desert, the Afrera salt lake, the houses of local residents belonging to the Afar tribe, and many others. etc. Such tours are convenient in that they fully provide travelers with everything they need, including accommodation and means of transportation, as well as security, supplies of water and food for the entire duration of the tour. The trip takes place on powerful SUVs that are not afraid of sand. The average tour price is $4200.