Tourist Attractions Stay
The "Randonneurs" package will introduce you to the terrestrial fauna and flora of Djibouti's mountainous areas, with two superb hikes in the Goda Mountains.
You'll discover the towns of Djibouti, Obock and Tadjourah.
You'll be captivated by the colorful rings of Lake Assal, aptly described by writer-adventurer J Kessel.
You'll spend an unforgettable night at Lake Abbé, where you'll enjoy astonishing sunsets and sunrises amidst a lunar landscape of contrasts.
A pirogue ride will take you into the Godoria mangrove north of Ras Bir.
Picnic at Le Goubet opposite the ominous Devil's Island, near the shark pit.
With a simple mask and snorkel, you'll enjoy the marvellous spectacle offered by the underwater flora and fauna at Ras Ali and Khor Ambado.
And you'll have a great chance of encountering the whale shark, between mid-November and the end of January!
Highlights of the trip
During your stay you can enjoy the following highlights: Faune and flora, Discovery, Adventure / Sports & Leisure, Off the beaten track, Nature travel.
Best months to go
The best time(s) to go is/are : Janvier, Février, Mars, Octobre, Novembre, Décembre.
How to get there?
You can get there by Plane, Car.
AFRICORNE TRAVEL
From 1516€ à 2300€ / person
Travel suitable for :
Detail of the stay : Tourist Attractions Stay - 12 days
Djibouti city tour
Visit to the city of Djibouti and the DECAN shelter
Transfer from airport to Africorne Travel accommodation
Africorne Travel will provide you with a comfortable, air-conditioned apartment where you can spend the night and have breakfast prepared according to your wishes. Of course, if you prefer, hotel accommodation can also be booked.
Depending on your arrival time, visit the Arhiba district, Mahmoud Harbi Square (formerly Arthur Rimbaud Square), June 27th Square (formerly Ménélik Square), the shopping street of the cash registers...rue des Mouches
Lunch at a restaurant in the port of Djibouti
Afternoon: visit to the DECAN refuge. This animal park near Djibouti is home to animals from Djibouti and other parts of Africa.
Evening meal: restaurant in Djibouti
Night: Africorne Travel apartment
Day trip to Arta
Steps: Arta
lunch in the shade of a straw hut on Arta beach
Afternoon: Fins, mask and snorkel on the drop-off of Arta beach; the underwater flora and fauna offer us a marvellous spectacle.
Return to Djibouti in the late afternoon
Evening meal: restaurant in Djibouti
Night: Africorne Travel apartment
From Djibouti to the Ras Ali camp via Lake Assal
Steps: Tadjourah
Morning: leaving Djibouti early in the morning, on the way we stop to admire the imposing landscape of the Dimbiya canyon....
A few kilometers further on, another stop at the B. Borrel stele, with a superb panorama of the Goubet.
Then we leave the road to take the "access ramp" to Lake Assal. Located 153 meters below sea level, Lake Assal is one of the saltiest lakes in the world (over 300 grams of salt per liter of water). No living organism can survive in the waters of Lake Assal. We'll be able to take a dip in the lake, as we're taking on board the fresh water we need for showering after bathing; plastic shoes are necessary to avoid injury on the sharp salt crystals.
Lunch: picnic on the beach at Le Goubet, in the shade of a hardstand facing Devil's Island and close to the shark pit visited by Captain Cousteau in his day.
Afternoon: we visit the lava field between Assal and Le Goubet.
Then on to Ras Ali camp.
The Ras Ali camp is located just beyond Tadjourah, at the very edge of the sea, at the end of a 6 km track. The cuisine is excellent and the site is a paradise for snorkeling. You can also go kayaking.
Night and evening meal at Ras Ali camp
From Ras Ali Bay to Ras Bir
Steps: Ras Bir
Morning: Swimming in Ras Ali - the underwater fauna and flora offer a superb spectacle: many varieties of colorful fish and turtles, evolving among the corals
Lunch at Ras Ali camp.
After lunch, departure for Ras Bir camp north of Obock.
In Obock, we visit Governor Lagarde's house, a vestige of the French colonization that began in Obock, and visit the marine cemetery, which contains the graves of French soldiers who died of fever between 1885 and 1889.
Evening meal and overnight at Ras Bir camp on the seafront, less than ten kilometers from Obock
From RAS BIR to DAY
Steps: Forêt Du Day
Morning: after a morning swim, we'll head north to the small fishing village of Godoria for a boat trip in the Godoria mangroves - then we'll visit the Ras Bir lighthouse - don't go too fast, there are over 250 steps to climb before we reach the top.
On the way back to Ras Bir camp, we'll try to see some of the ostriches that live here.
Lunch at Ras Bir camp
Afternoon: drive to the Day camp along the beautiful Randa trail, where we'll see an impressive multi-centenary fig tree.
The Day camp is equipped with straw huts laid out on a nicely terraced area planted with trees. Sanitary facilities are very satisfactory. From here, you can make excursions into the eponymous primary forest or hike to the other campsites in the Goda Mountains, provided you are a good walker. The camp is also the ideal starting point for visiting the Abourma rock engravings.
Evening meal and overnight at the Day camp.
Hike from Day camp to Bankoualé camp
Steps: Bankoualé
Morning: Hike between the 2 camps (approx. 4 hours).
The Bankoualé camp is set in a green hillside setting. It's a charming, pleasantly cool spot, renowned for its mango and papaya gardens.
Rudimentary but effective piping systems from the waterfall ensure the water supply, which is also provided by wells equipped with pumps. These installations are increasingly being destroyed by flooding of the wadi.
The tiny village of Bankoualé, opposite the camp on the other side of the wadi, has just a few houses.
Lunch at Bankoualé camp
In the afternoon, we visit the gardens along the wadi and the village of Ardo, with its school and craft cooperative.
Evening meal and overnight at Bankoualé camp.
RandoFrom Bankoualé camp to Dittilou camp
the morning is devoted to the hike between the 2 campsites, which is a little more "sporty" than the previous day's hike.
The Dittillou camp is made up of around twenty straw huts built on a terraced area. Set amidst lush greenery at an altitude of over 600 m, the place exudes serenity. Sanitary facilities are clean and functional. A colony of green monkeys provides entertainment.
Lunch at Dittilou
Afternoon: a visit to the Dittilou waterfall and a well-deserved rest!
Evening meal and overnight stay: Dittilou camp
Visit to the village of Dougoum
Steps: Monts Goda
Morning: visit to the village of Dougoum, where we can buy an excellent local goat's cheese.
Then lunch on the shady terrace of the Hotel du Golfe de Tadjourah.
On the way back, visit to the lava field
Evening meal at a restaurant in Djibouti
Night: Africorne Travel apartment
On the planet Lac Abbé
Steps: Lac Abbe
Morning: from Djibouti to Dikhil we follow a 120 km asphalt road, the main route taken by Ethiopian truckers from the port of Djibouti to Addis Ababa, to import the goods needed for the country's economy.
We'll cross the semi-desert expanses of the Petit Bara and then the Grand Bara, where we'll see mirages, whirlpools and, with a bit of luck, .... gazelles.
Lunch in a restaurant in Dikhil
Afternoon: after Dikhil, we leave the road to cover 80 km of sometimes sandy tracks. We pass through the villages of As Eyla and Koutabouya. At the end of the route, we may spot some warthogs.
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 sulphurous scents wafting from the numerous fumaroles have given the lake its name. Indeed, Abbé means "rotten"!
The unique scenery of the chimneys, which can reach 50 metres in height, almost makes us forget the presence of the lake, on whose shores pink flamingos can be seen!
Arrival at Lac Abbé camp in the evening, to watch the sunset
Evening meal and overnight at Lac Abbé camp
From Lac Abbé to Djibouti
Steps: Lac Abbe
Morning: Early in the morning, we'll watch the sunrise over the chimneys! Then we'll approach the pink flamingos on the lake shore. We'll also see some boiling water springs.
Then it's back to Djibouti.
Lunch in Arta at Sunny Hill, the country's hotel and catering school!
Arta is a charming locality, "perched" at an altitude of 600 metres, where Djibouti's notables have a second home to take advantage of its mild temperature, which is 4 or 5 degrees lower than in Djibouti.
Arrival in Djibouti in the early afternoon, giving us the opportunity to visit the city: especially the lively areas such as Place Mahamoud Harbi, the departure point for public transport, Place Ménélik, Rue de l'Ethiopie, Rue Commerçante des Caisses... or a visit to the Decan refuge, depending on the day's activities.
Evening meal : Restaurant in Djibouti
Overnight stay: Africorne Travel apartment
Day trip to Moucha Island
Steps: Îles Moucha - Maskali
This coral island at the entrance to the Gulf of Tadjourah is ideal for relaxation and idleness.
We reach it in just 30 minutes by boat.
Snorkelers can make 2 dives for an additional fee.
Lunch will be taken on the island
Return to Djibouti late afternoon
Evening meal: restaurant in Djibouti
Overnight: Africorne Travel apartment
Day trip to Khor Ambado
Steps: Khor Ambado
A day of snorkeling and relaxation
Lunch in a beach hut
You'll need a good 4×4 vehicle to get down to Khor Ambado. Not far from Djibouti, this is an interesting site for snorkeling (east side). A few beachside straw huts provide the shade and food you need for a pleasant day out.
Evening meal at a restaurant in Djibouti. Yemeni fish on the menu; the fish you choose is cut into two slices and placed in a circular oven....
Evening transfer to Djibouti airport