ASSAL, SALT FLOE

Off to Lake Assal. The asphalt road is very good. From Djibouti-Ville, take the RN1 and RN9 (Route de l'Unité), then the RN10. A sign clearly indicates the direction at the junction of the two roads. The road then climbs towards the lake, dropping from an altitude of 100 m to 60 m. The panorama is superb. The road then descends steeply to reach the pack ice at 157 m below sea level. Stop off before reaching the lake. Visible on the left, just before you reach it, a few dozen metres from the road, you'll see a small cirque at the bottom of which is a pond. The sometimes neon-green color of the water (due to algae growth) is astonishing. This waterhole is fed by a hot spring. In the vicinity, look out for small fumes rising from the ground or above the water (early in the morning). In places, the water is 90°C!

A crater lake below sea level. So here you are, 157 m below sea level, at the lowest point on the African continent (and the third lowest in the world). By way of comparison with other points "under the sea" around the globe, the Dead Sea lies at -395 m, Lake Assal (Afar Depression on the Ethiopian side) at -90 m, the Caspian Sea at -28 m, the Salton Sea (Southern California) at -72 m, Lake Eyre (South Australia) at -16 m. The lake's depth is estimated at 20 m. Assal was once a much larger lake, linked to the Allols salt depressions to the northwest and the Gaggadé plain to the south. This vast brine reservoir was once linked to the Gulf of Tadjourah, 6 km away. Today, it is supplied with seawater through a natural tunnel created by the famous fault that begins nearby. This seawater supply compensates for the intense evaporation caused by the heat.

Exacerbated salinity. Thanks to the high evaporation rate, the water here has an average salt concentration of 34.8%, around ten times higher than that of the Red Sea. It deposits its excess sodium on the western shore of the lake, forming an ice pack. The thickness of the salt layer is said to reach 60 m in places. And it is estimated that six million new tonnes of salt are created every year! The salt resource seems inexhaustible, and trade with Ethiopia is flourishing (by truck or caravan). But there's a downside: this salt cannot be consumed as is in large quantities. It is not iodized enough, so it has to be treated (which is quite expensive) before it can be used.

The salt floe. Bright white, it contrasts with the surrounding yellow sand, the various shades of blue of the lake, the dark mountains and the black volcanic rock. The most visible peak is Doghtoleh Amo at 1,028 m. From the parking lot and the stalls of the (sometimes insistent) sellers of souvenirs frozen in salt, you can step onto this strange white ground and get close to the water. As you walk along the ice floe, your gaze naturally wanders to the north-west, where it stretches for miles. It's a strange sensation; you don't really know what you're stepping on. It's both wet and solid. The expanse of salt and gypsum is blindingly white. It quickly becomes a blur. Yet we haven't changed planets, or even countries. We almost wish you'd never seen a photo of this place before, to preserve the surprise.

At the water's edge, we detail the salt formations, the islets, which here more than anywhere else are reminiscent of drifting icebergs. If you look closely, the shoreline is nothing more than a mass of pebbles, branches, twigs, insects (sometimes large locusts) caught in the salt.
If you plan to return to this same spot in a few days or weeks, you can try a test. Place an object, any object, in salt water. When you return, it will be covered with a more or less thick film of salt, reminiscent of sugar icing on a cake. In fact, this is what the local vendors do, dipping goat skulls into the waters of the lake (see stalls). This inexhaustible deposit of salt is, of course, exploited. In fact, it's the country's only exploited natural resource. Chinese investment has even revived the salt economy in recent years, with the construction of an extraction plant and a new port at Le Goubet, specializing in salt exports. The famous "salt caravan", so often described in travel literature, has become a rarity.

The salt caravan, a rare sight. The salt of Lake Assal has been exploited for centuries by the Afar nomads. Since the "discovery" of this activity by Europeans, the caravan has fascinated travellers, inspired writers and photographers, and attracted adventurers. With the development of other means of transport and industrial exploitation, salt caravans are rarely seen today. But who knows, with a bit of luck, a visit to Lake Assal might enable you to see these salt workers at work, at daybreak. Their black, sweaty skins and colorful T-shirts and turbans stand out against the white of the salt and the blue of the sky. Under the sweltering sun, they harvest a thin crust of salt, which is then reduced to small pieces, before being transported in 25-kilo bags by camels (6 bags per animal). The harvested salt regenerates... in just three days. Whatever the weather, the hundred or so dromedaries and the men then set off on a journey along tracks through the Afar triangle, the Danakil desert, one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. The final destinations are either the Ethiopian mountains or Tadjourah, the port of Djibouti. If you're going to Ethiopia, you might like to visit Mékélé, the capital of Tigray (in Ethiopia) and also the capital of salt. It lies at 2,060 m, an ascent of over 2,200 m. To get there, the region's salt caravans, those coming from Lake Assal (90 m below sea level), walk for several days in temperatures sometimes reaching 50 to 52°C. At their destination, the caravaneers of the Afar triangle exchange salt for cloth, grain, various objects and tobacco. Perhaps you'll witness the arrival of a caravan... There are no set days. Today, however, the beautiful salt caravans have been replaced by more profitable road transport.

Important tip! With the reverberation, the salt floe can be dazzling during the day and prevent you from fully enjoying the diversity of colors. That's why we strongly advise you to come in the early morning or late afternoon, to take advantage of the bright light. Good sunglasses (polarized is even better!) and a hat are not a luxury. And don't forget something to quench your thirst. Remember, this is one of the hottest places on the planet.

Swimming not recommended. A priori, there's nothing to prevent you from taking a dip in Lake Assal, just as you would in the Dead Sea - you know, those famous photos of bathers reading their newspapers while floating effortlessly. But it's highly inadvisable to do so here. It's absolutely essential to rinse off thoroughly with fresh water after bathing in this type of salt-saturated water. And there are no facilities for this. So unless you've got enough fresh water on board for the obligatory shower, you'd better refrain. Plastic shoes are also necessary to avoid injury on the salt crystals.

Transport and accommodation. The N1 road from Djibouti-City is very good. You will then take the RN9 (route de l'Unité), then the RN10. A sign clearly indicates the direction at the junction of the two roads. There is no public transport. And you can only get there with your own vehicle or that of an agency. There are currently no campsites near Lake Assal. The nearest are in Goubet. Tadjourah is a 2-hour drive away.