danakil salt mines

The Danakil Desert lies in the Afar Triangle. It extends into the north-east of Ethiopia, the south of Eritrea and north-west of Djibouti. It is the homeland of the Afar people who are known for their ability to withstand the extremes and survive as they have done for hundreds of years. It is known for its extreme heat and in hospitability. The deepest point in the desert lies up to 100 m below sea level in the Danakil Depression. The Danakil Desert's main industry is salt mining that is still cut by hand and loaded onto camels for transport and it is not uncommon to see caravans of camels making the slow journey through the desert. It is also home to wildlife, including African Wild Asses.

In der Danakil-Wüste in Äthiopien gewinnen die Afar-Nomaden Salz aus dem ausgetrockneten Teil des Assale-Sees. Die Arbeitsbedingungen sind nicht gerade einfach. Im Sommer kann die Temperatur in der Afar-Senke bis auf erbarmungslose 50 Grad Celsius steigen. Die aus der dicken Salzkruste geschlagenen und danach nochmals zurecht gehauenen Blöcke werden per Kamelkarawane ins äthiopische Hochland transportiert. Ein beschwerlicher Weg - ungefähr eine Woche dauert so eine Tour.

Photos: Stephan Gladieu; Getty Images Tom Pfeiffer