With their vast moorlands, extensive heath, virgin woodlands, pristine mountain streams and alpine climate, the Bale Mountains remain an untouched and beautiful world. Rising to a height of more than 4,000 meters, the range borders the southern highlands of Ethiopia. The establishment of the 2,400 square kilometers park was crucial to the survival of the mountain Nyala, Menelik’s bushbuck and Simien red wolf. The Bale Mountains offer some fine high altitude horse and foot trekking, and the streams of the park are well stocked with rainbow and brown trout. The park contains the highest peak in southern Ethiopia, Tullu Deemtu. The centre of the park is the high saneti plateau of 4,000 meters, which is crossed by the highest all- weather road in Africa.
Some time in the distant past, one of the big rivers originating in the Bale Mountains changed its course, going underground and disappearing under a hill. Before coming out at the other end a kilometer on, it had created a network of some 16 km of limestone caverns full of Cathedral like vaults and 20 m. high pillars.
Named after a medieval Moslem leader, Sheik Sof Omar, who apparently used them as a refuge or hermitage, the Sof Omar caves remain an important shrine and a site of pilgrimage for Muslims. Local tradition holds that the Sof Omar cave system extends all the way to Somalia. Sof Omar lies about 100 km east of the Bale mountains National Park.
This part of Ethiopia is called the Danakil Depression, one of the remotest and lowest places in the world. It is a unique land formation within the Great Rift Valley system. Until today, this part of the earth is unstable pulling each other to the opposite side.
Erta Alle is particularly a unique Lave Crater Lake that erupts all the time. Erta Alle is the best place to study geology particularly the volcanic eruption, besides it has a great adventurous value.
Erta Alle means Smoking Mountain according to the local Afar Language. Normally, the caravan is taking of late afternoon and will travel the whole night with some stops. Along the route, while walking at night, one can admire the reflection of the volcanic lave that frequently erupts from the Crater Lake situated on the hill 613 meters high. Without over exaggeration the journey, walking on strange but amusing extensive dry lava feels like walking on the moon.
Dalol is, 100 km from North West of Erta Alle, the lowest part of Danakil Depression, 116 meters below sea level. It is an extremely hottest (with average temperature of 30-50 degree centigrade) and inhospitable but enjoyable place. It is an extraordinary colorful landscape for real adventures. Another wonderful event is the salt extraction from the nearby lake Asale. The local people supply salt to the Tigray dwellers. The only means of transportation in Camels.It is an unforgettable experience to see the hundreds of camels' passing by.
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