Ethiopia's Dallol, a place where it never rains

Salt gorges make the Afar region of Ethiopia look like a scene straight out of an apocalypse movie. The Danakil Depression lies on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea and is one of the hottest and most inhospitable places on Earth. Temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) have been recorded, and rain never falls here.

Tourists visiting the Dallol sulfur springs, one of the most extraordinary hydrothermal areas in the world, cross kilometers of salt lakes by jeep. Locals prefer to travel by camel. The word "Dallol" was coined by the Afar people and means "dissolution."

The Danakil Depression has a significant deposit of salt ― or "white gold." It's of existential importance to the nomadic Afar people. Early in the morning, they set off with their tools to laboriously beat salt slabs out of the ground in the heat to sell at local markets.

The so-called Dallol Pan is a bizarre phenomenon formed after the Dallol volcano erupted in 1926. It rises about 30 meters (about 100 feet) out of the salt desert. Seismic activity is still present, correlating with the area's many hot springs that fill the bubbling sulfur lakes. The smell of rotten eggs is everywhere.

To reach the surface, the hot water has to penetrate various layers of rock. In the process, it frees sulfur, iron and salt. These substances cause the bizarre formations in shades of yellow, red and white — an impressive display of colors.

In October 2019, scientists published an article in the Nature Ecology & Evolution journal that concluded there is no life in the Dallol salt ponds. Even the most resistant microbes have no chance, as they are not immune to the extremely low pH levels, the high salt content of more than 35% and the heat of over 108 degrees Celsius.

The Erta Ale volcano is also located in the Danakil Depression. This special shield volcano is one of six volcanoes worldwide that have a lava lake in their crater. At a height of 613 meters (2,011 feet), the volcano towers over the depression. Brave tourists can venture up to the crater rim — at their own risk.

If you're looking for the ultimate heat in summer, the Afar region is the ideal destination. With an average annual temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius, it's the hottest place on the planet. Large parts of this region are already 125 meters below sea level.