EXPEDITION ETHIOPIA | JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2028
From river to lava lake
On foot along the Awash through the Great Rift Valley, to the salt flats of the Danakil and the rim of an active volcano.
The story of this expedition
You fly from Brussels to Addis Ababa. After the final gear check we drive east, away from the highlands, to the bank of the Awash. From that moment the real adventure begins: on foot through the Great Rift Valley, the fault line where the African continent is literally tearing apart, towards a landscape that exists nowhere else on earth. You begin with water and green. You end with salt and fire.
The first days we travel along the river through desert savanna and wildlife country. Crocodiles in the water, oryx and ostriches on the plain, and on the horizon the walls of the rift rising hundreds of metres above you. No mountaineering required: this is a demanding trek, but not a technical climb. Here the heat is your greatest opponent.
The further you travel, the further life withdraws. The river disappears, the green disappears, and what remains are salt flats reaching beyond the horizon, sulphur fields in toxic yellows and greens, and salt lakes where the temperature climbs above forty degrees. This is one of the lowest and hottest places on earth, and yet the Afar have crossed it for centuries with their salt caravans.
The finale is a night climb to the crater rim of Erta Ale, one of the few volcanoes in the world with a permanent lava lake. You stand at the edge and look literally into the earth: boiling rock moving slowly, cracking and glowing in the dark. Anyone who has seen it never forgets it.
We deliberately choose January and February: the window in which the Danakil is passable at all, with daytime temperatures around thirty to forty degrees and nights cooling to a bearable twenty to twenty-five. In the summer months the mercury here climbs above fifty.
The story of
this expedition
You fly from Brussels to Addis Ababa. After the final gear check we drive east, away from the highlands, to the bank of the Awash. From that moment the real adventure begins: on foot through the Great Rift Valley, the fault line where the African continent is literally tearing apart, towards a landscape that exists nowhere else on earth. You begin with water and green. You end with salt and fire.
The first days we travel along the river through desert savanna and wildlife country. Crocodiles in the water, oryx and ostriches on the plain, and on the horizon the walls of the rift rising hundreds of metres above you. No mountaineering required: this is a demanding trek, but not a technical climb. Here the heat is your greatest opponent.
The further you travel, the further life withdraws. The river disappears, the green disappears, and what remains are salt flats reaching beyond the horizon, sulphur fields in toxic yellows and greens, and salt lakes where the temperature climbs above forty degrees. This is one of the lowest and hottest places on earth, and yet the Afar have crossed it for centuries with their salt caravans.
The finale is a night climb to the crater rim of Erta Ale, one of the few volcanoes in the world with a permanent lava lake. You stand at the edge and look literally into the earth: boiling rock moving slowly, cracking and glowing in the dark. Anyone who has seen it never forgets it.
We deliberately choose January and February: the window in which the Danakil is passable at all, with daytime temperatures around thirty to forty degrees and nights cooling to a bearable twenty to twenty-five. In the summer months the mercury here climbs above fifty.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we set off, we are off grid. In the first stretch we filter water from the river; once we move into the Danakil, we work with the supplies our 4x4 support brings in. We cook our own expedition food and pitch camp wherever conditions allow.
You learn to deal with heat that does not let up and to go easy on your water, guided by an experienced X- Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold WFR certificates and have years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition has satellite phones, GPS tracking, safety procedures, an evacuation plan and local support in Ethiopia. In the Afar region we work with local guides and the escort that is mandatory on site.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Guided by real expedition leaders.
You step into nature, away from the
beaten track, but always with the certainty of experienced guidance
and safety first.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold
WFR certificates and have
years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition has satellite phones, GPS tracking, clear safety procedures, a detailed evacuation plan and local support in Ethiopia. In the Afar region we work with local guides and the escort that is mandatory on site.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
Once we start, we are
off grid. In the first stretch we filter water from the river; once we move into the Danakil, we work with the supplies our 4x4 support brings along. We cook our own expedition food and set up our camps where conditions allow.
You learn to deal with heat that does not let up and to go easy on your water, guided by an experienced X-Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
We let no one step into the unknown unprepared.
An expedition of this calibre starts months in advance. The preparation programme consists of an individual phase and a group phase.
Individual phase
Starts immediately after registration. You receive an inspiration pack with practical tips, insights and exercises to start moving like an expedition member. You gather your expedition gear using the packing list (do not buy anything yet: bring what you already have to the kick off). And you share your medical information, because the best preparation is a plan for when things go wrong.
Group phase
Starts 3 to 6 months before departure with the kick off: a full day on which you meet your team, taste the expedition atmosphere and take the first steps as a group. There we plan the follow-up moments together and the WhatsApp group starts. Training includes, among other things: getting to know the group and roles, physical screening and analysis, a personalised training schedule, technical and resilience training, gear, nutrition and sleep setup, and a final check.
Accredited service provider for the KMO-portefeuille
To help entrepreneurs and KMO leaders grow as much as possible, a leadership programme/training is linked to this expedition, which closely aligns with the adventure. This programme falls under the theme Business strategy and is eligible for subsidy via the KMO-portefeuille.
As an entrepreneur, you can receive up to 30% subsidy on the training costs of this programme. Important (!): only the training itself is eligible. Travel, accommodation, and expedition costs are not covered by the subsidy.
Accredited service provider for the KMO-portefeuille
To help entrepreneurs and KMO leaders grow as much as possible, a leadership programme/training is linked to this expedition, which closely aligns with the adventure. This programme falls under the theme Business strategy and is eligible for subsidy via the KMO-portefeuille.
As an entrepreneur, you can receive up to 30% subsidy on the training costs of this programme. Important (!): only the training itself is eligible. Travel, accommodation, and expedition costs are not covered by the subsidy.
As seen in
Imagine: a river that holds crocodiles and a few days later has vanished entirely, salt flats crunching under your soles, sulphur springs in colours that do not seem to belong to this planet, and a volcano that turns the clouds orange at night.
On Expedition Ethiopia you travel straight through the Great Rift Valley, the fault line where Africa is literally tearing apart: from water to salt, from green to fire, and from the cradle of humankind to the most otherworldly landscape on earth.
Imagine: a river that holds crocodiles and a few days later has vanished entirely, salt flats crunching under your soles, sulphur springs in colours that do not seem to belong to this planet, and a volcano that turns the clouds orange at night.
On Expedition Ethiopia you travel straight through the Great Rift Valley, the fault line where Africa is literally tearing apart: from water to salt, from green to fire, and from the cradle of humankind to the most otherworldly landscape on earth.
Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need to be a top athlete. What this expedition asks is not so much strength as the ability to function in sustained heat. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted training) we build your level up to expedition level in 3 to 6 months.
Very safe, provided it is properly organised. We work with WFR certified expedition leaders, local Afar guides, the escort that is mandatory on site, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly defined safety protocols. We follow the Belgian foreign ministry travel advice closely and adjust the route where needed.
The full expedition programme, gear, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the full 3 to 6 month preparation programme. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need to be a top athlete. What this expedition asks is not so much strength as the ability to function in sustained heat. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted training) we build your level up to expedition level in 3 to 6 months.
Very safe, provided it is properly organised. We work with WFR certified expedition leaders, local Afar guides, the escort that is mandatory on site, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly defined safety protocols. We follow the Belgian foreign ministry travel advice closely and adjust the route where needed.
The full expedition programme, gear, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the full 3 to 6 month preparation programme. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Ready to travel from river
to lava lake?
Taking an option is free and without obligation; your spot is only confirmed after the intake.
Koen De Leeuw
Expedition leader | Element X
“From the river to the lava lake is one long exercise in heat. You learn that pace matters more than strength, and that water is the only thing you really negotiate over. And then you stand at that crater at night and everything falls silent.”
SIGN UP FOR
EXPEDITION UPDATES!
Stay one step ahead of the adventure! Sign up
for our updates and receive the latest news and exclusive information about our transformative expeditions in the wilderness.
SIGN UP FOR
EXPEDITION UPDATES!
Stay one step ahead of the adventure! Sign up for our updates and receive the latest news and exclusive information about our transformative expeditions in the wilderness.