In the footsteps of Wilfred Thesiger in Ethiopia ...
Trekking on foot through the Sultanate of Aussa...

The Sultanate of Aussa, a lost corner of Ethiopia, is the favourite stamping-ground of the Afar nomads, who also live in neighbouring Djibouti and Eritrea. This is one of the hottest places on the planet, the Danakil Depression, also known at the Afar Triangle. It is an inhospitable region, characterised by volcanic landscapes and saltwater lakes creating a habitat for crocodiles and hippos and a huge variety of bird life.

We cross this remote, unique land on foot. Few Westerners have gone this way before us. The first white man who visited the area and lived to tell the tale was Wilfred Thesiger. The last great British explorer published a diary about his time here,“The Danakil Diary”, assuring posterity in writing that his search for the mouth of the Awash river in the Sultanate of Aussa was the most dangerous exploration he had ever undertaken.

The Danakil, also known as the Afars, used to be in the  habit of castrating and murdering intruders into their territory. A young man could only marry when he had overcome an adversary and cut off his testicles as a trophy. Thesiger found himself in a few sticky situations where he managed to preserve both his composure and his testicles and win over the Afars. The year was 1934!

We spend 6 days travelling through this lovely landscape. At times the terrain is rather difficult, then it becomes easier again, but no superhuman efforts are required. There is plenty of time to admire the scenery and the wildlife. Binoculars are a must. The tour takes the form of a loop. We set off on foot from Assayita, the Afar capital, and return after 6 days. This means that we can always vary the trip as circumstances demand. The loop can be larger or smaller in accordance with the relative fitness levels of the participants and the water level in the lakes and swamplands. The joy of this tour is that there is no rigid pre-ordained programme. Decisions can be made on the basis of the daily evaluation of the group’s condition and the distance still to be covered.

Because water is found in the form of lakes and also the river Awash, there are more nomads living here than in neighbouring Djibouti. The nomads live in family communities, one or two huts, and herd goats. In the plain surrounding Assayita the area is more verdant, and the people keep cattle. It is fascinating to observe the life-style of the Afar nomads; you will be amazed at their ability to survive for centuries even in this region. Although the Afar are a nomadic people, in the green plain south of  Assayita there are little villages, or groups of families living in the same spot. When possible we try to stay one night at a village. We buy a goat and invite the village chief and his family to dinner.

In the morning you’ll see the women and girls fetching water from the lake in goatskin buckets. The skins are tanned with the bark of special trees. The legs and belly of the goatskin are sewn up and the bag is filled with water through the neck opening and tied tight. The goatskin water bags are then loaded onto donkeys and transported to the huts. The boys herd goats and the young men take their cattle to the pasture for days at a time.

Every day we start out at daybreak and, towards midday, we seek refuge under the shade of an acacia tree. We eat lunch, and enjoy a siesta from around 2.30 to 3.00 and then continue on our way until evening. We roll our sleeping mats out on the ground, drink an aperitif (bring your own!) and enjoy our evening meal; then we fall asleep under a beautifully starry sky. Thus passes each of six wonderful days.

The camels carry all the equipment: your luggage, supplies and camping equipment. You don’t even need to carry a rucksack (unless you want to take a small bag containing your camera, suntan lotion, etc.) Don’t expect toilet facilities: make for the nearest pile of boulders. Our Afar cook produces meals based on rice, pasta, lentils, salad, goat meat, etc. ... simple but nourishing and balanced fare. At midday and in the evening we enjoy sweet tea.

It is imperative to drink sufficient water during the trip; we recommend an intake of 6 litres per day. It is hot and you lose a lot of body fluids that must be replenished. The first 2 days we use drinking water out of the jerry cans filled in Assayita. The other days we drink lake water, made safe to drink by purification with Micropur or other products.

The region has seen few tourists. We ensure fair tourism in that we respect local traditions and the customs of the local nomadic people. We are conscious that we are their guests; we hire their camels and draw on their experience and knowledge of the area and during our stay in their land we live as they do.

You fly from Paris to Djibouti, and then travel by taxi-brousse (an open jeep with seats) to Assayita in Ethiopia, a journey taking about 5 hours. After the trip we spend the last night in a very basic pension in Assayita; the next morning we set off back to Djibouti to take the evening flight back to Paris.

After this trip you will never be quite the same again, and for many years to come you will still be dreaming of your visit to the Horn of Africa!

text and pictures: copyright: Bart Coudenys... mail me