Thanks everyone for your kind words. Ethiopia is an exceptional place. Go now before it becomes more popular!
I will be going there soon! Is the Afar region dangerous for tourists/ photographers?
Not any longer. As Ethiopia and Eritrea have patched things up, there is no longer any danger.
The real danger is in the loss of the magic of the place. With increasing tourism numbers and virtually no tourism infrastructure, pollution, mostly plastic litter from water bottles, is evident. So far, the number of tourists isn’t quite high enough to cause physical damage to sites like Dallol, but as numbers rise with popularity, and with no protection, it won’t be long before more permanent damage occurs. There are guides to help keep tourists on the right paths, but no real protection.
Of course, many tourists are young, adventure-seekers who use places like Danakil, the Trigray churches and Lalibela as backdrops for selfies, but that’s everywhere now.
