Ethiopia is home to one of the hottest, lowest, and least-liveable places on Earth, as well as one of the eeriest.

The Danakil Depression, straddling Ethiopia and Eritrea, is a place where three tectonic plates converge in a land of volcanoes, salt lakes, and otherworldly rock formations.

The few inhabitants who live in the region rely on salt mining to get by. The unwelcoming landscape is one of the most captivating you’ll ever see.

If you’re interested in visiting, don’t travel here alone; escorts or tour groups familiar with the territory are highly recommended.