Staying at Lake Abbe Camp: What to Actually Expect
Lake Abbe Camp was our first stop during our four-night tour with a guide. It’s a surreal sulfur lake bordering Ethiopia, famous for its limestone chimneys, hot springs, and steam vents.
The drive from Djibouti City takes a few bumpy hours. We left the city around 10:00 a.m., stopped for lunch in a small town, and reached the camp by 5:00 p.m.
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Lake Abbe Camp Facilities
When we arrived, we were able to pick our accommodation for the night. The camp isn’t on Google Maps but it’s located here.
There are a mixture of stone huts and tents. We chose a stone hut, which was surprisingly well-developed. It even had a light bulb and a plug to charge our phones. This was actually one of the most established camps of our entire trip (which makes sense as it’s the most accessible tourist site in the country.)
The beds are covered with mosquito nets, and these are absolutely necessary. There were so many mosquitoes and bugs around at night that you definitely don’t want to be without one.
The bathroom facilities were some of the best we saw. There were pedestal toilets that actually flushed, sinks, and proper shower facilities. Ironically, since it was our first day, we didn’t even need to shower yet!
What you need to bring to Lake Abbe
- Although our sheets were organized with our guide and we used what was given, you may want a sleeping bag liner.
- You need to bring your own quick dry towel. I also would have liked some of these body wipes rather than a full shower.
- Don’t forget a headlamp to walk to the bathroom at night.
- We were lucky that there was electricity, but be prepared in case there isn’t and get a portable charger.
- I buy these OFF mosquito wipes. Otherwise, I suggest OFF spray bottles.
- Bring Electrolytes as it can get really hot in the day and you may need the extra boost. I’ve been using this brand since 2014 and never travel without it.
I tried to pet the donkeys
Wildlife and Views
The views around the camp are beautiful. As you get closer to the lake, you’ll see plenty of wildlife. We spotted warthogs and even a fox (!!) during the drive.
The real highlight was seeing the flamingos by the lake in the evening, and again the following morning with sunrise.
The Food at Lake Abbe Camp
We were served tea at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. The meal was a simple combo of salad, pasta, and sauce, which turned out to be very typical for our camping experience throughout the country.
Breakfast was simple fried bread with a selection of Nutella, jam and butter.
Note: Your guide usually brings the food for the camp staff to cook, so be sure to communicate any dietary requirements before your tour starts. Overall, if you want something else you can ask the guides in advance to bring that food item. If you’re on a long journey (like we were), you may want to stop at a grocery store in Djibouti City to buy some cans of tuna or beans. I wish we did this.
Once the sun goes down, there isn’t much to do. I’d recommend bringing a Kindle or a book to pass the time before bed.
Lake Abbe at sunset
Must See: The Sunrise at Lake Abbe
Part of the magic of staying at Lake Abbe Camp is seeing the sunrise. Your day will start early, around 5:00 a.m., but the views of the steam vents and the flamingos in the morning light are well worth the early wake-up call.
I recommend staying just one night here before continuing on to Lake Assal and spending the following night at Lake Ghoubet Camp, which is how we structured our itinerary too.