How to Visit Lake Abbe and Spend the Night
How to visit Lake Abbe is one of the first questions travelers ask when planning a trip to Djibouti. This surreal sulfur lake borders Ethiopia and is famous for its limestone chimneys, hot springs, and steam vents. It is easily the most iconic site in the country, and if you only have a few days, it is an absolute must-see.
Interestingly, many of the tourists we met were only in Djibouti for three days specifically to check the country off their bucket list to achieve “visiting every country in the world” status. While it’s a necessary stop for that goal, I think there is so much more to see. We spent 12 days adventuring and found Djibouti to be a totally underrated travel destination. If you have the time, consider spending a little more time as well!
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Why you shouldn’t do a day trip
I don’t suggest visiting as a day trip. The point of spending the night is that you’re there for the sunrise experience. The drive is about five hours each way, and even if you wanted to go nonstop, we found that would be difficult. Our stops were often governed by when our guide wanted a smoke or food. Drivers here won’t just accept driving straight to a destination! If you’re looking for a shorter day trip from the city, Lake Assal is a better bet. When figuring out how to visit Lake Abbe, plan for an overnight stay to make the long journey worth it.
On the way to Lake Abbe
Booking a Tour
You will need to visit with a tour company. We booked this as part of our larger tour with Massiago Travel. Everything in Djibouti is kind of expensive, but if you consider how few tourists there are, you’re paying for two or three times more than what you would in a touristy area because there’s just no one else around.
The Timeline
- 9:45 am: Check out of Ras Dika hotel
- 10:00 am: Leave Djibouti City
- 1:00 pm: Lunch stop
- 4:15 pm: Stop at the sulfur river green spaces
- 5:00 pm: Reach Lake Abbe Camp
- 6:00 pm: Sunset tea
- 7:00 pm: Dinner
Next day
- 5:30 am: Wake up for sunrise
- 6:00 am: Head to Lake Abbe shore
- 7:30 am: Breakfast
- 8:30 am: Leave camp for Lake Assal
The Journey to Lake Abbe
The drive from the capital takes a few bumpy hours and there are some interesting views along the way, but one of the most prevalent and saddest scenes in the country is the trash. It is everywhere. Trash management isn’t currently institutionalized or normalized by local communities, so it isn’t part of the culture to pick up or manage waste at all. No matter where we traveled during our 12 days, if people had been in the area, there was unfortunately a ton of trash left behind.
And then, there is a stop for lunch. The chocolate cake was amazing!!
The views towards Lake Abbe are otherworldly. It feels like something you’d see on the moon.
As you get closer to the lake, you’ll pass through unexpected green spaces near a sulfur river. It’s a strange sight, and though nothing lives in the sulfur water itself, the first patch of green was incredible. We spotted warthogs, ducks, and even a fox.
As you approach the camp, you’ll also see cows, donkeys, and a herd of camels.
Our guide also stopped to show up some of the chimney formations along the way. The entire landscape looks like something that was at the bottom of the ocean.
Souvenir Shopping & Local Culture
Your tour company may suggest stopping at a small, traditional afar hut along the way. I’m not sure how the logistics work, but I’ve seen in other blogs that we all seem to stop at the same hut! We met a man, his wife, and their two kids selling handmade items and rocks. We were gifted two small rocks and felt compelled to buy a small basket. It was more of a contribution to the community than something we actually wanted, but since there are almost no souvenirs in the country, it was a nice way to participate in the local economy. It was also our only chance to see how people live in a traditional hut.
Sunset and Evening at the Camp
We reached the campsite (located here) around 5:00 p.m. and chose our cabin. You can read my full review of the Lake Abbe Camp.
After a quick tea at 6:00 p.m., we walked down to the water for sunset.
On the lake’s edge we saw a massive flock of flamingos! They are timid creatures, and even though I didn’t think we were that close, they eventually flew away. It was still a very cool sighting.
Dinner was a simple meal of pasta with red sauce and chicken. We were on the “eat whatever you give us” diet for this trip. Your tour company will likely send you with the food that’ll be cooked for you so tell them your dietary preference sin advance.
Choosing our hut and settling in for dinner
The Sunrise at Lake Abbe
When you plan how to visit Lake Abbe, the sunrise is the main event. You’ll wake up at 5:30 a.m. for a 5:45 a.m. departure. Your driver will take you out to the limestone formations where you can walk around as the sun comes up.
It’s an eerie landscape. You’ll see hot springs and experience a strange phenomenon: if you light a cigarette near the vents, the smoke from the springs actually rises more intensely. It’s incredibly weird! Afterward, you’ll head back to camp for breakfast before packing up the car.
What to do next
After breakfast, you’ll continue your journey. If you are short on time, you can return to Djibouti City. However, if you’re following my Djibouti Itinerary then your next stop is Lake Assal (the salt lake) and then you’ll spend the night at Lake Ghoubet Camp to search for whale sharks the next day.