Lake Afrera, Lake in Afar Region, Ethiopia
Lac Afrera, also known as Lake Giulietti or Lake Egogi, is a salt lake in northern Ethiopia, sitting in the Danakil Depression well below sea level. The water takes on a greenish hue, and the shoreline is lined with white salt flats and dark volcanic rock.
The Danakil Depression, where the lake sits, formed through faults in the earth's crust that caused the land to sink and gradually fill with water and salt over thousands of years. European explorers reached the area in the late 19th century, and one of them, the Italian Giuseppe Maria Guillietti, was killed near the lake during his expedition.
Lac Afrera is sometimes called Lake Giulietti, after an Italian explorer who died near its shores in the late 19th century. Salt harvesting has shaped life here for generations, and visitors can still watch workers collecting crystals by hand along the shoreline.
The lake is in one of the most remote parts of Ethiopia, and traveling there with an experienced local guide is strongly recommended. The cooler months between November and February offer more manageable conditions for the journey and the visit.
Despite the highly salty and mildly acidic water, a few fish species live in the lake that are found nowhere else in the world. The southern part of the lake also holds a small island called Franchetti Island, which is among the lowest-lying islands on Earth.
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