Dikhil

Dikhil sits on a rise between the Grand Bara and Petit Bara plains in Djibouti's southwest, a market town of a few thousand people that serves the Afar and Somali herders of the region and works as the last real settlement before the tracks out to Lake Abbe. Camels and goats come through constantly. The Ethiopian border is a short distance west. The town sits at around five hundred metres, which takes the worst edge off the heat compared with the plains on either side.

What you actually see

• The market - the trading centre for the herders of the southwest.
• The two plains - Grand Bara and Petit Bara on either side of the town.
• The livestock - camels and goats moving through constantly.
• The Abbe base - the last settlement before the tracks to the lake.

When to go

November to March is the cool season. Summer heat is extreme. Market days are busiest.

Honest expectations

There is little for a visitor and the town functions as a staging point. Facilities are basic. Trips to Lake Abbe must be arranged with vehicles and guides here or in the capital.

Nearby

Lake Abbe is west, and Ali Sabieh is southeast.