Hanle Plain

The Hanlé plain spreads west of Dikhil toward the Ethiopian border, a wide flat expanse of scrub and sand broken by clusters of doum palms where groundwater comes near the surface, and Afar herders move camels, goats and cattle across it between the water points. It is on the route out to Lake Abbe. Gazelle and ostrich are seen on the plain and the horizon is very long. The plain sits below sea level in places, part of the Afar depression that runs on into Ethiopia.

What you actually see

• The palm clusters - doum groves marking where groundwater rises.
• The herding camps - Afar families moving stock between water points.
• The open plain - flat scrub running to a very long horizon.
• The wildlife - gazelle and ostrich on the open ground.

When to go

November to March is the cool season and the practical window. Summer heat is extreme. The plain greens briefly after rare rain.

Honest expectations

Access is four wheel drive on unmarked tracks and a guide is needed. There is no water, shade or facility. Summer heat here is genuinely dangerous.

Nearby

Dikhil is east, and Lake Abbe is northwest.