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On the shores of Lake Assal, one of the lowest points in Africa, camel caravans carry salt cut from the white crust that rims the lake.
This photo story on Lake Assal in Djibouti follows the salt caravans between 2021 and 2022. In this region of desert and volcanoes, camel drivers carry on a very old trade. They load by hand the salt from the white crust that borders the lake.
Lake Assal lies in the heart of the Danakil desert, next to the Dallol depression. Its level is 155 metres below sea level, which makes it the lowest point on the African continent. Its salinity is ten times higher than that of seawater, and even higher than that of the Dead Sea. That is why it is considered the saltiest lake in the world.
Around the lake, the landscape is spectacular. The turquoise water contrasts with the white salt crust and the volcanic mountains. The photos in this series show these shores in the morning light, when colours are at their softest.
The camel drivers harvest the salt by hand, straight from the ground, using a method that is 2,500 years old. Then they load their animals. A dromedary can carry up to 120 kilos on its back.
Next, the caravan sets off across the country, and sometimes as far as Ethiopia. It crosses arid, mountainous landscapes such as the Kalou wadi, where temperatures easily exceed 45 degrees in summer. This photo story follows these men and their animals on the white plain, then at the foot of the volcanoes.
Every image in this series captures a moment of work that has barely changed over the centuries. The gallery above lets you follow the caravan from the salt crust to the foot of the mountains.
This story is part of Alexander Bee’s documentary photography portfolio. You can also discover Migrants: crossing the desert or Sinjar: the Yazidis after the war. To buy a print or use a photo, contact me. To learn more: Lake Assal on Wikipedia.
Photos © Alexander Bee – all rights reserved. Prints and licensing: contact me.
