5 Places on Earth That Are Compared to Hell and Yet Travellers Keep Going

Danakil Depression , Ethiopia: The Hottest Place on Earth with the Colours of Another Planet

Located in the Afar Triangle of northeastern Ethiopia at more than 400 feet below sea level, the Danakil Depression is consistently cited as one of the hottest, lowest , and most geologically active places on the planet. Average daily high temperatures regularly exceed 50 degrees Celsius in summer, and the landscape combines salt flats , acid lakes , active volcanoes, and psychedelic sulphur fields into an environment that looks like something from a science fiction film.

The Dallol hydrothermal field at its heart produces pools of neon green, yellow , and orange from dissolved minerals that hiss and bubble with fumarolic activity. Dead insects and birds can be found around the perimeter of the acid springs. Despite all of this, the Danakil has become one of Ethiopia's most sought-after travel experiences, drawing scientists , adventure tourists, and photographers from across the world. All visitors must hire armed guides, and solo travel is prohibited. Those who make the journey describe it as one of the most genuinely alien places they have ever seen.

Erta Ale Volcano, Ethiopia: The Gateway to Hell

Within the Danakil Depression sits Erta Ale, meaning Smoking Mountain in the local Afar language. It is Ethiopia's most active volcano and one of only a handful of places on Earth that contain a permanently active open lava lake. The crater rim has no guardrails, and visitors peer directly into the molten rock below amid toxic sulphuric fumes.

The hike to the summit must be done in darkness to avoid the extreme daytime heat, with groups departing after sunset and descending in the early hours of the morning. The caldera has been called the Gateway to Hell by locals, and the lava spitting and splashing inside the pit gives the description immediate credibility.

In 2012, terrorists attacked a tourist group at the site , killing five people. Armed military escorts have accompanied all visitors since. Despite this history, tours continue to operate and consistently receive extraordinary reviews from those who complete them.