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Territory

Wonders of Djibouti

Lake Assal, Djibouti
Lake Assal / Tyke, / CC BY 3.0

WorldBlue  Highlights

This small country is not too rich with natural or man-made wonders, but, nevertheless, some wonders of Djibouti are truly surprising, such as the eerie landscape of limestone chimneys at Lake Abbe.

Map with the described wonders

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WorldViolet Top 9 wonders of Djibouti

Geological wonders

Lake Assal

Tadjourah

One of the most saline lakes in the world, its surface is 155 m below sea level. World’s largest salt reserve, with an estimated 300 million tonnes of salt. The saline brine of the lake at certain lighting has an unusual, bright color. The lake is fed by subsurface geothermal springs.

Lake Assal
Lake Assal. / Jon Evans, Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Limestone chimneys of Lake Abbe

Dikhil

Thousands of limestone chimneys are arranged in rows and rise up to 50 m tall. These chimneys are formed by vents of volcanic steam and create an unusual landscape.

Eerie chimneys at Lake Abbe, Djibouti
Eerie chimneys at Lake Abbe, Djibouti / Rolf Cosar, / CC BY 3.0

Biological wonders

Day Forest (Goda Mountains)

Tadjourah

The largest forest in this area of Africa, the densest vegetated area in Djibouti. This isolated outlier of the Ethiopian montane forest contains several unique species, such as Djibouti francolin (Pternistis ochropectus, found also in the nearby Mabla Mountains), reptile Platyceps afarensis and other species. Dominant species – the East African juniper (Juniperus procera) that grows here up to 20 m high, forming a pure 3.5 km² large stand of single species.

Day Forest in Djibouti, the sea is seen in the background
Day Forest, the sea is seen in the background / Singlab, / CC BY-SA 3.0
Barogali elephant hunt site

Dikhil

Deposits of an ancient swamp with remnants of extinct elephant Elephas recki ileretensis that disappeared some 1.3 – 1.2 million years ago. Elephant was butchered by hominins who used diverse stone tools for hunting.

Archaeological wonders

Abourma petroglyphs

Tadjourah

The site contains several thousand Neolithic petroglyphs, depicting humans, wildlife, hunting, and warfare. The oldest ones might be created around 3000 BC.

Handoga

Dikhil

Site of prehistoric settlement. It is possible that it was developed by unexplored, indigenous culture.

Balho petroglyphs

Tadjourah

Site with prehistoric cave paintings.

Asa Koma

Dikhil

Ruins of a prehistoric settlement from the second millennium BC. Ruins include circular enclosures, rectangular platforms, and mounds.

Legendary wonders

Goubet Al-Kharab sea monster

Arta

According to local stories in the deep waters of this sea bay lives a monster.

WorldYellow Recommended books

Djibouti: Including its History, The Gulf of Aden, The Stade du Ville, and More


Discover Djibouti as you have never seen it before. Whether you are a first-time traveler or an avid visitor of this region of the world, this book is the perfect guide for you. Read about all the amazing surprises you could find and all the must-see places. Included in this book is the information about The Lake Assal, The Mousa Ali, and everything in between.

Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Red Sea


For five millennia people have gathered along the shores of the Red Sea, but only in the past five decades have recreational divers delved beneath the waves. They flock here to explore the incredibly diverse underwater topography and marine life, as well as shipwrecks such as the Thistlegorm and the wrecks of Shahab Abu Nuhas.


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