This landscape looks straight out of a gimmicky science fiction film a fiendish beauty masking one of the most inhospitable places on the planet sulfurous fumes an acid river.

This is the Danakil Desert in ethiopia. Here all signs of life have disappeared or almost hunger is the only motivation for these men who brave the open road in unbearable heat because there is a hidden treasure that lies in the danakil desert white gold foreign.

The salt workers earn two euros per day, barely enough to survive.

Some days the temperature reaches up to 50 degrees in the shade. The only problem being there is no shade.

Everybody calls down before beginning the three-day expedition home.

They will lead around 100 camels on the journey it’s much slower than a truck but much more reliable and above all much safer.

Ethiopian roads are amongst the most dangerous in the world the infrastructure is often dated and worn and the car and truck drivers have a golden rule that sends shivers down your spine.

Whatever the mode of transport Ethiopians risk their lives. These antique 404s barely have a functioning set of brakes and the trains are no more secure built-in 1917 this is the oldest railway in Africa and inevitably there are frequent accidents.

This local train has a few surprises in store for its passengers in the middle of the desert.

Ethiopia is said to be the birthplace of humanity in its forests man took his first steps and today these forests are still home to savage and dangerous creatures hey station comes to life twice a week from five o’clock in the morning each time the atmosphere is tense nobody knows if there will be enough space in the carriages.

There is no electricity inside the train. Victor the driver, checks that all is as it should be with the engine using a flashlight this is so everything isn’t quite as disorganized as it might seem there is a certain method to their madness.

The train sets off on its journey only half an hour behind schedule an achievement it takes on average 10 hours on the local train to cross the 310 kilometers to the little town of gulali.

In these carriages, it’s every man for themselves attitude, more agile passengers tend to stay outside of the carriages. And the most daring of them play a dangerous game.