The Danakil Depression is home to the Afar people, a Cushitic-speaking pastoralist community who have lived in this extreme environment for millennia, herding camels, goats, and cattle across the salt flats and volcanic plains. They are known historically as one of the most formidable warrior cultures of the Horn of Africa — the Danakil was sometimes called the "valley of death" by early European explorers, in part because the Afar treated uninvited incursions with extreme prejudice.
Today the Afar in the Danakil are generally welcoming to organised tours, and interaction with local communities is one of the genuine pleasures of a Danakil visit. Salt miners at Lake Asale may be willing to explain their work (through a guide/interpreter); Afar settlements along the tour route offer the chance to observe pastoral life in one of the world's most challenging environments. The women's jewellery — distinctive silver and bead necklaces and elaborate head coverings — is beautiful and sometimes available for purchase. Security in the region requires the armed escort that all tours carry; the situation has been variable in recent years and it is worth checking current conditions before travelling.