What's it all about?
This is a truly off the beaten track experience to one of the planet’s least visited destinations – Somaliland.
The tour begins in the capital city of Hargeisa. A gateway into the former British protectorate and self-declared republic of Somaliland. This de-facto state declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 however no international organization has recognized its sovereignty.
Still recovering from a brutal civil war, today the area is very safe and the local people are welcoming and interested in foreign visitors. Somaliland is fundamentally different from the other countries in the region — and almost anywhere else on the planet. We’ll take you to chew khat with the locals, swim in untouched waters, and visit ancient cave paintings!
**We’re also running a 3 day tour of Mogadishu directly before this tour – get in touch for more info!**
Hargeisa – Laas Geel – Berbera – Hargeisa
May 15 – 19th, 2024
We will apply for a letter of invitation on your behalf and then you can collect your visa on arrival at Hargeisa airport.
15th May - Hargeisa
- Arrival in Hargeisa. We will provide an airport pick up.
- Visit the two hills called Naaso Hablood (“Girl’s Breasts”), also known as Hargeisa’s main landmark. On the way we visit the cemetery for British Soldiers who died here battling against the Italians during the Second World War. Hargeisa is the former capital of British Somaliland, while Italy controlled what is now Somalia.
- We will then take a walking tour around the city center of Hargeisa to get a sense of the people and the city. Here you will see street money exchangers and their “chunk” of bills, the central market, and the MiG Jet fighter War Memorial which stands for the atrocities committed by the dictator during the Civil War.
- Visit to the busy market in downtown Hargeisa for some evening shopping and people watching.
- Dinner and overnight in Hargeisa.
16th May - Laas Geel - Berbera
- After breakfast we will visit the livestock market where you can purchase your own camel or goat! For those who can’t fit a camel in their luggage, this market will provide great photo opportunity and a chance to see how the locals do business.
- Afternoon visit to Laas Geel, the most important rock art site in Africa. These caves contain some of the oldest cave paintings on the horn of Africa. The vibrant colors and well-preserved paintings are estimated to be around ten thousand years old.
- Continue driving onto the port city of Berbera. Check into our hotel and explore colourful Berbera – including its small fish market, a historical Ottoman Mosque and Ottoman houses.
- Fresh Seafood at the waterfront for dinner.
- Overnight in Berbera.
17th May - Berbera - Hargeisa
- Morning boat trip to go hunting for ships in the Gulf of Aden.
- Afterwards relax and swim at Berbera beach, where local youth and families come and enjoy their down time. (Due to local culture, ladies will need to cover their body while in the water.)
- We’ll make the drive back to Hargeisa for some free time (and to stock up on flags and hats for independence day!)
- Dinner and overnight in Hargeisa.
18th May - Independence Day!
- We’ll get up nice and early for a quick breakfast before hitting the streets to observe the military and civilian parades. Everyone will be dressed in the national colors on the street, and this is one of the only places on earth to take part in an Independence Day celebration in an unrecognized country!
- After lunch and a short break from the heat we’ll visit the Somaliland national museum and cultural center. A great place to chat to some local young people.
- We will have traditional dinner that evening and toast this small nation!
- Overnight in Hargeisa.
19th May - Hargeisa
- End of Somaliland tour and drop off at the airport.
You’ll be in the experienced hands of our English speaking local guides & fixer as well as your Rocky Road Travel western guide. We visit Somaliland regularly, so we know the best places and have perfected the itinerary accordingly. The itinerary may change slightly, but we will always go above and beyond with added extras to the itinerary such as stops at local cafe-bars, shisha lounges, markets and more.
Before & after each tour we will add you to dedicated email and social media groups so you can share photos easily with your travel mates. Just let us know is you want to opt out of this.
To book simply hit the button below and start the conversation today.
May 15 - 19th, 2024
Start / Finish in Hargeisa
Flights
Flights arrive from Addis Ababa, Sharjah, Mogadishu, Djibouti or Dubai
Standard hotel
5 Days
The price
$1190 USD
