Somaliland Central

Get in

You must have a Somaliland visa to enter. Visas from Somalia are not accepted. Most travelers get a visa in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia or the Somaliland Mission in London or upon entry at the airport in Hargeisa. You can get details from the Somaliland government website or contact the Somaliland liaison office

By plane

There is an international airport in Hargeisa with flights to and from Dubai, Djibouti City & Ethiopia and many other cities and towns across the Horn of Africa and the Somaliland region. There is under construction an international civil+ military airport at Berbera with many international flights.

By car

It is possible to enter Somaliland from Ethiopia by road. You can avoid paying many of the fees charged at the airport. However, if you plan to leave Somaliland by road it is advisable to make Ethiopian visa arrangements (multiple entry) before travelling to Somaliland

Another option is the open border to the north to Djibouti. In 2009, public transport 4x4s left Djibouti every day in the late afternoon and travelled across the desert throughout the night to arrive in Hargeisa the next morning.

Get around

By bus

There is a bus service in Hargeisa, Burao, Berbera and Borama. There are also services between the major towns and adjacent villages operated by different types of vehicles such as 4-wheel drives and light goods vehicles (LGV).

By thumb

Hitchhiking is possible near and within cities. Locals are friendly and will go out of their way to ensure that you make it to your destination. You will be offered telephone numbers to call for help, free food, and asked lots of questions about your home country. Hitchhiking between cities is less advisable. To travel outside of major cities, the central government requires foreigners to take an armed guard with them.

See

The capital, Hargeisa, has a provincial museum. There is also a menagerie that includes lions, leopards, antelopes, birds, and reptiles. Outside of Hargeisa, is the Laas Gaal, a complex of caves and rock shelters that contain some of the earliest known art in Africa, dating back to 9,000 BCE.

Other destinations

Laas Geel — one of, if not the best examples of prehistoric cave art on the African continent. Located just outside Hargeisa.

Naasa Hablood — twin hills outside of Hargeisa that Somalis consider as a natural landmark

Hargeisa — the capital city of Somaliland, and perhaps the safest city in the entire region. It’s rather cosmopolitan and with a rich history and culture.

Berbera — nicknamed beach city, is a major port and, apart from expatriate remittances, the economic lifeline of the Somaliland economy.

Borama

Burao

Erigavo – High altitude, with mild temperatures in evening

Laascaanood

Zeila — a historic city near frontier and the stunningly beautiful Zeila Coast.

Drink

Many Somalis adore spiced tea. Milk is also common in rural areas of Somaliland. Alcohol is prohibited. However, it is better to play it safe and drink bottled water.

Sleep

There are hotels in all of Somaliland’s major cities. Hargeisa has had most development, with regards to its infrastructural capacity, the airport has been expanded to cater for an increase in foreign and domestic tourists.

Status of Conservation Projects Somaliland

Conservation Concerns:

– Protection of vegetation cover from grasses to acacia woodlands: mature acacia trees and bushes along large wadis (dry river courses) affects tree nesting and roosting birds.

Other Concerns or Issues:

Cheetah poaching illegal exports to Gulf Arabia