Somaliland and Djibouti tailor made tour
Includes: accommodation, guides, meals as listed, transfers, entrance fees, 4x4 WD transportation, travel permits, Special Police Escort (Somaliland).
Permission letters.
Tour can be done as a Private or Group Tour.
Description of Somaliland and Djibouti tailor made tour
This Somaliland and Djibouti tailor made tour takes you on a voyage of discovery to the little-known landscapes, cities and historic sites of Djibouti and the self-declared state of Somaliland. It’s the only overland tour to connect the two regions.
You’ll spend time in vibrant Djibouti City before heading off to Lake Abbé, driving through the Grand Bara and Petit Barra deserts along the way and sleeping in simple, traditional Afar huts on the shores of the lake upon arrival. The lake is particularly famous for the limestone chimneys that punctuate the surrounding landscape. Next it’s on to Lake Assal, the lowest point in the African continent, followed by Tadjourah, an old town full of whitewashed buildings and mosques, a short drive from the pretty beach at Plages de Sables Blancs.
Next, you’ll cross the border into Somaliland. A self-declared nation little-visited by foreign tourists, a visit here is a true adventure. Even the drive across the border to the town of Hargeisa is a remarkable journey, and includes a stop at the ancient rock painting site of Dhagax Khoure. In Hargeisa itself, you’ll visit the civil war memorial as well as a livestock market, which serves as the backbone of the city’s economy.
Your next stop is the Laas Geel cave paintings, a real highlight of the trip. One of the most important rock art sites in East Africa, it’s home to vibrant paintings thought to be around 10,000 years old. Next it’s on to the historic town of Berbera, which has many fine example of Ottoman and British architecture. You’ll stay at a hotel right on the beach, and there will be ample time for swimming and snorkelling.
On your final day you’ll drive back to Hargeisa via the cool air of the Sheikh Mountains, in preparation for your flight home the next day. The trip takes place throughout the year. You can also reverse the itinerary and start in Somaliland.
Price information
Includes: accommodation, guides, meals as listed, transfers, entrance fees, 4x4 WD transportation, travel permits, Special Police Escort (Somaliland).
Permission letters.
Tour can be done as a Private or Group Tour.
Departure information
Travel guides
Reviews
1 Reviews of Somaliland and Djibouti tailor made tour
Reviewed on 28 Apr 2022 by Family from the UK
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The country, lake Abbe, Djibouti City, Tadjoura, the Good mountains and Sable Blanc ... followed by Lake Assal, the Rift Valley canyon, the volcano, the ferry ride across the gulf of Tadjoura. Our guide, Akram was a gem - enthusiastic, very well informed, curious, speaks 7 languages and had a great sense of humour.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It's a fascinating place if you get stuck in, don't mind to rough it, ask questions and are fascinated by life.
It is unbearably hot & humid. Make sure you have water, SPF50, hat, cover up and insect repellent.
Try as many different foods as you can - Yemeni, Somalian, Ethiopian, Afar breads.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. In Djibouti City we picked a locally run hotel rather than an international chain, we ate at the local restaurants and engaged with locals at every opportunity. When overnighting outside Djibouti City we stayed with the Afar tribe, a local community project and a local family. Aside from the flights we left no 'footprint' and took all rubbish back with us into Djibouti City to be collected.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Responsible Travel
Planet
As a local operator from Somaliland with an Office in The Netherlands we are committed to encourage guests and local people to protect the environment. In Somaliland we want to take the lead in creating awareness for the environment.When visiting the archaeological sites of Laas Geel and Dhagax Khoure rock paintings we have a written policy on our website. This policy is also send to our guest before the start of the tour. Because the Somaliland Governments doesn’t have the funds to protect these sites, we work together with The Ministry of Tourism in the conservation of these sites. We are involved in several projects and we contribute annually to fund the protection of archaeological sites in the country.
We advise travelers not to drop any litter. Especially plastic waste is a problem in these two countries and we urge not to use plastic bags. Instead we recommend using environmentally friendly alternatives. Keep in mind to stick to the path and listen to our local guides when visiting certain areas. During the walking tour in Lake Abbé it is important to stick to the path in order not to harm the environment.
People
We only employ local guides, drivers and staff. As a local tour operator we know how important tourism can be in fighting poverty and unemployment. Sustainable tourism that benefits the most weak local communities should be priority. Local people benefit from this tour that also covers remoted areas where nomadic people live. In the future we hope to be able to visit more areas that are at this moment not accessible yet, but are very interesting.Accommodation and restaurants that we visit are all locally owned. In the markets you can buy souvenirs and local crafts from local people who need the money to support their families. We also promote cultural experiences by visiting cultural attractions and traditional accommodations/restaurants. For example in Djibouti we sleep one night in traditional Afar huts. In Somaliland we will have dinner in a restaurant with traditional Somali music.
Several NGO’s in Somaliland have partnered with us in the development of the tourism industry. We have provided information for a cultural tourism study conducted by an international consultancy firm specialized in sustainable tourism.
Somaliland is a Muslim country and tourism is not yet developed. We provide our guests with information so they will be fully prepared for the tour and have good relationship with the community.
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