Somaliland Travel Guide

Somaliland Travel Guide gives you an overview of what to expect in Somaliland and what you can expect from the country, so you can increase your chances of a great trip if you prepare for it well in advance

A simple and comprehensive Somaliland Travel Guide provides useful information including ” The best time to visit Somaliland, Obtaining a visa to travel to Somaliland, Border crossings and customs, How to get there & getaway, Across the border, Risks and Security and much more. For those interested in a detailed guide but if you would prefer a detailed guide, please visit Bradtguides.com and purchase the book Somaliland Travel Guide by Philip Briggs.

The best time to visit Somaliland – It is most enjoyable to travel during the northern hemisphere winter, from November to March, when it is relatively cool, with maximum temperatures of around 25°C typically on the plateau around Hargeisa, and around 30°C along the coast. Summers can be oppressively hot, especially along the coast, where temperatures can exceed 45 °C.

For those planning to travel beyond the few asphalt roads, winter also happens to be the dry season. Somaliland receives not have much rain, but when it does, watercourses and muddy depressions could cut travel times along routes such as Borama to Zeila and Burao to Erigavo. This could also make them temporarily impassable.

Travelling in the summer can have some advantages, such as that the countryside is much greener and that bird and mammal breeding is at its peak.

Obtaining a visa to travel to Somaliland – To visit Somaliland, you need a valid passport, whose expiration date should be at least six months after you plan to end your travels.  

Visitors from Europe, the USA, Gulf countries, IGAD countries, Russia, China, and Taiwan will receive a Somaliland visa on arrival (which is totally different from a Somali visa). Check the Somaliland immigration website to see if you will get a visa on arrival or if you will need to arrange a visa before arriving.

Border crossings and customs – For those who already have a visa, immigration is usually straightforward (but without a visa, entry will be denied). Up to 400  cigarettes, 40  cigars, and 400g of tobacco can be brought into the country duty-free, as can a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use. Any alcohol, including wine and spirits, is illegal in all forms, and travellers caught with any wine or spirits will most likely have it confiscated. Foreign currency can be imported and exported without restrictions.

How to get there & getaway – A few international carriers now fly to Hargeisa Egal International Airport (HGA). There are two excellent options for connecting flights from Europe or North America: FlyDubai (Website: flydubai.com) and Air Arabia (Website: airarabia.com), while Ethiopian Airlines (Website: ethiopianairlines.com) is a reliable option from elsewhere in Africa.  

Regional airlines have an option to fly to Djibouti with Air Djibouti. With direct flights from Djibouti city (Djibouti), Hargeisa (Somaliland) and Mogadishu City (Somalia), it connects Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia several times a day. Among the smaller airlines are African Express (website: africanexpress.net), Daallo Airlines (website: daallo.com), and Jubb Airways (jubba-airways.com).

Across the border  – There is frequent overland travel through Ethiopia to reach Somaliland, and there is an option to travel overland between Hargeisa and Djibouti in 4×4 vehicles, stopping in Zeila en route. 
This journey can take anywhere from 14 hours in the dry season to a few days during heavy rains. In Djibouti City, you can reserve your seat in the morning, pay a deposit, and then come back by midafternoon to board the plane in the afternoon. As soon as you arrive in Hargeisa, the driver will transport you to your hotel choice at no additional cost.

Risks and Security – As we monitor the situation closely and hear advice from the Somaliland government and the Somalia federal government and from our friends in the areas we visit, we follow their advice very carefully. Our clients’ safety is our primary concern.

For reasons of safety, the guide has the final say in making changes to the itinerary. Although we have chosen a route that passes through areas that we consider stable, unforeseen events may require us to change the route or postpone parts of the trip.

Somaliland is not an internationally recognized country. Somaliland’s security is solid and it has, for the most part, escaped the politics that afflicted Somalia to the south. In spite of this, the government takes security seriously. You will be accompanied by a soldier whenever you are outside of any town.

Getting dressed – In general, light clothes are a good idea in Somalia and Somaliland since they are hot. Women must wear Islamic clothing. It is wise to wear a headscarf wherever you go. We recommend long-sleeved blouses or shirts, as well as long skirts, although loose-fitting trousers can also be worn. ‘Manteaux’, the traditional Islamic long coats, wouldn’t be necessary.