SOMALIA SOMALILAND
Highlights
The beaches and the Italian lighthouse in Mogadishu
The fish market in Mogadishu
Laas Geel, the “Sistine Chapel of the Neolithic”
The immense beaches of Somaliland
Where we sleep
Hotels
How we move
Domestic flights, cars with local drivers
TYPE OF TRIP
On-the-road trip with domestic flights, private drivers, and security detail, in an unstable territory no longer accustomed to tourism. The country’s hygiene standards are lacking, and a spirit of adaptation is required. For security reasons, the margin of autonomy for movements and visits is limited
For more information about our trips, please consult the FAQ section.
DAY 1: departure from Italy with connecting flights to Mogadishu. Night on board
DAY 2: arrival at Mogadishu airport, meeting with the local guide and transfer to the hotel. Lunch and start of the visit to the capital of Somalia, one of the most fascinating cities in all of Africa. Visit to the Hamar Weyne district, the oldest neighborhood in the city, and its chaotic market, where fruit, meat, and vegetables are sold and bartered. Move towards the city’s large beach, the Lido of Mogadishu, which back in the day was one of the favorite leisure spots for Italian colonists, and is still today the favorite destination for young Somalis who meet on the beach and bathe in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Dinner and evening in Mogadishu
Morning: travel to Mogadishu airport for the flight to Kismayo, the largest city in southern Somalia. The regions surrounding Kismayo are known for Al-Shabaab militia training camps and are off-limits to travelers, but today it is possible to visit the city in relative safety. Travel a few km north of Kismayo to visit the ancient village of Goobweyn, located on the edge of the Kismayo National Park at the mouth of the Jubba River, whose silty waters give life to a lush and verdant oasis of coconut palms where goats, flamingos, and camels find refuge and sustenance
Afternoon: return to Kismayo, visit to the mosque, and hotel check-in
Evening: dinner and evening in Kismayo
Morning: early wake-up and transfer to the beaches of Kismayo to admire the sunrise over the Indian Ocean. If the flight schedule allows, a visit to the Kismayo fish market, where marine species of all kinds are sold, from hammerhead sharks to turtles. Transfer to the airport and domestic flight to Mogadishu
Afternoon: arrival in Mogadishu and afternoon dedicated to the beaches south of the capital, near the airport. Free time among the red dunes of Jazeera Beach, with the possibility of taking a boat excursion or relaxing with a swim in the Indian Ocean. Transfer to the city and check-in
Evening: dinner and evening in Mogadishu
Morning: early in the morning, witness the spectacle of the Mogadishu fish market: in the beautiful and decadent setting of the old city district of Hamar Weyne, a stone’s throw from the medieval mosque and the Italian lighthouse, a frenetic whirl of fishermen maneuver through the maze of the port carrying huge swordfish, sharks, and other large pelagic species on their shoulders, creating one of the most fascinating markets in Africa. Visit to the Secondo Lido beach surrounded by the ramparts of the Italian lighthouse, built in 1912 and still a symbol of the city today
Afternoon: visits to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the sites of the Mogadishu Mile, retracing the events of the Battle of Mogadishu on October 4, 1993, between US-led UN forces and Somali militias, up to the Bakaara market, where two US Black Hawk helicopters were shot down (the famous event known as “Black Hawk Down”)
Evening: dinner and night in Mogadishu
Morning: transfer to Mogadishu for the flight to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. An unrecognized independent state since 1991, having separated from Somalia following the civil war, Somaliland occupies the northern part of the Horn of Africa, facing the Gulf of Aden. Unlike chaotic Somalia, Somaliland has stable and democratic institutions and is safely open to travelers
Afternoon: visit to the Hargeisa camel market, the most important in East Africa. Livestock trade is the primary economic sector of Somaliland, and the market is the commercial heart of Hargeisa. Visit to the Saryan Museum, which collects historical evidence, from prehistory to the present day, and ethnographic artifacts of Somaliland
Evening: dinner and evening in Hargeisa, with traditional Somaliland music and songs
Mattina: partenza da Hargeisa in direzione est verso il sito archeologico di Laas Geel, il più importante del Corno d’Africa. Incastonate tra formazioni rocciose granitiche, queste grotte ospitano pitture rupestri risalenti a un periodo compreso tra il 9.000 e il 3.000 a.C., perfettamente conservate, che raffigurano scene di vita pastorale, mucche cerimoniali e figure umane
Pomeriggio: proseguimento verso Berbera, il principale porto del Somaliland sul golfo di Aden. Visita del centro storico della città, caratterizzato da un’affascinante architettura coloniale ottomana e britannica, ormai decadente ma ricca di storia. Relax sulla spiaggia di Batalaale per ammirare il tramonto sul mare
Sera: cena a base di pesce fresco e notte a Berbera
Morning: transfer towards Hargeisa airport along the panoramic road that climbs Mount Sheikh up to the pass at an altitude of 1497 m, where the usually arid landscapes of Somaliland turn green. Continuation of the itinerary towards Hargeisa
Afternoon: transfer to Hargeisa airport and connecting flight to Italy. Arrival on Day 9… And until the next adventure!
