- The FCDO advises against all travel to Somalia apart from Somaliland, and against all but essential travel to much of Somaliland
- Somaliland declared independence in 1991 but is not recognised by the UK
- Laas Geel near Hargeisa has some of Africa's best-preserved rock art
- Check gov.uk and its map before any trip
- Airports
- Mogadishu Aden Adde (MGQ), Hargeisa Egal (HGA), Berbera (BBO)
- Flight time
- about 11-14h from London to Hargeisa or Mogadishu, with one stop
- Best time to go
- October-March in Somaliland; December-March on the southern coast
- Currency
- Somali shilling (SOS); Somaliland shilling and US dollars widely used in Somaliland
Somalia stretches around the Horn of Africa, with the longest coastline of any country on the African mainland, facing the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Somali culture is rich in poetry, oral history and hospitality, and the region's trading ports have links to Arabia, India and the Ottoman world going back centuries. The UK has a large Somali diaspora, with strong ties to Mogadishu, Hargeisa and beyond.
There is an important nuance for travellers. In the north-west, Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and has its own government, currency, police and visa system, and it has been far more stable than the rest of the country. However, the UK and most other countries do not recognise it as independent, and officially it remains part of Somalia. At the time of writing the FCDO advises against all travel to Somalia except Somaliland, and within Somaliland advises against all but essential travel to most areas, including Hargeisa and Berbera, and against all travel to the disputed eastern regions. Travel insurance is usually invalid against FCDO advice, so check the gov.uk FCDO travel advice for Somalia and its map carefully. For the wider region, see our Africa guide, or neighbouring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya.
Why go
- Laas Geel: about an hour from Hargeisa, rock shelters painted with vivid images of cattle, people and dogs, thought to be around 5,000 years old and among the best-preserved rock art in Africa.
- Hargeisa: Somaliland's capital has a huge livestock market, money changers with towering piles of banknotes, and the MiG jet memorial to the 1988 destruction of the city.
- Berbera: a port town on the Gulf of Aden with crumbling Ottoman-era coral-stone buildings and long, empty beaches.
- Sheikh and the Golis Mountains: cooler highland scenery and winding mountain roads between Berbera and Burao.
- Zeila: a historic port near Djibouti, one of the oldest towns in the Horn of Africa.
- Mogadishu: once known as the "white pearl of the Indian Ocean", with Lido Beach and an Italian-era old town. It is in an area where the FCDO advises against all travel.
- Somali food and culture: camel milk, spiced rice and goat, sweet tea and halwa, and a deep tradition of poetry and storytelling.
Where to stay
- Hargeisa: a selection of local hotels used by business travellers, NGOs and the diaspora.
- Berbera: a small number of beach and town hotels, popular with visitors from Hargeisa at weekends.
- Mogadishu: hotels near the airport, often within heavily protected compounds; only for essential travellers with professional security.
Getting there
There are no direct flights from the UK. Hargeisa is reached via Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines) or Dubai (flydubai), and Mogadishu via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Nairobi or Addis Ababa, with total journey times of roughly 11-14 hours. Somaliland issues its own visas, separate from Somalia's electronic travel authorisation, so check both sets of rules. In Somaliland, foreign visitors may need an armed police escort when travelling outside Hargeisa.
Somalia is three hours ahead of the UK in winter and two in summer. Somaliland is a conservative Muslim society, so dress modestly, with women covering their hair, arms and legs, and expect businesses to pause for prayer times.
Best time to visit
In Somaliland, the cooler months from around October to March are the most comfortable, with the highlands pleasant year-round. The Gulf of Aden coast at Berbera is extremely hot from about June to September. In the south, December to March is the main dry season.
In Somaliland, mobile money such as Zaad is used for almost everything, but visitors should carry clean US dollar notes as a fallback.
Frequently asked questions
Is Somaliland part of Somalia?
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and governs itself, but it is not recognised by the UK or most other countries, so it is officially part of Somalia. The FCDO gives it separate, less severe advice than the rest of the country.
Is it safe to visit Somaliland?
Somaliland is more stable than the rest of Somalia, but at the time of writing the FCDO still advises against all but essential travel to most of it and against all travel to some eastern areas. Check gov.uk before travelling.
Do I need a visa for Somaliland?
Yes. Somaliland issues its own visas, which have been obtainable through its representative offices or on arrival. Rules can change, so confirm before you travel.
What language is spoken in Somalia?
Somali is the main language, and Arabic is also official. English is fairly widely spoken in Somaliland, especially among younger people and the diaspora.
Written by
Thomas Ski, mountains & expeditions editor
Thomas is happiest above the tree line or below the Antarctic Circle. He writes our ski, mountain and polar expedition guides.
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