You may have heard of the Horn of Africa and think of it as a dangerous region. Forget Somalia and head to independent Somaliland to shatter your preconceptions. The country is one of the safest corners of the region, and you will probably get to explore it without encountering any other tourist groups.

Discover the incredible hospitality and culture of the Somalis. See the growing city of Hargeisa, the well-preserved rock paintings of Laas Geel, the old town of Berbera, and take a dip in the waves of the Gulf of Aden.

With us, you will experience the country with an expert and reliable guide in a small group of 6-10 people. Safely, of course.

Day 1 – 16.3.2027

The journey begins in Helsinki or another city of your choice. We recommend Ethiopian Airlines flights via Addis Ababa to Hargeisa. You will arrive in the country the following day.

Day 2 – 17.3.2027

Arrival in Hargeisa. Pick-up from the airport and accommodation at the three- or four-star Jees Hotel or Damal Hotel.

In the evening, those who wish can join us for a cultural evening of Somali music and food.

Day 3 – 18.3.2027

Welcome to Hargeisa, the capital of independent Somaliland and home to over a million people in the heart of the country. We will explore Hargeisa with a city tour. We will visit the famous camel market, culture centre and the various markets in the city centre. The city centre is also the site of the 1988 aerial bombardment memorial, a MiG-17 fighter jet of the Somali Air Force, which was shot down and stands on a monumental pedestal. Somaliland broke away from Somalia as a result of those events, but is still waiting for international recognition. One of Hargeisa's peculiarities are huge piles of money on the streets. You can exchange euros or dollars for Somaliland shillings if you wish, although the dollar is also accepted in the country. The centre of Hargeisa is quite compact and we explore it mainly on foot.

Accommodation in Hargeisa.

Day 4 – 19.3.2027

Breakfast, followed by a pick-up from the hotel and a drive of about 50 km north of Hargeisa. We arrive at the main attraction of Somaliland, the rock painting site of Laas Geel. The paintings at Laas Geel are exceptionally well preserved and depict mostly cattle, but also dogs, monkeys, elephants, antelopes, giraffes and people with, for example, a shield or bow in their hands. According to a French archaeological team, the rock art of Laas Geel dates from 4000 to 1000 BC, while Somalilanders consider them to be 5000 years old. Laas Geel should be on UNESCO's World Heritage List, but it doesn't make it because no one recognises Somaliland.

From Laas Geel, the journey continues to the port city of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden, which has a charming old town that we will explore on foot. Berbera has long sandy beaches, offering the opportunity to take a dip in the sea.

The daily driving time is around 170 kilometres, or about three hours. The Hargeisa-Berbera road is in good condition nowadays.

Accommodation at the three-star Berbera Seaside Resort or Damal Hotel in Berbera.

Day 5 – 20.3.2027

Today we drive about 1.5 hours southeast of Berbera. We climb the Golis Mountains to admire the scenery and stop by the nearby small town of Sheikh (found on Google Maps with the name Shiikh) to see the ruins of the British governor's palace and the rest of the town. We are now so high up that the air is cooler. After our visit to the mountains, we will return to Berbera.

The rest of the day is free for beach activities, for example.

Accommodation at the three-star Berbera Seaside Resort or Damal Hotel in Berbera.

Day 6 – 21.3.2027

Today we return to Hargeisa and then on to the airport, where we will catch our flight home.

The total daily driving time is about 155 kilometres, or about 2 hours.