Before traveling to Somalia, nearly everything I had heard about the country involved war, piracy, terrorism or political instability. Those problems were very real, but as with any country, different regions can vary considerably in their culture, politics and security.
I spent this entire journey in Somaliland, the self-governing region in northwestern Somalia that declared the restoration of its independence in 1991 and has since developed its own government and institutions. My travels took me from the capital, Hargeisa, across the mountains to the historic port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden.
I still hope to see other parts of Somalia one day, particularly Puntland and Mogadishu, but the security situation has kept those trips on hold. Conditions have changed considerably since my original journey, and while some areas have become more accessible, Somalia remains one of the world’s riskier travel destinations.
Explore Hargeisa
Hargeisa is the capital and largest city of Somaliland, serving as the region’s political and commercial center. Much of the city was heavily damaged during fighting in the late 1980s, but it was subsequently rebuilt as Somaliland developed its own government institutions following its 1991 declaration of independence from Somalia.
Today, Hargeisa is the main urban center for exploring Somaliland and a city shaped by trade, livestock, markets and connections with the wider Somali diaspora. Its streets and everyday life provide a very different picture from the images of Somalia that have often dominated international news coverage.
Explore Berbera
Berbera is a historic port city on the Gulf of Aden and has been an important center of maritime trade for centuries. The city became the capital of British Somaliland before the colonial administration was transferred to Hargeisa, while its older neighborhoods preserve buildings reflecting Berbera’s long commercial connections across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Port of Berbera remains one of Somaliland’s most important pieces of infrastructure and has undergone major expansion as part of efforts to develop a trade corridor linking the coast with Ethiopia. Beyond the port, Berbera combines historic architecture with an arid mountain backdrop and beaches along the Gulf of Aden.
Explore Sheikh
Sheikh is a small mountain town in Somaliland’s interior, situated along the route between Berbera and the highlands around Hargeisa. The climb from the hot, arid Gulf of Aden coast into the Sheikh Mountains brings a noticeable change in elevation, temperature and scenery.
The surrounding mountains, valleys and vegetation make the Sheikh area a striking contrast to both urban Hargeisa and the dry coastal landscape around Berbera. Its location along one of Somaliland’s principal routes also makes the journey through the mountains one of the most scenic sections of the trip between the interior and the coast.
