Somaliland Tours – Group tours to Somaliland

Young Pioneer Tours are offering fully guided Somaliland tours for 2024 and 2025. Join us and experience our tours to Somaliland, officially known as the Republic of Somaliland – the unrecognised sovereign state is located in the Horn of Africa.

Explore the vibrant streets of Hargeisa, the largest and capital city of Somaliland with your expert guides and learn about its Neolithic period and discover the earliest known cave paintings to its more recent colonial era, war torn past and struggle for independence. Culturally beautiful with a bright future ahead despite autonomous region not being recognised by the international community – now’s the time to explore discover Somaliland.

Somaliland Tours – Group tours to Somaliland in 2024 and 2025

Currently we are offering group tours to Somaliland, alongside independent Somaliland tours throughout the year. Our group tours can be combined Our group tours to can be combined with Djibouti, Eritrea and Mogadishu, Somalia to make the most of your time in the Horn of Africa.

As we continue to grow, so does our tours to the region, currently we’re offering the following group tours to Somaliland – however express your interest here, as were sure to be adding more.

Djibouti, Somaliland, Eritrea & Somalia: Horn of Africa Independence Combo Tour – May 14th – 27th 2024 – $3095

Our highly popular and sought after tour of the Horn of Africa, embracing each country and celebrating Independence Day in Somaliland and Eritrea. Experience the culture, history and grasp the fascinating charm of the friendly locals. See how borders influence politics and communities.

Somaliland Independence Day Tour – May 17th – 21st 2024 – $1095

Join in the largest celebration to one of the least visited destinations on Earth and experience Somaliland heritage and identify for their Independence Day. Join in with locals as they partake in the festivities and observe the military parade.

INDEPENDENT TOURS TO SOMALILAND

Day 1 – Hargeisa, Somaliland

Morning

• Arrive at your convenience into Hargeisa – the capital city of Somaliland which is well connected with flights from the majority of East Africa, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia & Dubai. Those who are joining us from Djibouti will arrive on an Air Djibouti flight at 8:00am in Hargeisa.
• Airport pick-up and we will take you to Damal Hotel.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 10:00am to discuss tour itinerary and to meet new fellow travellers.
• If available the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will welcome our YPT group to their office where we’ll receive an introduction of the unrecognised country by Somaliland diplomats.
• We’ll start our tour off by visiting the best view of Hargeisa, the Massala View – here we’ll be able to spot most of the important buildings of the city but also the twin hills called Naaso Hablood, also known as Hargeisa’s landmark.
• We’ll stop by the cemetery for British Soldiers who died here battling against the Italians during the Second World War.

Afternoon

• We will have lunch at a local Somali restaurant with some Somalilander intellectual icons who will give us the political, social, historical and cultural introduction of the country.
• We will then take a walking tour around the city centre of Hargeisa to get a sense of the people and the city. Here you will see street money exchangers and their “chunk” of bills, the central market, and the MiG Jet fighter War Memorial which stands for the atrocities committed by the dictator during the Civil War. The War Memorial is in the middle of the buzzing centrum and an excellent place for a coffee and chats with Somalilanders about politics and history.
• Visit to the busy market in downtown Hargeisa for some evening shopping and people watching.
• Dinner at a lively canteen off the main drag of Hargeisa. We’ll have a chance to chat with them and hear how they find life in Somaliland.
• After dinner, you can walk around the bustling city centre in Hargeisa, and have some chai with the friendly locals or do some shopping for souvenirs.
• Overnight in Hargeisa.

Day 2 – Hargeisa – Laas Geel – Berbera

Morning

• After breakfast, we will take a visit to the livestock market where locals will allow you to purchase your own camel or black headed sheep! For those who can’t fit a camel in their luggage, this market will provide excellent photo opportunities and an insight of how they do business.
• Begin our 160km journey north to Berbera on the coast which is also the largest seaport of Somaliland. Berbera was the former capital of the British Somaliland protectorate before Hargeisa and served as the prominent port of the Ifat, Adal and Isaaq sultanates between the 13th and 19th century.
• On our way we’ll stop at Laas Geel – the most important rock art site in all of Africa. These caves contain some of the oldest cave paintings on the horn of Africa; the vibrant colours and well-preserved paintings are estimated to be over ten thousand years old.

Afternoon

• We’ll stop for lunch on the way at popular restaurant
• Upon our arrival in Berbera, we will visit the historical Ottoman Mosque and Ottoman houses.
• We’ll begin exploring around the historic town of Berbera where you’ll find countless Ottoman, Persian, and British architecture. This will be an excellent chance for some unique photographs.
• We’ll also explore an area known as Moscow District – during the 1960s and 70s Soviet military servicemen and labourers were based in this exclusive zone building the Berbera airport and expanding the port. The Soviets were given 24 hours to leave when they leaked information about impending invasion by the Somalians to the Ethiopians. The Stalinist buildings left standing are now occupied by families.
• Catch the sunset before checking into our hotel.
• We will have fresh seafood on the waterfront for dinner.
• Overnight at hotel in Berbera

Day 3 – Berbera – Sheikh – Hargeisa

Morning

• Breakfast and head to the port to spot the fisherman bringing in their fresh catch and a quick tour of the fish markets next door.
• We’ll then board a boat to hunt for shipwrecks in the Gulf of Aden whilst passing interesting vessels that anchor off an unrecognised country.
• We then take some time off and head to a gorgeous spot on the beach for a swim near the lighthouse – it’s not uncommon to catch local youths and families enjoy their time in the sun. Due to local culture we ask our female travellers to cover their body including their arms and legs in the water. For those who have their diving license, we can arrange a diving excursion.

Afternoon

• Lunch in town before we begin making our way back to the town of Sheikh in the mountains. The town is one of the most famous and historical places to Somalis. It’s also considered an educational place and a city of civilization. Here we’ll visit the former British government house and left-over British barracks that offers great views. It’s common to spot tortoises up in these mountains too!
• Here we’ll enjoy some afternoon tea, explore the town and enjoy the pleasant climate.
• We’ll make the long drive back to Hargeisa for our last dinner in Somaliland where we’ll farewell our local guides.
• Overnight in Hargeisa

Day 4 – Hargeisa – Asmara, Eritrea

• Breakfast at hotel
• Tour concludes – YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for ongoing flights.
• Continue your journey onwards to Eritrea and Mogadishu, Somalia.

INDEPENDENT SOMALILAND TOUR EXAMPLES

Our independent tours are specially created for your interests and desires, therefore not all our tours are listed – here are some examples of independent tours we can offer. 

Somaliland tour guides 

YPT are at the forefront for opening up obscure and less frequented destination, with Somaliland being the less visited country in the World. We take pride in the service and experience we offer – we can only achieve this by having the best YPT and local guides, something that makes us stand out from the markets.

The passion and knowledge of our guides is something unique which makes our customers return over and over again – hence why we only work with the best. With obscure destinations like Somaliland, we are often the first travel group to visit, breaking barriers and constantly growing in the travel industry.

All our group tours to Somaliland are accompanied by an experienced YPT guide alongside our expert local guide, who are fluent in English. However if you require another language for an independent tour to Somaliland, then please get in touch.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMALILAND TOURS

Is it safe to visit Somaliland?

Yes, it’s safe to visit Somaliland, despite foreign government advices all travel the region – YPT have been running tours to Somaliland for a number of years, with in-depth research and working closely with our local’s partners, local authorities and security experts.

We take the safety of our customers and staff with the utmost priority. All our trips are security conscious and are accompanied by armed Special Protection Units – this is due to the government being ‘overprotective’ of foreign visitors.

Can you interact with the locals in Somaliland?

Yes, it’s perfectly fine to interact with locals in Somaliland, who are extremely welcoming to foreigners. Please remember Somaliland is a very conservative Muslims country and be respectful to the local customs and laws. Be mindful when taking photographs and always ask permission before taking photos – if unsure ask your guide who are more than happy to help.

Can you freely take pictures in Somaliland?

Yes, you can freely take pictures in Somaliland, just be mindful when taking photographs and always ask permission before taking photos. We would also like to mention that it’s culturally taboo for males to take pictures of females – if unsure ask your guide who are more than happy to help.

What should I wear during the Somaliland tour?

Somaliland is hot throughout the year so pack accordingly, we recommend modest, breathable, light coloured clothing. Basically no sleeveless clothes, tiny shorts or tight revealing clothes. Don’t forget to pack your swimwear as you’ll have to opportunity to go swimming in the Red Sea. It’s also advised for our female travellers to wear a headscarf out of respect for the local customs.

Is it safe for the LGBTQ+ community to visit Somaliland?

Somaliland is a conservative Muslim state and has strict rules against same sex relationships. It’s best not to behave in such a manner in public which may be perceived offensive to the local community. Please be discreet is the best approach to avoid harsh legal penalties.