Wednesday 14^th May – Djibouti City

• Arrival at your convenience into Djibouti City – the capital city of Djibouti which is well connected from flights between Dubai, Doha, Paris, Istanbul and Addis Ababa.
• Meet our driver at the airport and dropped off at our hotel – Ras Dika Hotel.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 4:00pm to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• Head out on our exploration of Djibouti City. We’ll go see the two most famous mosques of the country, the Hammoud Mosque as well as the Al Sada Mosque, the local market, take a photo at the ‘I love Djibouti’ sign, and finish with a walking tour of downtown Djibouti city to purchase flags, football jerseys, magnets and other Djibouti souvenirs.
• After we’ve built up an appetite exploring around the city, we will head to the most famous restaurant in the city which has been around for decades and serves Yemeni style seafood dishes and other local dishes.
• Overnight at Ras Dika Hotel

Thursday 15^th May – Djibouti City – Lake Abbe

Morning

• After breakfast, we will begin our excursion to Lake Abbe, located on the border between Djibouti and Ethiopia.
• On the road there, we’ll stop by the Little and Grand Bara, which are large fields of white clay, upon which mirages are frequently seen alongside the gazelles and antelopes.
• We’ll stop at a town that used to hold thousands of refugees from Yemen before they were relocated to other parts in Africa.
• On the road, we’ll arrange a stop to meet local nomad shepherds, who have made this desert region their home, even though it is amongst the hottest and most hostile places in the world.

Afternoon

• Stop for lunch along the way.
• Late afternoon arrival at Lake Abbe Camp, which is just on the border of Lake Abbe which offers pleasant night view. Here the land is flat apart from one hill and mixed with the clouds this is quite the view! The camp has basic shower facilities and a bathroom.
• Dinner and overnight in Lake Abbe Camp.

Friday 16^th May – Lake Abbe – Lake Assal – Djibouti City

Morning

• Wake up early to check out the sunrise over Lake Abbe, a formidable sight as the sun rises unobstructed over the lake with hundreds of natural limestone chimneys, spitting out steam and sulphur. You will wonder if you just woke up on the same planet!
• We’ll trek along the lake before the sun rises and scorches the earth. The trek shall take two hours but may reward us with massive colonies of pink flamingos.
• During this trek, we might meet the local donkey and camel herders and our local guide will introduce us to them.
• Return to camp for breakfast, pack up and move on.

Afternoon

• We then make our way to the second lake of Djibouti, and certainly its most famous, Lake Assal
• On our way we’ll stop at Belvedere Sul Canyon – this spot offers fantastic views where the three tectonic plates of Africa, Somalia and the Arabian plate are pulling 2cm apart each year.
• Lake Assal is located no less than 150 metres below sea level, making it Africa’s lowest point and the world’s third lowest point. It is crowned by an almost alien chain of volcanoes spewing black lava. The border of the lake is surrounded by salt banks of a white so bright that it looks like snow. This lake is the world`s largest reserve of salt.
• Once we’ve visited the lake to our heart’s content, we will drive back to Djibouti City, arriving in the late afternoon.
• After our return to our hotel, we’ll partake in a well-earned shower and then dinner for a feast of fresh seafood, camel or salads.
• Head for drinks before overnight at Ras Dika Hotel.

Saturday 17^th May – Djibouti City – Hargeisa, Somaliland

Morning

• Group A & C members: transport to the airport. We recommend booking and boarding the Air Djibouti flight DJ200 departing Djibouti at 8:00am and arriving 8:40am in Hargeisa. Flights not included in tour cost. This flight is available to book within 3 months of the flight date.
• Group B members: 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.
• Meet our driver and head to Damal Hotel to check-in
• 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 t-shirts and flags for Independence Day.
• Overnight in Hargeisa.

Sunday 18^th May – Hargeisa: Independence Day! – Laas Geel – Berbera

Morning

• We’ll get up nice and early for breakfast before hitting the streets to observe the military and civilian parades. Everyone will be dressed in the national colours on the street, and this is one of the only places on earth to take part in an Independence Day celebration in an unrecognized country! The president himself will be there.

Afternoon

• Lunch at one of Hargeisa’s most famous traditional restaurant that is known for camel meat and other local stunning dishes
• 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.
• 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.
• Catch the sunset before checking into our hotel.
• We will have fresh seafood on the waterfront for dinner.
• Overnight at hotel in Berbera

Monday 19^th May – Berbera – 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

• Seafood lunch in town along the coast before we begin making our way back to Hargeisa.
• We’ll 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.
• Begin making our way back to Hargeisa
• On arrival check-into our hotel to freshen up and head out for our last dinner in Somaliland where we’ll farewell our local guides and friends.
• Overnight in Hargeisa

Tuesday 20^th May – Hargeisa – Asmara, Eritrea

Morning

• After breakfast, we will checkout of our hotel and take a quick 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.
• Group A members: tour concludes in Hargeisa, Somaliland – YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for ongoing flights

Afternoon

• Group B & C members: transport to the Hargeisa airport. We recommend booking and boarding FlyDubai flight FZ662 & FZ645 departing Hargeisa at 12:20pm and arriving 10:15pm in Asmara via Dubai. Flight cost not included in tour cost.
• Be greeted at the airport by our Eritrean guides and driver and dropped off to our hotel – Expo Hotel
• Overnight in Asmara

Wednesday 21^st May – Asmara – Keren

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 9:00am to discuss tour itinerary and to meet new fellow travellers.
• Begin your morning walking tour of Asmara. You will see the spectacular art deco of Asmara built by the Italians at the turn of the last century, such as the Fiat Tagliero building, Cinema Roma, the former Opera house of Asmara, the Post Office built 1916, Albergo Italia built in 1899, the Hotel Hamasien built in 1916, the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, the metal recycling market, the central fish market, and many other sites along the way!
• Visit the City Hall to see various photo displays in commemoration of the thirty-years bitter struggle and the post-independence progress. The City Hall was established by the Italians in 1890 and is one of the oldest institutions in Africa.

Afternoon

• Lunch in Asmara at a famous Italian joint where you can try classic Italian cuisines or popular Eritrean dishes.
• Begin our 100km northwest journey to Keren – the second largest city in Eritrea. Keren is the junction between the highlands and lowlands.
• We’ll arrange several stops at points of interests along the way
• Check-in to our hotel to freshen up and head out for dinner
• Overnight in Keren

Thursday 22^nd May – Keren – Massawa

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel, and head to the Keren market. This market is complete with vendors selling livestock such as camels, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
• Visit the Italian and Commonwealth War Cemetery – Keren holds a historical significance as it was the site of one of the most intense battles between the Commonwealth and Italian forces in 1941. The capture of Keren by the advancing Commonwealth military marked the end of Italian occupation in Eritrea.
• Explore the locally famous Mariam Dearit temple – this small Catholic shrine to the Virgin Mary is built into a baobab tree said to be 500 years old or more.

Afternoon

• Lunch in Keren and continue 200km towards Massawa – a colourful port town mixed with Italian, Egyptian and Ottoman architecture built along Africa’s Red Sea coastline. On the way we’ll stop for scenic photos of the forgotten railway connecting Asmara to Massawa constructed between 1887 and 1932 during the Italian Eritrea colony. Sadly, this line is no longer in operation. We’ll also stop to explore the abandoned sparkling water factory, a tank and an abandoned railway station.

• Check into our hotel reminiscent of the era of the Italians, the Grand Dahlak Hotel.
• Dinner at Almaz Bar & Restaurant, YPT’s favourite meal in Massawa. There, we can try Ja-Ja fish, an incredible stir-fry made up of thick pieces of fish
• Explore the nightlife of Massawa and find some bars to mingle.
• Overnight in Massawa

Friday 23^rd May – Massawa – Asmara

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel and begin our walking tour to take in the unique mixture of Turkish and Italian architectural designs stopping at all sites of interest – Massawa was the capital of the Italian Colony of Eritrea until the seat of the colonial government was moved to Asmara in 1897. Decades of war during Eritrea’s struggle for independence, which it won in 1991, have taken their toll on Massawa’s buildings, many of which are now on the brink of collapse.
• Explore the former winter residence of Emperor Haile Selassie which was originally constructed in 1872 by the Ottomans.
• Visit the Northern Red Sea Regional Museum – artifacts from 800BCE all the way to the struggle of the independence war is displayed and explained by a local English speaking museum guide.
• We’ll then board a boat and set to Green Island located 5km off Massawa – one of our favourite beaches in all of Africa. The white sandy beach and crystal blue waters offers a fantastic spot to unwind and enjoy a swim. Snorkelling is also available.

Afternoon

• Lunch at our hotel, this will also give a chance to shower and refreshen up before returning back to Asmara
• On the way we’ll stop at the 3 Tanks Monument – a memorial of three tanks (Tiger, Jaguar, Commander) that were instrumental in Operation Fenkil which led to the liberation of Massawa after a brutal Ethiopian occupation.
• On arrival into Asmara check into hotel.
• Tonight, Harnett Street is packed with carnival celebrations so we’ll head there to check out the various pre-Independence Day celebrations including modern and folklore dances, and live music!
• For those keen we’ll stop by the bowling alley for a step back in time.
• Dinner and overnight in Asmara

Saturday 24^th May – Asmara: Independence Day!

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Explore one of the largest tank graveyards YPT has ever discovered. APCs, Soviet tanks, aircrafts, vintage cars.. this place has it all! Most are leftovers from the war with Ethiopia.
• Visit the Italian cemetery which is still funded and looked after by the Italian embassy in Asmara.
• Stop by the old railway station of Asmara – frozen in time, the railway station is located near the railway holding yard where the classic mallet locomotives are resting.
• We’ll use this morning to catch up on any sites that may have been missed on our first day in Asmara or to further show you the city.

Afternoon

• After lunch, we’ll take you to our favourite bar to watch the Eritrean President address the public and deliver a speech on the occasion of the Independence Day live on TV.
• Dinner and drinks to close out the Independence celebrations at a traditional restaurant, Hed Mona, where you can sample injera and Asmara gin.. followed by more celebrations on the streets! TBA – fireworks in the city.
• Overnight at the hotel in Asmara.

Sunday 25th May – Asmara

• Breakfast at hotel
• Group B & C members: tour concludes – YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for ongoing flights

Read More