Welcome to Somaliland
A de facto sovereign state located on the Horn of Africa, most consider it to be a part of Somalia. Unlike most unrecognized countries, Somaliland is a special case because it is completely independent, stable and functional, and entirely politically isolated. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Somaliland independently or as a solo female traveler!
I went overland from Djibouti to Somaliland on public 4x4 transport independently in December 2021; there was a time you used to need a booked tour with armed guards at all times, even visiting Hargeisa, Somaliland. Around December 2021 I had heard it was possible to do it on your own, but there was such little information out there that one of my gal pals and I attempted to do it on our own. And we did it!
If you want to read more about my trip to Djibouti, check it out here!
SOMALILAND VISA
When we arrived to Djibouti, our guide Moussa took us to the Somaliland consulate to pick up visas. Really easy and straightforward; we left our passports, 1 passport photo, and paid 11,000 DJF. They're only open Monday - Thursdays 9 AM - 1 PM but often times they close early. We came back the next morning at 9 AM and they were ready. Do NOT lose the receipt they give you, they check it at the border and at the police checkpoints along the overland journey.
How to OVERLAND INDEPENDENTLY FROM DJIBOUTI TO SOMALILAND ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Moussa helped arrange our overland trip to Somaliland. It's in a random part of town where all the 4x4s line up across from this khat stand (photo below). We paid 7000 DJF each for the front seat and it leaves at about 4 PM, but you need to make a reservation early in the morning and come back at 2 PM. Moussa said that's the cheapest he's ever seen it for the front seat though, so normally it might be more.
It takes about an hour to drive from Djibouti City to the border, and they only check the PCR on the Djibouti side to exit. After going through Somaliland customs, we had dinner, got sim cards, and exchanged money. We got a Telesom sim card for 400 DJF, which included 0.5 GB of data, plus paid an extra 200 DJF for another 1 GB of data. We exchanged our DJF for both Somaliland Shillings and USD; since inflation is so high we received a huge stack of bills and converted the rest to USD (they accept USD in Somaliland). The exchange rate is really good here compared to Hargeisa, so we exchanged as much as we could. We also wore our headscarves as soon as we crossed since they're much more conservative.
It was a long, bumpy ride to Hargeisa. There were no roads, just tracks in the sand. We stopped every couple hours at random camps on the side of the road where there were latrines, food, and people resting. At 4 AM, everyone got out and laid out mats under the stars. We were confused what was happening, but a woman led us to a hut with mattress pads and blankets on the ground and motioned us to sleep. When the sun rose at 6 AM, we hit the road again and made it to Hargeisa at about 10:30 AM.
what to wear in SOMALILAND
We were pretty exhausted after the overland trip so we took some time to rest and wandered the streets of Hargeisa. I found the money market was really fascinating. As a woman, if you have an abaya, that is preferred, otherwise a headscarf and loose clothing are okay. We wore loose, long clothing and a headscarf but we definitely attracted a lot of attention; people looked at us as if we were naked.
2026 UPDATE | I will admit, this was early on in my extreme travels; now that I’ve visited every country in the Horn of Africa and beyond — just wear an abaya.
where to stay in hargeisa, somaliland
We didn’t have anything booked prior to our trip; we just showed up and asked for a room at the Oriental Hotel for $18/night and had decent wifi, breakfast was included. If you’d rather book something in advance I’ll share a few options to check out.
SEARCH | Alternatively, check out Booking.com for more options in Hargeisa
COVID
The only place you can get a PCR done is the General Hospital of Hargeisa. It was $45, and you come back the next morning to pick up the results. Even though our next destinations don't require PCRs, we decided to get one since we've heard that Ethiopian Airlines will still ask for it (even though it doesn't say it on the website). This turned out to be a good move, since every checkpoint in the airport when leaving asked for it.
UPDATE | I visited Somaliland in December 2021 so PCR requirements have changed since then.
Top Places to Visit in Somaliland
BERBERA
Like I mentioned earlier, we visited Somaliland without a guide; the following are tips on how to visit Berbera independently. The best public transportation minibus service is Sahal (bright yellow buses). It was $5 one way to Berbera and took about 4 hours in total. We stayed at Alloore Hotel Berbera ($20 no AC, $30 with AC) and was nice and clean, plus took a taxi to Batalaale Beach for $4. Great for sunset and the ocean was clean and clear.
LAAS GEEL
The next challenge was how to visit Laas Geel on our own without having to book an armed guard. Somaliland is relatively safe these days, and when we went they were transitioning out of needing one at all times.
Laas Geel in Somaliland is an exceptional and exceptionally well-preserved rock art complex dating back between 5,000 and 9,000 years. Located near Hargeisa, its series of brightly painted caves and rock shelters feature vivid depictions of cattle, wild animals, and human figures, offering rare insight into prehistoric pastoral life in the Horn of Africa. The paintings’ vibrant pigments and detailed scenes make Laas Geel one of the most important archaeological and cultural sites in the region, valued for both its artistic quality and historical significance.
We asked the hotel in Berbera how much it would be to arrange transport to Laas Geel and then to Hargeisa. They found a driver for $100 and said he had police connections since technically you need a permit to visit; we thought we were gonna get a random dude in a tiny car, but he seemed to be a formal driver with a military badge in a 4x4 Landcruiser and we didn't have any issues at the police checkpoints. If you go this route, there's obviously a risk and it depends on how well your driver can talk their way through. It took about 2 hours to reach the Las Geels turn-off and we paid $25 each for entry.
Hargeisa CAMEL MARKET
We took a taxi for $4 to the camel market in Hargeisa. The most popular time is 9 AM - noon. People seemed to welcome photos, although we got yelled at because my friend's shirt, although long and loose, had buttons and apparently that's a no-no. Wearing an abaya is probably better. We went at 9 AM and there seemed to be taxis coming and going, but if you go at less popular hours you might need to ask your taxi to wait for you.
