Hargeisa Tourism, Somalia: How To Reach, Best Time and Tips.
Well, the title says it all! In this article ,you are going to meet a city that has decided to break its chains! The city of HARGEISA is located in Wooquyi Galbeed region, which is located in the Horn of Africa, and it’s the capital city of Somaliland.
What people find very attractive and interesting in this city is that the city very keen population. Also, very nice and comfortable people are living there, but they do find the nest of history very convincing reason to visit this place.The vast of Neolithic remaining, the stone culture appeared to be the most motivating reasons to visit this city.
The elevation of 1334m really makes it little more comfortable to breathe. What all people find it really astonishing is that the world barely knew this place existed in first place until pre-19th century. This city, was used from the nomadic stock-herders as a water stop, but it developed slowly but surely.
Geographical Description & The Beauty Of HARGEISA
We mentioned above that the city is located in pretty mixed area. You can meet high mountains that receive lots of rain (around 400 millimeters in April and September), but it also contains dry savannas that can attract lots of wild animals in their areas.
The city’s highest temperature recorded is around 35 degrees, and lowest around 2.8 degrees. Also, what’s worth mentioning is their reconstruction. After the civil war in 1991 year and the collapse of the central government, the city of Hargeisa has gone under construction.
Now it contains variety of buildings that have been financed by local entrepreneurs. The difference between then and now is that the today’s city has lots of high-rise buildings. The city and the country by itself have lots of national parks.
Therefore, you can visit lots of them without getting hurt by the animals, because they are in safe distances. This city is mainly known for its Neolithic remaining, for its stone-carved poetry and for its rich history. The country by itself contains very intimidating history, from Neolithic time to civil war all the way to independence.
HARGEISA Name,S History & Its Culture:
The history of this name comes from 2 words “ Harar-as-sagir” which means “Harar the little one”. This refers to the fact that this city was small from the beginning, but it developed to big one. This city was named as the capital city of Woqooyi Galbeed, province of Somalia. This happened in the post-independence period from 1960 to 1991.
Many other projects were initiated from that times Government- mostly successful because the common people had their trust in them. The city had also opened its very first museum “Hargeisa Provincial Museum” which holds aircrafts and military artifacts today. The city has semi-arid climate which means its average temperatures can vary from 18 degrees to 24 degrees.
Top Things To Do In HARGEISA
1. Damal Hotel Hargeisa
As far as you can check, this hotel has its very own respectable reviews on many applications around the internet. This hotel is rather luxurious, but regardless it can make you feel like home. It has many floors so you will have the freedom to pick the view you’ll see when you wake up. Its restaurant and its service have been known all around the world for their professional manner.
2. Ambassador Hotel
Well the name says it all! If you want to feel like a gentleman, being served and taken care of from high professionals you should visit this place! It is located in the very own center of this city, so you can visit whatever you like without paying lots of money for transportation services. This hotel will gladly accept all of your requests as valuable guest and will take criticism if something isn’t going by your will.
3. Golden Tourist Hotel
This hotel is rather more valuable to the tourists than it is to the diplomats. It has its own style, tropical one that allows you to feel like you are in the Bahamas, but for much cheaper price! Its services lacks no confidence and no professional workers, which means you are in safe hands when it comes to being served well and respected.
The guests here are open to visit the hotel any time they want and the only obligation they have is to show up on time for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which by the way you wouldn’t want to miss for anything on this world!
4. Livestock market
For the trading guys, for the guys that love buying and selling stuff, this is the real deal for you! You might feel intimidated from the name but do not worry, the sellers and buyers in this place are not just some farm-people that came to sell their possessing! You will get really surprised from the people and from their trading abilities, so if you are a “trade-guy” you should totally visit this place without having any second thoughts!
5. Laas Geel
We talked about Neolithic remaining in this place and when we said “remaining” we actually meant…well – “remaining”. The place is full of Neolithic culture craves and pictures and also with vast of paintings, which is giving you that satisfactory feeling because you think you are in a place full of history! Well, practically it is full of history you just need to revive it by yourself!
6. Hargeisa Provincial Museum
This museum, as we mentioned above, is the first museum since the independence of the country. It has been founded in 1977 and it is located in the northern part of Woqooyi Galbeed in Somalia. The museum by itself presents a building that is a symbol of their independent state. Inside the museum you can find lots of firearms, but back in 1977 there were only ethnological containment which was mainly donated from the locals.
7. Naasa Hablood
This place is also known as Virgin’s Breast Mountain and actually its twin hills are located in Somaliland. Its structures are made from sand and granite, and the shape is actually like girl’s breasts which is why it got its name. Due to the specification of this material, it has been visited a lot from the archeologists all around the world and from the land-experts because they do have beliefs that it comes from Neolithic time.
Best Hotel & Resorts List In HARGEISA
1. Maan Soor Hotel
This is one of the most extravagant hotel in the whole city. The specialty in this hotel is that the views are just astonishing- you can see the whole city in one view and it feels like you are floating in the sky because of its structure.
2. Safari Hotel
Also one of the most intimidating hotels to visit. You can enjoy in their traditional food and their exotic cocktails prepared specially for you, because the staff doesn’t let any single guest feel like a stranger!
3. Egan Hotel Apartments
This one is more for the spares and for the common people, although you can find the service there quite luxurious. Not so expensive, yet not so behind versus the luxurious pretenders in the city.
4. Deero Hotel Hargeisa
Quite classy hotel for the spenders! If you don’t plan on sparing money, this is the right hotel for you!
5. Adams Inn
Familiar place where you can rest with your family and enjoy the familiar welcome that this hotel can provide you! Because Hargeisa is a city visited not only from diplomats, but by families too!
Best Restaurant & Food Item In HARGEISA
There are many restaurants in this place you can enjoy, whether you are with your family or with your co-workers. First, there is “Summertime Restaurant” which can provide you high-quality sea food from shells to fresh tunas.
Then, you have “Hamdi Restaurants” which is an exotic mix from sea food and from spicy meals to “spice” things up for you!Also, you can visit “Sultan Restaurant Hargeysa” if you have a taste for the Turkish food.
This restaurant is owned by a Turkish guy who really knows how to make its “own-nation” food. Many of these restaurants open at 7:00 AM and they close in late hours of the night. They are also easy to be found, and we are 100% sure that you will get lured by the “highly-addictive” smell of the spicy food!
How To Reach HARGEISA & How Much It Costs:
This place is easy reachable and it is not commanded by one emperor, dictator or ruler. Usually you can visit this place with planes, as many companies can give you direct charter flight to Hargeisa. This is if you travel from another continent, but if you come from Africa you can visit it with bus and train.
Also, Hargeisa has enormous airport which awaits lots of tourists and diplomats all around the world. The flight prices are dependable on where you fly from. Therefore, you may be looking from $50 ticket to $300-400 and even more expensive if you fly from another continent (North America or Australia for example). However, it is not considered as expensive place to stay and to arrive in.
When Time You Shold Go There ?
The city of Hargeisa is located at 1337m sea level. The city used to be surrounded by forest but now it has only small junipers. This city is surrounded by 2 large mountains, Sheikh and Daallo, which bring lots of rains in this city.
Therefore, the best time to visit this place is in the dry season, which takes place around 6-7 months depending on the rain season. Also, this city has lots of savannas which can attract wild animals. You will need to be careful if you visit these places.
Tips For Tourists
And of course that you need tips before you go on this vacation, on what you should or should not do before you go:
*Do not go in the rain-season. Rains can last for several days which means your vacation will get ruined just because you were not patient enough! You should better wait few more months before you get on that plane.
*Do not forget your travel insurance! We mentioned that there are wild animals that are used to people, but that doesn’t make them tamed! They can still hurt you and you need your insurance now more than everything!
*Do not forget your most efficient mosquito spray! You’ll need it more than ever because those noisy and annoying creatures are all around the world, and this place doesn’t have the shortage of it!
*Take more cards and money with you, because you’ll never know how much you’ll need. Although thefts are rare sign in this city, they can surprise you if they notice that you are a tourist with money in you. So, if you take more money with you, you need to take good care of them and to camouflage to the environment so you won’t get spotted easily.
