Hargeisa is the capital of Somaliland. It is one of the safest places in what the rest of the world still considers to be Somalia.
Hargeisa has more than 1.1 million inhabitants (2023 estimate). Apart from the occasional couch surfer, there is very little tourism (and no tourist industry), as almost all visitors are working for an NGO or other organization. The city is a peaceful and friendly place, but does require some planning to ensure a successful visit.
Hargeisa has an informal shared bus service. Ask a local for instructions. Hargeisa used to have working traffic lights, but now the only traffic control is by the occasional police officer. All residents entitled to drive must hold a photo driving licence, and all cars bear Somaliland licence plates. Taxis can be booked via your hotel (not hailed on the street) but are quite expensive. For example, a taxi from Maan-soor Hotel to the airport cost US$25 in April 2011. Women must wear long dresses or skirts, to the ankle (no trousers), and must cover their hair and upper arms at all times. Men should not wear shorts or sleeveless t-shirts.
As the Somali heritage is pastoral, most modern food is inspired by neighbouring countries, with Ethiopian cuisine being particularly popular. There are rice, spaghetti, cheeseburgers or salad. There are doughnuts, cakes and tropical food. Call into a restaurant and ask for what you want, but not pork as it is forbidden (haram). At breakfast you could try Somali pancakes, a little like a fluffy pancake, and "small meat", which is similar to sausage meat except served loose on a plate).
You will not find any alcohol in Hargeisa in official outlets, but it is still available on the Black Market. Men congregate in cafes with glasses of tea, coffee or fruit juice. Camel milk milkshakes are popular, particularly the strawberry and vanilla flavours.
As of 2020, Hargeisa is generally safe, with little crime against the few tourists and foreigners, and little swindling or "ripping off". It is possible to walk around by yourself in the urban areas of Hargeisa in the daytime or at night, but make sure that you know where you are going, as there are no street signs, and no street lights at night. While the main roads have some rudimentary paving, most roads are sand and dirt and populated by goats and stray dogs. In some areas (e.g. livestock market) people may throw rocks or bottles at you, similar to what happens sometimes in rural Ethiopia. The local residents are extremely friendly and will greet foreigners in the street.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Sep, Hargeisa typically sees ~32°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
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