Popularly known as the North Korea of Africa, it is said that Eritrea is the most repressive and hermetic country in all of Africa, a real off-the-beaten-path destination not many travelers have had the chance to visit.
On the other hand, Somaliland is a self-administered territory that controls its own borders and has managed to stay away from all the issues that cause Somalia to be a failed state.
Join us in discovering both countries in the first expedition where we combine both!
Note that we always keep the itinerary flexible, and it may be subject to change, depending on the political situation.
Day 1 – Arrival in Asmara
Day 2 – Decamhare & Senafe
Day 3 – Qohaito & Soho tribe
Day 4 – Keren animal market
Day 5 – Back to Asmara and city tour
Day 6 – Massawa
Day 7 – Rasahida tribe and back to Asmara
Day 8 – Fly to Hargeisa
Day 9 – Full day in Hargeisa
Day 10 – Las Geel and Berbera
Day 11 – Berbera – Sheikh – Hargeisa
Day 12 – Departure
Day 1 – Arrival in Asmara
Airport pick-up, followed by checking into the hotel
Introductory briefing on this Eritrea expedition, followed by dinner and drinks.
Overnight in Asmara.
Day 2 – Decamhare and Senafe
Travel to Decamhare, a town southeast of Asmara that served as the industrial hub for Italian Eritrea. At its peak in 1938, almost half the town’s inhabitants were Italian citizens. Despite considerable fighting in the War of Independence, Decamhare still has good examples of colonial architecture.
Then, we’ll continue through a valley of beautiful, giant sycamores, making our way into Senafe.
After lunch, we’ll explore the town of Senafe and then, we’ll do a 4-hour hike to the top of a mountain, aiming for a pilgrimage place for local Christians. The views from there are amazing.
Overnight in Senafe.
Day 3 – Qohaito & Soho tribe
Quohaito is a pre-Axumite archaeological site about 20km from Senafe, located at 2,600m on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, from where you see amazing views of the canyon.
We’ll also get down to the canyon to discover some pretty ancient rock art.
Then, we’ll visit a local community from the Soho tribe, with whom we’ll have some coffee and learn about their lifestyle.
Back to Asmara and overnight in Asmara.
Day 4 – Keren animal market
Day 4 of the expedition will be a Monday, which is the day that the Keren animal market takes place, probably the best livestock market I have ever seen.
We will take our time visiting the market, including plenty of free time for taking pictures, interacting with locals and just discovering it on our own.
After lunch, we’ll visit the rest of town and surrounding areas.
Overnight in Keren.
Day 5 – Back to Asmara, Asmara City Tour
Wide, palm-lined boulevards, art deco, more Fiat Cinquecentos than Italy itself, and a great coffee scene. Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, might be the most charming city in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Things we will visit include: Fiat Tagliero building, Cinema Roma, Cinema Imperio, Saint Joseph Cathedral, Medemer Market, and the famous bowling center, among other things.
Overnight in Asmara.
Day 6 – Massawa
Drive to the Red Sea coast, to Eritrea’s main port city of Massawa, an old city that has been occupied by the Portuguese, Arabs, Egyptians, Turks, British and Italians.
It gained prominence back in the 16th century when it was captured by Ottoman forces, who developed the old town using traditional Ottoman architectural styles, often with coral instead of bricks.
We’ll visit the old Ottoman town, the Italian legacy and have some great seafood.
Overnight in Massawa.
Day 7 – Massawa and the Rashahida tribe
Rashahida people are an ethnic group that lives across the coast plain of the Red Sea, from Port Sudan to Massawa. They are the descendants of Arab tribes from the 19th century and are nomadic people characterized by their colorful dress and camel breeds.
Lunch with the Rashahida community.
If possible, we’ll also visit Adulis, once among the greatest ports of the ancient world, linking the Roman, Egyptian and Greek Empires.
However, February will be the rainy season in that area so the road tends to be very muddy and, impossible to drive on our bus. We’ll see. Otherwise, after lunch, we’ll head back to Asmara.
Overnight in Asmara.
Day 8 – Fly to Hargeisa
We’ll take the 12:25 pm flight with Ethiopian Airlines that arrives in Hargeisa via Addis at 5 pm.
Check-in the hotel, dinner and rest.
Overnight in Hargeisa
Day 9 – Full day in Hargeisa
In the morning, visit the famous camel market, one of the largest in the world, and one of the top tourist attractions in Somaliland.
Visit Naasa Hablood, two granite hills also known as Two Breasts Mountain.
Hargeisa city center highlights, which include the money market and the war memorial for Somaliland Independence.
After breakfast, we’ll leave Hargeisa for Laas Geel, home to some of the most amazing Neolithic rock art in Africa, featuring wild animals and ancient pastoralists, and other scenes from prehistoric times.
Then, drive to Berbera, a coastal city with a rich Ottoman architecture
We’ll then take a boat trip, looking for shipwrecks in the Gulf of Aden.
Overnight in Berbera.
Day 11 – Berbera – Sheikh – Hargeisa
Drive into the mountains to the small town of Sheikh and visit the ruins of Ferdusa, a city from the 16th century.
Head back to Hargeisa, doing all necessary stops.
Overnight in Hargeisa.
Day 12 – Hargeisa – departure
After breakfast, we’ll take care of your transfer.
End of the tour.
Gallery of photos
Included
Letter of Invitation for both Eritrea and Somaliland
11 nights of accommodation in secured hotels mentioned in FAQ
Permits for traveling around Eritrea & Somaliland
Armed escort for Somaliland
Private transportation around Eritrea & Somaliland
Breakfast and lunch
English-speaking local guide
International tour leader
Entrance fees to all places listed in the itinerary
The price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will share the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. We always try to group people of same gender and age but note that this won’t always be the case.
If you want a single room, you will have to pay an additional €230.
How to get a visa for Eritrea & Somaliland?
You don’t need to worry about anything.
Since you’ll be visiting both countries as part of a group, we will apply for you, so you won’t need to visit the embassy but just collect it upon arrival.
How to get to Asmara?
You can only fly in. Land borders are closed.
The International Airport of Asmara has connections with Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines), Cairo (Egypt Air), Dubai (Fly Dubai) and Istanbul (Turkish Airlines).
How to get to Hargeisa?
We’ll take altogether the Ethiopian Airlines flight that departs from Asmara at 12:25 pm and arrives in Hargeisa at 5 pm via Addis Ababa.
Please keep in mind that each traveler is responsible for their flight.
How does payment work?
To secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
All details will be shared upon booking your spot.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, if you want to join any of our expeditions, you must purchase travel insurance, this is non-negotiable, and it must be with IATI.
Why do we have to book it with IATI?
Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for a very long time. We know their CEO, the marketing team and we do a lot of collaborations together so in the unlikely case something happened, we’d know what to do.
Moreover, IATI Insurance covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel.
You may also benefit from a 5% discount if purchasing it from the below link.
