Somaliland cultural tour

Planet

We are proud of our involvement in Somaliland; a self declared independent state unrecognised by the rest of the world. Tourism in Somaliland is virtually unknown, but we believe it is crucial to the country’s development. With high levels of unemployment and little in the way of foreign trade we want you to know that your trip will make a difference.

When travelling in places that have never had tourists, it is extremely important that we set the standard. All guests are given a copy of our responsible travel policy and our local team in Somaliland is briefed on the best way to manage the limited resources available. We ask our guides to extend this knowledge to the local suppliers of food and accommodation, although in a country with resources as limited as Somaliland, the ability to recycle and make best use of what you have is something that every local has to have to survive.

People

We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best.

Wherever possible, throughout our tour of Somaliland, we use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community. When possible we use local transport, and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services. Hargeisa has some large markets, selling everything one can imagine and our time spent with the local traders is a particular highlight of the tour.

In Baligubadle, we visit nomad families and settlements to see how they live, and spend time meeting and interacting with local people, seeing how they look after their livestock and having a traditional Somali lunch. This support for the traditional way of life is an important part of all of our tours.