Somaliland highlights tour

Planet

As a local operator from Somaliland with offices in Djibouti and The Netherlands we are committed to encourage guests and local people to protect the environment. In Somaliland we want to take the lead in creating awareness for the environment.

When visiting the archaeological sites of Laas Geel rock paintings we have a written policy on our website. This policy is also send to our guest before the start of the tour. Because the Somaliland Governments doesn’t have the funds to protect these sites, we work together with The Ministry of Tourism in the conservation of these sites. We are involved in several projects and we contribute annually to fund the protection of archaeological sites in the country.

We advise travelers not to drop any litter. Especially plastic waste is a problem in these two countries and we urge not to use plastic bags. Instead we recommend using environmentally friendly alternatives.

Keep in mind to stick to the path and listen to our local guides when visiting certain areas.

People

We only employ local guides, drivers and staff. As a local tour operator we know how important tourism can be in fighting poverty and unemployment. Sustainable tourism that benefits the most vulnerable local communities should be priority.

Local people benefit from this tour that as it also covers remote areas where nomadic people live. In the future we hope to be able to visit more areas that are at this moment not accessible yet, but are very interesting and would benefit from economic support via tourism.

Accommodation and restaurants that we visit are all locally owned. In the markets you can buy souvenirs and local crafts from local people who need the money to support their families. We also promote cultural experiences by visiting cultural attractions and traditional accommodations/restaurants. For example in Djibouti we sleep one night in traditional Afar huts. In Somaliland we will have dinner in a restaurant with traditional Somali music.

Several NGO’s in Somaliland have partnered with us in the development of the tourism industry. We have provided information for a cultural tourism study conducted by an international consultancy firm specialized in sustainable tourism.

Somaliland is a Muslim country and tourism is not yet developed. We provide our guests with information so they will be fully prepared for the tour and have good relationship with the community.