Things to Do in Hargeisa: A 48‑Hour Itinerary

Hargeisa is not a city of famous postcards. It is a city you get to know by walking its markets, drinking its tea and talking to the people who rebuilt it. The capital of Somaliland sits at about 1,334 metres above sea level, so the air is milder than many visitors expect. Its population of around 1.2 million keeps the streets busy from morning to night. This plan covers the best things to do in Hargeisa in 48 hours: one day in the city, one day just outside it.

Before you start, read our Hargeisa travel guide for arrival, visas and getting around.

Day 1: things to do in Hargeisa city

Breakfast: laxoox and tea. Start the way locals do, with laxoox, a thin, spongy pancake, and a glass of sweet spiced tea. Our guide to Somaliland food explains what to order and how to eat it.

Morning: Freedom Square and the MiG memorial. In the centre of the city, a Somali Air Force MiG-17 stands on a plinth as a memorial to the victims of the 1988 bombardment. It is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and the natural place to begin. The mural on its base tells part of the story; the rest is told at the museum.

Late morning: the Somaliland National Museum. Hargeisa’s new museum brings the country’s history together in bright galleries of stamps, letters, documents and large paintings. We went inside for a first look at the Somaliland National Museum. In short, it is the best single introduction to the country you will find.

Lunch. Lunch (qado) is often the day’s biggest, most elaborate meal. Order rice with goat or chicken, and do not be surprised when a banana arrives on the side.

Markets, culture and city lights

Afternoon: Waheen market and the money changers. Waheen is the beating heart of Hargeisa’s trade. On 1 April 2022 a fire swept through the market, destroying thousands of businesses. As a result, the rebuilding is part of what you see today. Nearby, money changers sit behind bricks of banknotes; our guide to money in Somaliland explains why, and how to pay by phone.

Late afternoon: the Hargeysa Cultural Centre. The centre had its formal opening in August 2014, during the Hargeysa International Book Fair. It was created as a place where artists from across the Horn of Africa can engage with Somali culture. If you are lucky with your dates, you may catch a reading or a talk. Poetry has a special place in Somali culture; read When Words Were Mightier Than Weapons before you go.

Evening: the city lights. Ask your hotel to suggest a viewpoint on the hills at the edge of town, and go with your driver as the sun sets. As the lights of Hargeisa come on across the plain, it is a fine way to end the first day.

Day 2: things to do around Hargeisa

Early morning: the livestock market. Go early, when the trading is liveliest. At Hargeisa’s biggest livestock market, buyers and sellers agree prices in private. They lock hands under a herder’s shawl and count out the offer with taps of the fingers. Finally, they settle the deal by mobile money. In 2021, AFP reported that a fine camel could sell for around $1,000. Ask before taking photos, and see our guide to Somaliland etiquette for the basics.

Morning: Laas Geel. In the countryside north-east of Hargeisa, granite shelters hold rock paintings estimated to be around 4,500 to 5,500 years old. Among them are long-horned cattle, some in ceremonial robes, and the herders believed to have painted them. Plan for most of the morning. Visits are arranged through your hotel or a licensed guide, and our guide to visiting Laas Geel explains how.

Afternoon: the cheetah rescue centre. At Geed-Deeble (“Land of Trees”), about an hour outside Hargeisa, the Cheetah Conservation Fund and Somaliland’s government care for cheetahs rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. It is a working rescue centre, not a zoo. For this reason, ask your hotel or the centre in advance whether a visit is possible during your dates. Our story Saving Somaliland’s Cheetahs tells you what to expect.

Sunset: Naasa Hablood. On the way back, look out for Naasa Hablood, a pair of granite hills on the edge of Hargeisa whose rounded shape gave them their name. In the late light they glow, and they make the perfect last picture of your trip.

If you only have 24 hours in Hargeisa

Keep it simple and focus on the essential things to do in Hargeisa. Start with tea and laxoox for breakfast, then the MiG memorial and the national museum in the morning. After lunch, head to Waheen market, and finish with the city lights in the evening. If you can add half a day, make it Laas Geel.

Planning your visit

• When to go: most of the year’s rain falls between April and September. For culture, aim for the Hargeysa International Book Fair, usually held in late July. See the best time to visit Somaliland.
• Getting there: our guide on how to get to Somaliland covers flights to Hargeisa and the overland route.
• Getting around: hotels can arrange a car with a driver for the day trips; agree the price before you set off.
• Safety: check the latest UK travel advice for Somaliland before you go, and read Is Somaliland Safe?.

Two days is enough to fall for Hargeisa. However, it is not nearly enough to see the rest of the country. When you are ready for the coast, read Berbera: Where the Desert Meets the Sea.

Sources

1. Hargeisa, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
2. Hargeisa War Memorial, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
3. Waheen Market fire, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
4. Hargeysa Cultural Centre, Rift Valley Institute (accessed 27 October 2026).
5. Milk, meat and might: in Somalia, ‘the camel is king’, AFP via Africanews, 17 November 2021.
6. Laas Geel, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
7. Fifty-two cheetahs rescued from illegal wildlife trade given new home, Cheetah Conservation Fund, 9 March 2023.
8. Naasa Hablood, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
9. Somalia travel advice: regional risks, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (accessed 27 October 2026).
10. Cuisine of Somaliland, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
11. Hargeisa International Book Fair, Wikipedia (accessed 27 October 2026).
12. Finding Somaliland’s ancient cave art is hard. Protecting it could be harder, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 August 2017.

Last checked 27 October 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Tell us.