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MyPassportStory › Destinations › Somalia
🇸🇴Things to Do in Somalia
From Mogadishu's coastline to the ancient rock art of Laas Geel - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them, when conditions allow.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Somalia has one of the longest coastlines in Africa and holds genuinely significant ancient rock art, but decades of conflict and ongoing instability across much of the country have made most areas inaccessible and unsafe for travel. Conditions vary considerably by region, including in Somaliland in the north, so checking your government's official travel advisory for the specific area is essential before considering any visit.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Laas Geel
Rock art dating back roughly 5,000 years, among the best-preserved and most vivid ancient cave paintings in Africa, in the Somaliland region in the country's north.
📍 Near Hargeisa, Somaliland
🚉 The rock-art site is 55km from Hargeisa in Somaliland, about an hour by 4x4 - a permit from the Ministry of Tourism in Hargeisa and, on the road, an armed escort are required.
Mogadishu Beaches
Somalia's capital sits on a genuinely beautiful stretch of Indian Ocean coastline, though access and safety conditions require careful checking before any visit.
📍 Mogadishu
🚉 Check current travel advice, as most governments advise against all travel to south-central Somalia. Lido beach is in the city, and movement there is with private security arranged in advance.
Hargeisa
The capital of Somaliland, a self-declared autonomous region in the north with a different, somewhat more stable security situation than much of the rest of the country.
📍 Hargeisa, Somaliland
🚉 Somaliland's capital has an airport with flights from Addis Ababa and Dubai and a land border with Ethiopia at Wajaale - shared taxis cover the city, and the region is administered separately from the rest of Somalia.
Mark Somalia, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Somalia?
This depends entirely on current access conditions for the specific region - check official travel advisories before planning any specific itinerary.
What's the best time to visit Somalia?
Current safety and access conditions should be your primary consideration, not seasonal weather.
Is Somalia good for a first-time visit?
Access and safety vary considerably by region, including Somaliland in the north - check your government's official travel advisory carefully for the specific area you intend to visit before planning any trip.
Do I need a visa to visit Somalia?
Visa and entry requirements vary by region and nationality, but this is secondary to the current travel advisory situation. Check the official information for your nationality: mfa.gov.so.
What are some things to do in Somalia on a tight budget?
This is secondary to checking current access and safety conditions for your specific region, which should be the primary consideration before any trip planning.
Can I rent a car in Somalia, and what licence do I need?
Independent self-drive is not a realistic option anywhere in Somalia, and most governments advise against all travel to the south-central regions including Mogadishu. Somaliland, in the north-west, is treated more permissively by some governments but still requires visitors to travel with a vehicle, a driver and, outside Hargeisa, an armed escort arranged through a local operator - this is a legal requirement, not a precaution. Entry to Somaliland uses its own visa, issued separately. Consult your own foreign ministry before making any plans.