Somalia travel guide

Getting there

Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu and Hargeisa's Egal International Airport receive flights from regional hubs such as Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Djibouti and Istanbul.

Best time to visit: Dec–Mar – the drier, less humid months.

Tougher months: April-June and October-November – the main rainy seasons can make roads impassable.

Weather by month in Mogadishu

• 30°J
• 30°F
• 31°M
• 32°A●●
• 31°M●●
• 29°J●●
• 28°J●
• 28°A●
• 29°S
• 30°O●
• 31°N●
• 31°D

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Africa/Nairobi. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 8 of 198 other passports can enter Somalia without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 190 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 0 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Somalia (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 4: Do Not Travel (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-05-21). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Somalia travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Somalia are based around Mogadishu, Laas Geel or Hargeisa. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$40–70 for a backpacker and US$100–200 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Somalia page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C. Voltage: 220 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +252.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Mogadishu (South · capital): A historic port city with beaches and traces of its trading past.
• Laas Geel (North · rock art site): Among the best-preserved rock art sites in Africa.
• Hargeisa (North · city): A busy city of markets and the gateway to Laas Geel.
• Berbera (North · port): An old trading port with Ottoman-era buildings and beaches.
• Kismayo (South · coastal city): A coastal city near islands and the Indian Ocean.
• Merca (South · coastal town): A historic port town with whitewashed buildings.
• Zeila (Northwest · ancient port): A once-great medieval trading town with ruins, old mosques and nearby islands.
• Jazeera Beach (Near Mogadishu · beach): A sweeping stretch of sand south of the capital, popular with local families.

Things to do

• See the Laas Geel rock art. Marvel at vivid ancient cave paintings of cattle and people in the northern highlands.
• Walk Lido Beach in Mogadishu. See locals enjoying the seaside on the capital's best-known beach.
• Explore Mogadishu's old quarter. Look for historic coral-stone buildings and mosques that reflect centuries of trade.
• Visit Berbera's coast. Discover a historic port and long, empty beaches on the Gulf of Aden.
• Browse a livestock market. Witness the bustling camel and goat trade that underpins the economy.
• Taste Somali cuisine. Try canjeero flatbread, spiced rice and goat, often with a banana on the side.
• Drink spiced tea. Share shaah, a sweet cardamom-and-ginger tea, with locals.
• Hear Somali poetry. Learn about the nation's rich oral poetry tradition.

Source: full Somalia guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Bariis iskukaris – spiced rice with meat, raisins and banana on the side
• Canjeero – spongy flatbread eaten at breakfast
• Hilib ari – tender goat meat
• Shaah – sweet spiced tea with milk

Source: RoamSun Somalia guide

Money and safety

Currency: Somali shilling (SOS). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not expected but appreciated, especially for drivers and guides.

• The Somali shilling is the official currency, but US dollars are widely used.
• Mobile money is extremely common; ATMs are very limited.
• Most governments advise against all travel to Somalia – check your government's latest travel advice before considering a trip.
• Consular assistance is extremely limited or unavailable.

Source: RoamSun Somalia facts