from Ethiopia to Somaliland
Replies: 12 - Last Post: Jan 22, 2013 8:37 PM Last Post By: port_moresby
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from Ethiopia to Somaliland
What is the best way to visit Somali land Hargesa from Ethiopia?Thank you
3
From Harar get the bus to Jijiga, then from Jijiga get on a bus to the border town of Wajjale. Then once you have crossed the border into Somaliland you can get a shared car onto Hargeisa.I did this route about 4 years ago and had no problems. Make sure you get your Somaliland visa from Addis and just keep up to date with the news from that area.
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There are a couple transport changes in Jijiga and the border, but it's actually fairly straight forward. Drivers on the Somalia side will try to scam you. Stand your ground. Check out my blog entry for more details.6
Hi thereJust done that a few days ago.
Harar-Jijiga: many minibuses, 40 birr;
Jijiga-Wajale (border): try to departure until 10 am, there are buses or minibuses, very crowded ones, 30 birr;
Wajale-Hargeysa: even more crowded shared taxis, try to negotiate but around 130 birr plus luggage.
The border is straightforward provided you have your visa in order of course.
I left Harar at 6.45 am and was in Hargeysa at around 2pm.
Enjoy Somaliland!
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safaro do you know if you still need to hire security to travel to Berbera?8
I can verify everything Safaro said, this was pretty much the exact experience I had back in January.To further fluffy_bunny's point, the Harar-Jijiga and Jijiga-Wajaale bus rides are set price tickets, but from Wajaale to Hargeisa you have to bargain. Be prepared for the taxi drivers to try and rip you off, but if you bargain hard you shouldn't have to pay more then $10usd. I paid $7, I doubt you could get the ride for less but it's possible!?
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Agree about the drivers in Somaliland trying to rip you off. I paid about about $10 but just outside Hargeisa the driver pulled into a petrol station saying he had ran out of fuel and wanted another ten. I gave him another 2 as I was tired and just wanted tp get to my hotel. Be as firm as you can with them.Enjoy the adventure.
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HiRegarding travel permits, the situation is not clear. The police informed me that I didn't need anything till Berbera; just beyond that. Nevertheless, me and other two tourists took a tour to Las Geel with drop in Berbera and we had a permit and soldier inside the taxi. Later we met another tourist in Berbera who was stopped at the first checkpoint and had to return to Hargeysa in order to get a permit. So my advice is if you're on your own, go to the Ministry of Tourism in the morning (except Fridays) and get one, it's very straightforward.
People are very friendly; enjoy!
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You can't get an Ethiopian visa at the Ethiopia-Somaliland border, but can you get one in Hargeisa?12
@phillipking, yes you have to get your Ethiopian visa at the liaison office in Hargeisa. They will not issue you one at the border
