Highland Somaliland town near Surud Ad, with cooler air, juniper forests, and Daallo mountain views.
Erigavo (also spelled Ceerigaabo) is a highland town in eastern Somaliland, sitting at around 1,800 metres above sea level near the foot of Surud Ad — the highest point in Somalia at about 2,420 metres. The elevation gives the town and its surroundings a cooler, greener character than the lowland coast, with juniper forests and dramatic mountain views.
The road up into the Daallo range offers some of the most striking scenery in the Horn of Africa, with views across to the Gulf of Aden coast far below. A small village called Mait lies on the high plateau. The forests around Daallo are one of the few remaining stands of old-growth juniper in the region. Erigavo is not easily reached and sees very few foreign visitors, but for those travelling in Somaliland it is worth the effort.
Guide
Getting There
Erigavo Airport (IATA: ERA) sits a few kilometres north of town and receives occasional flights from Hargeisa operated by small regional carriers. Services are infrequent and schedules shift; confirm availability directly with operators before planning around air travel. The airport serves a town with no significant tourist infrastructure, so flight options are limited and can disappear without notice.
By road, Erigavo is roughly 500 kilometres from Hargeisa and can also be approached from Berbera on the coast. Neither route is straightforward: the roads are unpaved for significant stretches, and the final climb up into the highlands involves sections that require a high-clearance 4WD. The journey from Hargeisa takes around eight to ten hours in good conditions. Shared taxis and minibuses run the route but stop frequently and can take considerably longer. If you are not travelling with your own vehicle, hiring a car and driver in Hargeisa or Berbera is the practical option — one who knows the route and whose vehicle can handle it.
