At 2,420 metres, Surud Ad is the highest peak in Somalia. The summit ridge rises above the Daallo range north of Erigavo, and on a clear morning you can see the Gulf of Aden shimmering roughly 80 kilometres to the north. The ascent from the Erigavo plateau is not technical — the mountain is not a climber's peak — but the approach requires a vehicle capable of handling badly rutted dirt tracks, and a local guide is strongly advisable given the absence of marked trails and the limited mobile coverage.
Below the summit, the upper slopes are covered in old juniper forest, one of the last substantial stands of Juniperus procera remaining in the Horn of Africa. These trees grow slowly in the thin highland soil and can live for centuries; some of the larger specimens in the Daallo forests are several hundred years old. The forest zone has a different character entirely from the arid lowlands — cooler, quieter, occasionally wreathed in mist — and worth spending time in even if you don't push all the way to the top.
Logistics are straightforward in principle but require preparation. There are no facilities, no waymarked paths, and no rescue services. Hiring a vehicle and a guide from Erigavo is the standard approach; any of the town's basic guesthouses can point you toward someone who knows the mountain. The best conditions are in the cooler months from October to March.