When I was on my never-ending stay in Ethiopia, I decided to see if I could make it over to Somalialand and see the ancient rock art at Laas Gaal. Actually, I had made this decision weeks earlier. In my Lonely Planet Africa guidebook, they had a small section on Somalia.
I was totally unaware that the country had basically fractured into three different parts, two of which were highly, highly unsafe to go to (including the area still referred to locally as Somalia around Mogadishu, probably the most dangerous city in the world). The area I was going to is totally and completely safe, even by Lonely Planet standards, which is sort of amazing, given their overabundance of caution. Somaliland is the western and northernmost third of the country. Unrecognized by the world, it is a fascinating place.
Me and my personal bodyguard
Bit older article on Somaliland from BBC News, but informative.
Laas Gaal is a couple hours outside the capital of Somaliland, Hargeysa. You can arrange a tour at any hotel in town, which comes with a mandatory armed guard. Somalialand wants badly to get recognized by the international community and so they are overly paranoid about a Westerner getting injured or killed here, though it is quite safe.
The rock art here is some of the best preserved in the entire world. It was only “discovered,” at least by the Western world less than ten years ago. If and when Somaliland gets recognized by the international community, this spot is going to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site almost immediately. On the day I went, I was the only tourist there that entire day.
this particular piece of rock art quite amused my guide
Wonderful photos!
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thanks! Had a great time there.
Very nice!
But why does Somaliland have to get recognized by the international community, so that this paintings get listed at the UNESCO? Sounds stupid! I’m sure there will be a good reason, but right now it makes no sense to me.
UNESCO wants governments to be able to protect the sites. Since the UN doesn’t recognize Somaliland, there is no government they can deal with to protect this site – which is an amazing shame.
I was also planning to go there when travelling through Ethiopia, but I had some time constraint… hope to go back to Ethiopia to see Danakil, Harar and Somaliland
Harar is also pretty amazing. I hit it on the way back from Somaliland and the rock art of Laas Gaal.
Ethiopia has been on my wish list for a long time. Commissions always dictate where we go, but I think that’s one place I’m just going to have to go to, with or without an assignment, and now you have me intrigued about Somaliland tonight. I didn’t realise it was ‘safe’. So how much did your security guy cost?
He was part of the package from the hotel there. I might have some notes it it somewhere, but don’t remember offhand. I don’t think the whole thing (car, driver, guide, gunman) cost more than $50 total.
I’m drawn to this part of Africa. Thanks for the post and beautiful photos.
Great stuff Mike! Such a unique part of the world and some great culture captured here!
Amazing ancient art and a shame it is not better known. Do they know anything about who made the paintings?
Not very much. They are really ancient. They think just the nomads that lived in the area.
Very cool. Had not heard anything about this area before. It is great that they are trying to get the word out to travelers that it is a safe place to visit.
Well, the word isn’t spreading wide. The sad thing is that no government will think about recognizing Somaliland, which is a true shame.
Nice, sounds like my kind of place
Love the photo of you and your body guard!
Oh, wow. What an experience to be the lone tourist at a place like that. Bet you’ll never forget it
I agree, this is definitely UNESCO material. The vivid colors of the rock art are amazing, were you given dates on how old it is?
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