written by NomadMania Founder, Harry Mitsidis
You know it isn’t an average trip when the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, known as one of the most dangerous places in the world, is the easy part of the endeavour. And it really was. Having visited Mogadishu in November 2011, when it was totally destroyed with barely any structures standing, it’s a real pleasure to see this much maligned place attempt to stand on its own two feet. It doesn’t even feel dangerous to visit; it’s when you feel the danger that it will already be too late, and anybody reasonable, including all responsible governments, will advise against going there.
Mogadishu
The ’easy’ visit to Mogadishu, which always requires an armed escort unless you are suicidal, includes the iconic Lido Beach, which we happened to visit on the first day of Eid. Filled with locals having a day out, it was a pleasure to see normal Somalis having a good time. Many were heading to the water fully clothed as swimwear is generally frowned upon.
Our group of travellers were a novelty, of course. The head of our small posse, Gustav of the popular YouTube Channel ‘gus1thego’ is already somewhat of a star in Somalia following a viral video of him praising the place and finding the good in it, which obviously went down very well indeed. Teenage boys were eager to chant with him as he sought the best angles to include the crowded beach.
Mogadishu also sports a busy fish market and a bay with the dilapidated former lighthouse which are obligatory stops for the crazy visitors. 13 years ago I had to wear a bulletproof vest as we attempted a visit here. Now things are more relaxed as the fear is not so much of a shooting or a kidnap attempt but rather a bombing. We head to a small camel market and enjoy a lazy drink in a local café which has obviously learned its lessons from its western counterparts. Eager young Somalis are there and there are women present too. It would appear that this society is more egalitarian that one may first think.
The highlight of our easy day is a drive to the dunes that are a little out of town. This is a newly popular place where locals come in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset, have a picnic and maybe ride a camel or two. There are also buggies you can rent and run around the dunes. It isn’t quite Namibia but it does the job and once again it’s surprising how relaxed our stay in the once proclaimed danger capital of the world is.
The Long Journey to Puntland
The real adventure starts for us in Puntland, so it’s certainly good news that we have tanked up on the cafes and modernity of Mogadishu. Puntland is a semi-autonomous state that spans the northeastern part of Somalia and in the north borders Somaliland. It is a breakaway state that claims total independence (albeit unrecognized). Puntland is part of Somalia but has considerable autonomy and its own flag.
Sadly, it appears that tourism has been cancelled by the president just a few days before our arrival. This results in us having to write a letter and pay additional fees to be invited as ‘government guests’. Whether this is just a ploy for us to spend more is anybody’s guess, but upon arrival we are immediately taken to the tourist minister, where pleasantries are exchanged, our enthusiasm about Puntland stressed and the blessing for our super-expensive expedition given by the man in charge.
We have a day of doing nothing much before the next morning’s early start at 5.30 a.m. with the aim of heading to the village of Bargaal, right by the tip of Africa, within the day. What is not clear to us is who exactly are the 20 people who are coming with us on the trip. Yes, we expected the drivers, and of course Haadi – NomadMania’s Envoy to Eastern Africa – as well as some security. But there are way more people than that including a corpulent young lady who we are told is a famous Somali influencer. Nobody told us she would come along. Isn’t this supposed to be our expedition?
On the map, Bargaal looks like it could be 8-9 hours drive away. Haadi reckons it will be 11 or so. Departing at 5.30 a.m., we can hope to arrive before sunset. Little do we know that it will take no less than 27 hours to reach the god-forsaken village at the end of the earth. There are stops for supplies; stops for the necessary prayers; stops when one of the four 4X4 vehicles breaks down.
We start by heading north on the road that leads to Bosaso, but the real adventure begins when we turn right and we are on an increasingly vague track – initially one could perhaps charitably call it a road. We have skipped lunch and it’s good we have some biscuits and the like. Soon our stomach will be all over the place as the vehicles jump and bump, trying to make their way. We are 5 to a vehicle and the prized position to avoid is the middle of the back seat. Meanwhile the influencer girl seems very comfortable in her vehicle, free-riding as she very probably is.
We are still driving well after sunset, when we stop again for prayers. Eventually in a small village in the middle of nowhere, we stop for dinner at around 11 pm. This is surprisingly well organized in a local café, with plenty of spaghetti for everyone; the Italians did leave something behind. The village is all awake and busy what with our presence. I wonder how many other adventurers have been here in recent years. We have high hopes of making it to Bargaal in an hour or so, to get there by 1 am at least.
Alas, it is not meant to be. The vehicle that had broken down before breaks down once again. We find ourselves in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night. It appears everyone gives up. The influencer sets up a small tent, as if she knew it would be needed. After some worrying about us spending the night under the stars in Somalia – with our security asleep – we finally resign ourselves too and take various uncomfortable positions in the vehicles trying to get some sleep.
Bargaal
By the time we reach Bargaal, which in a different reality would be a resort town what with its amazing sandy beach and palm trees, we are all worn out. We head to breakfast but everyone just wants to sleep. The hotel actually does have rooms, which we will share, with a cockroach or two, but we realise that after being on the road for so long, this day will be spent recuperating. Bargaal itself has loads of potential and includes the ruins of a former palace, a shipwreck on the beach as well as lots of daily scenes of locals amidst the endless sand.
The distance to the northwestern tip is only about 50 kilometers but the problem is there is no real road. The path is just about accessible by our vehicles but it will take six hours to negotiate the distance and we can’t arrive too late as the sun will be way too scorching. We leave at 3 a.m. Little do we know we will be in vehicles almost nonstop for the next 22 hours and this time it will be totally off-road with zero comfort. The consolation are the amazing views of the rugged terrain flanked by the sea and truly pristine, isolated beaches which inspire the influencer to take photos of herself gazing into the distance.
We finally arrive at the Italian built lighthouse, apparently completed after the war in 1950 if we are to believe the plaque at its entrance. This is the moment of success, when we can say we have reached one of the least accessible points of Africa. The lighthouse is in dire shape and as we head upstairs a small piece of the staircase collapses and falls, mercifully not hurting anybody below. We are lucky to make it to the top; at some point, it may no longer be accessible.
The return is just as tough only it is hotter. We have air conditioning in our vehicles, a true saving grace. But our day is very far from over. If we are going to make it on time, we must leave Bargaal after our refueling stop and head to the peninsula of Xaafuun, a NomadMania DARE region, which we estimate is eight hours down south to southeast. We leave Bargaal behind before sunset and brace ourselves for the ride.
From Bargaal to the Easternmost point of Africa
The Easternmost point of continental Africa can be found in NomadMania’s Ras Hafun DARE region!
Creating a group that would be able to endure not only the considerable cost of this but willingly sign up for the discomfort took some doing. But the five of us are all good sports and not complaining, at least not as long as we get to where our heart is set on going. Gustav is the group leader, with UN Master Per Besson being the senior of the group and Marc Fischer, who has trekked the Darién Gap in Panama, the junior. Sam from the United States may not be the biggest traveller but he is certainly fascinated by what we are experiencing.
After the travails of the previous day, we feel we are used to it all. Dinner is at a more reasonable 9 pm, again at an eatery in a distant village, and we reach Xaafuun at around 1 a.m. This is a strange location, almost an island, with one single village on the western side. About an hour away from the village is the easternmost point of mainland Africa.
Though there may not be anything specific to see here, it is still a geographical extreme and we are elated to make it the following morning. A few camels are staring at the uninvited visitors. Influencer girl is not with us this morning; we assume she gave up at some point and is catching up on some sleep. We look at the Indian Ocean ahead of us, and a wooden boat that passes by slowly in the shimmering waters. This is the area from where the pirates operate; these seas are certainly not devoid of stories and adventure.
Bosaso
It will be another long ride to Bosaso, probably the economic capital of Puntland and a large port, where we will reunite with casual luxuries and a semblance of comfort. We will again have a visit to the beach and a boat ride flanked by the Puntland flag, and we will also swim in what is the only pool in the whole of Puntland, in a sort of private country club. After all the discomfort we have been through, it’s amazing that Gustav still has the energy to motivate all the youngsters on the beach and sing the Somalian song that gets everyone exhilarated.
What have we learned? First, you can dream crazy travel dreams and then see them come true; even these extreme geographical points are achievable. Second, we can endure a lot of discomfort, but we fare worse with miscommunication and lack of information or outright deception.
Third, Puntland has worthy sights at every corner, from the enthusiastic locals to the colourful painted exteriors of its shops to some of the best beaches of Africa. And fourth, we have definitely understood that this will never be a mainstream tourist destination and that to reach the places that we visited, you truly need patience, resilience and above all, a healthy dose of mania. Nomad – Mania.
