Backpacking In Somaliland: Visiting Las Geel Cave Formations And Rock Art

“Yesterday never comes” – John Sullivan.

Somaliland away was my most expensive tour/trip of my life when calculating money spent by day! Yes, it was dearer than my 13 day Antarctica tour and my 7 day North Korea tour!! After a three day visa struggle in Djibouti City, I was finally granted a visa for Somaliland. Read here how to get a visa for Somaliland in Djibouti. It was a stressful struggle, but I got it. Endgame.

I crossed the land border from Djibouti into Somaliland at Loyaada around 5 p.m. (ridiculously they tell you it doesn’t open until 4.30 p.m.) and had an arduous escorted trip in the back of a jeep with my armed guard through the desert at night, to Hargeisa! That trip itself cost me $180 US Dollars!! Absoultely nuts trip!!

Somaliland Word Of Warning 2026!!

As of January 2026, in the wake of Israel recognising Somaliland and a recent kidnapping in the country, the tourist prices have shot up way too high and the visa is deadly to get. Good luck!!

Please be ready for a stressful week and a huge loss of cash in your wallet. Somaliland in 2026, is NOT for a cheap backpacker, despite what fake reports you might read online. I was the first tourist to visit Somaliland in 2026, I crossed in just after the border opened on New Year’s Day – 1st January 2026.

“All is quiet on New Year’s Day” – Paul Hewson.

It is not currently possible to get a Somaliland visa without booking a tour and having a letter of invitation. The cheapest tour I could find in my tight schedule cost around $750 US for 4 days. Ridiculous for a cheapskate backpacker, and that didn’t include any food, any water or any hotel!! I certainly will never be back into Somaliland but I am glad I at least seen it in this lifetime…

Also you cannot backpack the country solo anymore. I hope this will change for all you reading. I had no choice but to book a tour, get a letter of invitation and have an armed guard 24/7. Explore Somaliland if you have MONEY!!

Which Company To Use in Somaliland

I cannot and will not share the “company” I used mainly because I only do that if I like them, and especially when they respect me as a travel blogger, who would have promoted them. Pity really. Las Geel for a 4 hour trip cost me around $500 US!! And that doesn’t even include the hotel, food, water. And that was only 1 of my 4 days here!!

That was the price for (what was included):

• My armed bodyguard with an AK47.
• Entry permit to Las Geel (which is only $25 US!!).
• Tour guide to Las Geel.
• Transport to Las Geel and back.
• Collection to and from your hotel/wherever you are in Hargeisa.
• Protection and easy passing of all security checkpoints (I counted about 3 checkpoints to Las Geel).

Absolutely not a bargain for about $500 US. The other tour company I had contacted asked me for $1,200 US for a 2 day trip citing it as a “bargain”.

What Was Not Included:

• visa
• food
• water
• souvenirs (there weren’t any)

Visiting Las Geel Cave Formations And Rock Art

So what is Las Geel then??? Las Geel is a group of prehistoric rock art sites in northwestern Somalia, about two hours drive from the capital city of Hargeisa. In other posts, I will report on Hargeisa, the hotels, the food, the border crossing and general whackpacking advice.

Las Geel reminded me of these previous backpacking days…

• Qobustan Petroglyphs and Rock Inscriptions, Azerbaijan

• Jubbah and Jebel Umm Sanman Petroglyphs, Saudi Arabia

• Cholpon Ata, Kyrgyzstan

• Hiking Wadi Rum, Jordan (on my 10th Anniversary Day!)

The cave art on rocks in all 5 is similar, but for the love of travel, I still want to see them. And so I didn’t want to skip Las Geel, even at rock high prices.

The Road To Las Geel

The road to Las Geel is surprisingly good!! The rest of Somaliland is desert roads. You will probably see camels and baboons on the way.

Key points about “The Geel” (Las Geel):

• 🗿 Age: The paintings date to around 5,000–9,000 years ago (Neolithic period).

• 🎨 What’s depicted: Vivid, well-preserved images of cattle, humans, dogs, weapons and wild animals. The cows are often shown decorated, suggesting ritual or symbolic importance.

• 🌍 Importance: Las Geel contains some of the oldest and best-preserved rock paintings in Africa.

• 🔍 Discovery: Although known locally for generations, it was brought to international attention in 2002 by a French archaeological team.

• 🐄 Cultural insight: The art provides evidence of early pastoral societies in the Horn of Africa and their religious or ceremonial practices.

At Las Geel, there were three main parts to see, for me –

1.The Visitor Centre and Museum

I was their first tourist of 2026, I signed the book and toured the small museum.

2.The Rock Art

The rock art is on 5 caves (at least, my guide told me there are a few others). We toured 5 different caves.

3.The Views And Landscape

This is stunning. The views over the desert terrain are amazing. Take some time to let that all sink in. I even chilled out with my personal armed bodyguard, admiring the views.

The vegetation is dry, there is some cacti.

In short, Las Geel is a major archaeological treasure that reshapes what we know about early African art and civilisation. Artists and Archaelogists will love it.

Your guides will organise everything – they collect you at the hotel (there are currently no backpacking hostels in Somaliland), drive you to The Geel, show you around, explain the cave art, then drive you back. Get it booked, but don’t expect cheapness or easiness. At least looking back, I enjoyed it.

Here are some videos from my trip to Las Geel: