Travel advisory · SomaliaGovernments advise against all travel to Somalia.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice

Areas with warnings

Banadir (Mogadishu) · avoid all travel · Germany, New Zealand
Somaliland · avoid all travel · France, New Zealand
South and central Somalia · avoid all travel · Germany, France, Italy

Also named by one government: Coast of Somalia and nearby waters (Spain), Galmudug (Germany), Hirshabelle (Germany), Jubaland (Germany), Kismayo (New Zealand), Puntland (France), Sanaag (Germany), Sool (Germany), South West (Germany), Whole country and nearby waters (Spain), Awdal (UK), Hargeisa and Berbera corridor (France), Maroodijeh (UK), Sahil (UK)

Government	Advice	Updated	Read the advice
United Kingdom (FCDO)	advises against all travel	–	Read the advice
United States (State Dept)	Do not travel to Somalia for any reason	May 21, 2026	Read the advice
Canada (Global Affairs)	Avoid all travel	–	Read the advice
Germany (Auswärtiges Amt)	Reisewarnung: vor Reisen nach Somalia wird gewarnt	Oct 13, 2026	Read the advice
New Zealand (SafeTravel)	Do not travel to Somalia	–	Read the advice
France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)	formellement déconseillé aux personnes isolées de se déplacer dans la totalité du pays	–	Read the advice

Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.

Africa

Somalia

Go to Somalia for the Indian Ocean coast, the Laas Geel rock paintings near Hargeisa and the port of Berbera. Most of the country is under UK travel warnings, so check current advice before you plan.

Start with the essentials Plan a trip to Somalia

Somalia sits on the Horn of Africa, with a long coast on the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. Mogadishu, the capital, lies on the Indian Ocean coast, where the weather is hot and humid for much of the year. Hargeisa, farther northwest, is higher and cooler. The coast has been part of Indian Ocean trade for centuries.

Laas Geel, near Hargeisa, has rock paintings of cattle and people that are thousands of years old. Hargeisa and the port of Berbera are in Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but is not internationally recognized as a state. The UK government advises against travel to most of Somalia, so check current advice before you make any plans, since it can change quickly.

Five things to know before Somalia

Read the current travel advisory first
Governments including the UK and US advise against all travel to all or large parts of Somalia. Most travel insurance will not cover you where your government advises against travel. UK travel advice
Check the US advisory as well
The US State Department rates Somalia Level 4, do not travel. The UK excepts only three regions of Somaliland from its all-travel warning, and even there advises essential travel only.
Get the eTAS before flying to Mogadishu
Since 1 September 2025 foreign visitors apply online for an electronic travel authorization at etas.gov.so before they travel. Hargeisa airport in Somaliland instead sells its own single-entry visa on arrival. Visas and entry
Expect very limited consular help
The UK says its support in Somalia is severely limited and there is no in-person help from British diplomatic staff. Many other governments are in the same position.
Read your insurance policy before you book
Look for the clause on government travel advice. Specialist cover for high-risk areas exists but is expensive and often excludes the risks that matter most. Travel insurance

Somalia travel guides

Practical guides from writers who live there.

Kenya

The Mara, Amboseli, Nairobi and the coast, to the south-west

Read the guide Djibouti

Lake Assal, Lac Abbé and whale sharks, to the north-west

Read the guide Visas and entry

The eTAS, Hargeisa visa on arrival and passport checks

Read the guide Travel insurance

Why standard policies exclude Somalia

Read the guide All of Africa

East African guides with open entry rules

Read the guide

Top places to visit in Somalia

See all attractions in Somalia

Sight · SomaliaDaallo Mountain

Mosque · MogadishuAli Jimale Mosque

Cityscape with historic building and lush trees

Sight · MogadishuGovernor's Palace of Mogadishu

Mosque · MogadishuIslamic Solidarity Mosque

Destinations in Somalia

CityMogadishuExplore

CityHargeisaExplore

CityBerberaExplore

When to go

Rainy days

Best

JanuaryClear0 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Dry, hot
FebruaryClear1 rainy dayHigh29°Low25°Dry, hot
MarchClear4 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°Hot
AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh30°Low28°Rains start
MayRain19 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Main rains
JuneRain16 rainy daysHigh28°Low26°Windy, humid
JulyRain18 rainy daysHigh27°Low25°Windy
AugustRain16 rainy daysHigh27°Low25°Windy
SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh27°Low25°Humid
OctoberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh28°Low26°Short rains
NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh29°Low26°Short rains
DecemberClear3 rainy daysHigh29°Low26°Dry, hot

Average daily high and low in Mogadishu, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to SomaliaPut the places you like in Somalia on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Right now in Somalia

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 31°
Humidity: 87%
Wind: 7 km/h
Chance of rain: 82%

Mogadishu

12:13 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+3

Today30°26°82%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 82%.
Wed31°25°55%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 55%.
Thu30°26°88%Thursday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 88%.
Fri31°26°85%Friday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 85%.
Sat30°25°41%Saturday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 41%.
Sun32°26°27%Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 32°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 27%.

Updated 11:25 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 571.6 SOS

Amount

Converted to

SOS · Somali Shilling

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Somalia

Big events, festivals and concert tours

Events calendar

a group of women standing next to each other

JanuaryTimkatJan 19, 2027

Before you go to Somalia

eSIM for SomaliaData plans and roamingRead the guide Travel insuranceCheck the country exclusionsRead the guide Money in SomaliaShillings, dollars and cashRead the guide Where to stay in SomaliaHotels in Mogadishu and HargeisaRead the guide

Rules for Somalia, checked

All foreign nationals must apply online for the eTAS before departure, not on arrival; use only the official portal at etas.gov.soChecked Oct 1, 2026 · Read more

Somalia FAQ

Is it safe to travel to Somalia right now?

Governments including the UK and US advise against all travel to Somalia. Read the current UK and US advisories before making any plans, and check whether your insurance covers you.

Do I need a visa for Somalia?

Foreign visitors apply online for an eTAS before travel; it replaced the visa on arrival on 1 September 2025. Hargeisa airport in Somaliland has its own arrangement, so check which airport you are using.

Does the advice cover Somaliland?

The UK advises against all travel to Somalia including Somaliland, except the regions of Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil, where it advises essential travel only. Check the current advice.

Will my travel insurance cover Somalia?

Usually not. Most policies exclude areas where your government advises against all travel. Specialist cover exists for work travel but is costly.

What is the climate like in Somalia?

Hot all year. The main rains fall around April to June and the short rains around October and November; December to March is dry.