Djibouti has the advantage of being a travel destination where you can get around using a wide variety of means of locomotion. Whether on land, in the water or in the air, all these modes of travel are of course linked to the many activities available in this country in the Horn of Africa.
As landlubbers, we are first and foremost curious about the ways in which we can evolve on the « cow floor ». Walking on 2 legs with a rucksack will allow us to make the most of the natural environment (fauna, flora, etc.); doing so in the middle of a camel caravan is also the best way to get close to the nomadic way of life. But there’s a whole range of wheeled machines to choose from!
The oldest and most natural way of getting around is by pedibus. The country’s mountainous areas are a paradise for walkers.
Walking enthusiasts, whether simple strollers or seasoned sportsmen and women, will find the terrain to suit them in the Goda or Mabla mountains in the north of the country, or closer to Djibouti around Arta.
The villages of Day, Bankoualé and Dougoum, for example, can all be linked together along splendid green, cool trails !https://africa-horn-travel.com/circuits/voyage-djibouti-randonneurs/
If you’re lucky, you’ll come across the Djibouti francolin (an endemic species) and the oréotrague. https://africa-horn-travel.com/6-animaux-endemiques-de-djibouti/
Make no mistake, this is not about travelling on the back of a dromedary, but about using this animal, as nomads do, to transport goods.
In this case, for us trekkers, the dromedaries will take care of our supplies : water, food, beds… in short, everything we need to ensure our subsistence and a minimum of comfort during our trek of several days!
(See the 5-day tour from Lake Abbé to Lake Assal) https://africa-horn-travel.com/circuits/trek-avec-dromadaires-du-lac-abbe-au-lac-assal/
We’ll reach our trekking sites by car, as the « desert caravans » (dromedaries), as safe and environmentally friendly as they are, are not the fastest, and the length of our stay is not unlimited!
A for-wheel drive vehicle is best suited to the sometimes difficult tracks we’ll be using to visit certain sites.
Travelling in a 4WD vehicle on rugged tracks in the midst of astonishing landscapes is an attraction in itself.
The best of them all, without a doubt, is the Toyota Land cruiser HZJ 76 or « Hard-top », which has a gearbox that allows it to literally « climb trees », but you still have to be careful where you put the wheels !
Incidently the vehicule can be used as a shower support or picnic shelter
The Neem farm at As Eyla on the road to Lac Abbé even makes buggies available to its guests (see our « Grand confort » tour).
From November to April, the small town of Dasbiyo near Ali Sabieh offers a cycle rail service, which requires a few explanations: the first railway line built by the French at the beginning of the 20th century linking Djibouti to Addis Ababa has been out of use since the Chinese built the new railway line in 2018.
At the end of 2021, Ali Liaquat had the idea of setting up this velorail business on the old disused track, and had the appropriate equipment brought in from Europe.
When you come to Djibouti, you’ll have the chance to try out an activity that’s rare in Africa : sand yachting. Normally, beaches are the preferred location for this 3-wheeled machine fitted with a sail, but in Djibouti you can practise it on the Grand Bara, which is the perfect place for this sport. The Grand Bara is a vast, flat, semi-desert area 30 km long and around 10 km wide.
The great thing about sand yachting is that it can be practised by everyone after just a few minutes’ explanation !
The icing on the cake is that the site has been equipped with facilities for meals and overnight stays!
Road cycling is not well developed in Djibouti, as tarmac roads in the heat are not a very pleasant place to play.
However, mountain bikers will find tracks where they can indulge in their sport ; it should be pointed out that you need to be a seasoned mountain biker as the tracks are often in the shape of a « rollercoaster » and are fairly technical. But Djibouti offers some great challenges !
Djibouti’s ubiquitous marine environment offers countless possibilities, whatever your physical stamina. There’s something for everyone here, from those who enjoy extreme sports to those who prefer to relax.
The whole range of means of propulsion is on the menu : sailing, kite-surfing, rowing with the kayak… and on breathtaking sites.
Motorboats will take you to the islands for a lazy day, while yachts will take you on a cruise to explore the seabed. Djibouti has some of the most beautiful diving spots in the world.
The more sporty can try their hand at deep-sea fishing in the north of the country at the 7 Frères site, which is very popular with deep-sea fishing enthusiasts; the size and variety of the catches, which are immediately returned to the water after being photographed, are impressive.
Diving enthusiasts from all over the world enjoy Djibouti’s waters, which are home to more than 500 species of fish.
Djibouti has remained untouched by pollution and mass tourism, which is undoubtedly one of the reasons why it boasts such a wonderfully dense and varied underwater fauna and flora.
Scuba diving will allow you to observe the larger species.
Snorkelling with just a pair of fins, a mask and a snorkel will give you access to a marvellous underwater spectacle, particularly at the Ras Ali or Sables Blancs sites near Tadjourah, or at Arta, some forty kilometres from Djibouti.
Off the coast of Arta, from mid-November to the end of January, you’re almost guaranteed to experience some magical moments, swimming at the surface of the water above the whale shark!
It’s still too early to go into detail on this subject… but the latest news is that a paramotor has just arrived in Djibouti… and the promoter of what we hope will be a new tourist activity in Djibouti is… Ali Liaquat… the initiator of the velorail in the country… so there’s every reason to hope!
While waiting for the paramotor, some aerial photos of Djibouti from a drone:
Africorne Travel is a trip agency, member of the APST, giving his Africa passion at his clients service.
At Africorne Travel, we focus on the authenticity of the discoveries. You will visit the important and majestic tourist places but also and especially, you will discover the local culture.
The tours or stays mentioned on our site are only illustrations of what we offer; indeed our trips are entirely tailor-made after exchanges with youWe are also available for one day trips.
With your experimented guide and aboard an ATV, you should experiment unique, not much accessible, or unknown places yet unmissables.
Take all the time to visit our blog to share with us our taste for this lands and discover all you can fin there !
Read our travellers' comments on the Africa Travel page in the PETIT FUTE guide!
Having worked in Djibouti for several years, Alain has immersed himself in the local culture, which he has fallen in love with. This experience was the opportunity not only to appreciate all the remarkable sites, but also to make many trips, always at the wheel of his 4X4, in neighbouring Ethiopia.
Let yourself be guided through these territories in the Horn of Africa, away from mass tourism, off the beaten track to discover surprising landscapes, different cultures and endearing people!
Our trip assortment come from our guide experience to let you discover the most authentic places.
Each tour is evaluate dependant on your physical engagement desire in the adventure : the difficulty increase with the stars number.
We create two kinds of tours : wandering tours where you will make a circle from the departure point and radiating ones, where you will travel all day from your hosting point.
Each tour is create to make the organisation easy, but you need to know that it will be a pleasure to exchange with you to custom your adventure at your own wishes.
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