Somalia ranks among the most dangerous places on earth along with the likes of Afghanistan making places like North Korea look lawful. Despite the potential of the country, it is embroiled in a civil war which began in the 1980s involving various countries and different rebel militias through the years. Somalia remains as one of the least developed nations ranking on almost the very bottom for life expectancy.

Traveling info

All visitors to Somalia must have a valid passport. Despite the fact that visitors must obtain a visa, such document may not allow them to move freely around the country as the local government does not fully control all of its territories with certain parts declaring independence and regulating their own entry requirements. This creates great complications as none of the states within Somalia have international recognition. Visitors who wish to drive in Somalia must have both their national driving permit and an international driving permit. Both documents must be present with the driver at all times. IDP does not substitute for the original permit and is only a translation of it.

Traveling hazards

The poor condition of most roads makes driving hazardous. Night driving can be dangerous due to the absence of lighting. In many areas, drivers risk an explosion of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) or landmines. Vehicle accidents are common, as are accidents involving pedestrians. Traffic enforcement is minimal. Illegal roadblocks, banditry, and other violent incidents and threats to foreign nationals are common throughout Somalia. Public transportation in Somalia doesn’t exist.

Environmental hazards

Despite the obvious danger created by the current situation in Somalia, there are also some animals which are potentially dangerous to people. The African bush elephant can be found in the very south of Somalia. These are the largest land animals on earth and despite not being aggressive they are dangerous due to their sheer size. When angered or startled these animals can easily trample people to death, flip over a car or even break trees. Lions are also present in the south of Somalia. These animals are the apex predators of Africa and are not afraid to attack a human if spotting one. Lions are responsible for over 250 deaths across Africa each year. Hippopotamuses can be found in the southwestern part of Somalia. These giants inhabit the rivers and lakes of Somalia and despite their docile look, they are some of the most fierce animals on earth and are responsible for more deaths than crocodile, elephants, and lions taken together. Southern Somalia is also inhabited by the Nile crocodiles. These giant reptiles will attack humans if they get the chance to. They are nocturnal animal however attacks can also happen during the day. There are several dangerous snakes in Somalia however the puff adder is the most dangerous out of them and is responsible for over 30 thousand deaths across Africa.
Droughts and floods are the two of the most common disasters occurring in Somalia although floods are responsible for most damage and carry the biggest death toll.

Health hazards

The government of Somalia requires proof of yellow fever vaccination upon arrival if you are traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever. There is an outbreak of Polio in the country, therefore, all visitors are strongly recommended to get vaccinated against Polio. There are other recommended vaccines. These are the routine vaccines aka MMR vaccines, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, cholera and rabies vaccines. Unfortunately, there is no vaccination against malaria however there are several alternative ways to protect against contracting the disease. Since malaria is transmitted through mosquito bites, using mosquito repellents and installing mosquito nets in the windows of your accommodation is strongly recommended. There is also medicine on prescription against malaria which should be available after consulting your local general practitioner. Visitors are strongly recommended to get some basic medical supplies before traveling to Somalia as there is a shortage of medicine in Somalia. This especially goes to people taking prescription drugs which may not be available at all in the country. Somalia has been coping with civil war since 1991 when the government collapsed and much of the country’s infrastructure, including health services, fell apart. Not only most settlements lack any sort of medical services, but many are also on the shortage of drinkable water, etc. Most health services are available in Mogadishu however even there these services are not up to modern standard. Emergency in Somalia is inefficient and almost nonexistent outside of Mogadishu.
The only official emergency number in Somalia is 888 and directs you to the police.

Crime

Violent crime, including assassinations, murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery, is common throughout Somalia, including in Mogadishu.
Terrorist and criminal elements continue to target foreigners and local aid workers in Somalia making petty crime the least of the visitor’s worries. The areas of Somaliland prove to be the safest in the whole country. Although Somalia considered Somaliland part of the country it has no official control over it. Somaliland has separate government structure, military, and border crossings. Drugs are illegal in Somalia however due to the inefficient police force law is almost nonexistent outside of Mogadishu.

Summary

Although the situation is slowly improving Somalia is still a no go zone. Those who decide to travel to the country expose themselves to many dangers. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/somalia/passport-visa/
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/somalia
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever#5291