We spent one day in Somaliland’s capital, located in a valley within the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands of northwestern Somaliland, at an elevation of approximately 1,334 meters. Hargeisa’s history began as a watering and trading stop founded by the Isaaq Sultanate in the 19th...
After long preparations and in challenging times, we finally arrived in Addis Ababa, situated in the Ethiopian highlands at 2,300 meters, making it one of the world’s highest capitals. The city was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu Betul, named “New...
Finally, we arrived in Dodoma, located in the semi-arid, central plateau of Tanzania, characterised by hot, dry conditions and a single rainy season, making it prone to drought. Its topography features elevations of 1,200-1,500 meters, including parts of the Great Rift Valley, with sandy...
Once we arrived in Kigali, we realized that if Rwanda is the Land of a Thousand Hills, then Kigali’s setting right among rolling green vistas makes this a fitting choice of capital. It is a contender for Africa’s most scenic capital and the cleanest, safest, and most relaxed...
It was supposed to be an easy drive from Namagunga to Kampala, but 39 kilometers took us 7 hours. Uganda’s capital and largest city occupies a series of hills at an elevation of about 1,190 meters and is situated just north of Lake Victoria. Kampala lies just north of Mengo, the...
Like any other large and growing city, Nairobi has a rough underside that travellers are well advised to avoid. But Nairobi is also the vibrant, multicultural epicentre worth a few days to experience. We spent around a week exploring its interesting parts during the day and enjoying the...
We spent a few days in Amman, Jordan’s capital and largest city. The city is built on rolling hills at the eastern boundary of the ʿAjlūn Mountains, on the small, partly perennial Wadi ʿAmmān and its tributaries. Fortified settlements have existed there since remote antiquity...
We didn’t plan it, but it happened; we spent a week in Qatar’s capital, Doha. It is located on the east coast of the Qatar Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. More than two-fifths of Qatar’s population lives within the city’s limits. Situated on a shallow bay indented...
We had a few rainy days in proudly modern and cosmopolitan Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s forward-thinking cultural heart, where nothing stands still. The city occupies most of a small triangular island of the same name, just off the Persian Gulf coast and connected to the mainland by a short...
We made a short stop in Riyadh to refill our water and meet some friends from before. In the afternoon, we decided to visit the Royal Saudi Air Force Museum (Saqer Al-Jazirah Aviation Museum), which showcases some of the oldest Saudia airline jets, helicopters, and flawless tales of...