The colourful lanes
White and green walls.
Sailko — CC BY 3.0 · Sailko — CC BY 3.0 · Sailko — CC BY 3.0 · Elias Tesfaye (Shagiz Adonay) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sailko — CC BY 3.0
Harar Jugol is the fortified historic town of the city of Harar in eastern Ethiopia, on a hilltop at 1,885 m, known in Arabic as the City of Saints. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 2006, and it covers 48 hectares. It stands apart from the rest of Ethiopia with its colourful lanes, mosques and long Islamic history, so you feel you are in quite another world. Harar was for centuries a major trading centre, linked by trade routes to the rest of Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa and Arabia. It was also known for its scholars and shrines. An old wall with gates surrounds it. Among its best-known traditions is feeding hyenas at the edge of town at night, an old bond between the people and this animal that still draws visitors. You walk narrow lanes between walls painted white, green and pink, past markets of fabric and spices and the Grand Mosque. Traditional Harari houses deserve a visit, their walls hung with baskets and colourful plates and their raised platforms covered in carpets. Ask before photographing people, above all women, and respect the mosques and shrines. It is about 371 km in a straight line from Addis Ababa. The easiest way is to fly to Dire Dawa, then go on by road. Take a local guide, as the lanes tangle, and dress modestly.
White and green walls.
Baskets and coloured plates.
An old night tradition.
Fortified historic town, Harar, Ethiopia
Local people feed hyenas at night at the edge of town, an old tradition that visitors can watch.
The easiest way is to fly to Dire Dawa, then go on by road.