Djibouti REPORT TRAVEL.

Punctual as never before from Hargeisa International Airport at 13.00 my plane no. 3J 0807 (HK) of the Jubba Airways Company in the direction of Ambouli International Airport (Djibouti), (one-way ticket price: $ 140.00).

On the aforementioned aircraft, half empty, a small bottle of water is delivered but no food is served.

Arrival on time at 14.00, at Ambouli International Airport (Djibouti).

In Djibouti, when summer time is in force in Italy, there is a 1 hour time zone, compared to Italy, when solar time is 2 hours.

In theory, as written on the website of the Ministry www.viaggiaresicuri.it ", to enter Djibouti you need an entry visa and that for stays of no more than 30 days it is possible to obtain it directly at the Djibouti airport. A reduced fee is applied for visas of up to 3 days. I, on the other hand, had quite a few problems. They asked me several times what work I did and also the work card that I logically did not have with me. I told them I was there for tourism but they kept telling me that there were problems and they withheld my passport and made me wait for 5 hours in the transit area without giving me explanations. In the end, at 7.00 pm when there was no longer anyone at the airport, they called me and after asking me for the umpteenth time what work I was doing, my work card, they wanted to know the name of the hotel where I would have wanted to stay and the places I wanted to visit in Djibouti. I told them I was going to see Lake Assal and Lake Abbè and I showed them pictures of them in the book “Lonely Planet” and they photographed them. Then they wanted to know the reasons for my stay in Somaliland and I showed them the photos of Las Geel reiterating that I was there for tourism. Finally they wanted to see the flight bookings from Hargeisa to Djibouti and those from Djibouti to Milan. In the end, out of compassion, they issued me a transit visa valid for 3 days for the price of $ 60. It is logical to think that if I have had all these problems it means that not everyone can obtain a tourist visa at the airport as claimed by the website "www.viaggiaresicuri.it". I didn't understand anything in this whole affair but I can assume that it is true that you can get a visa on arrival but if you come with a flight from Italy (even with a stopover in another country, for example Addis Ababa), but you can't get it at the Airport if you come from Somaliland (as in my case) and in this case you have to get it at the Djibouti Embassy in Hargeisa. Mine is just a hypothesis since the airport staff did not give me many explanations on the matter even though in the end I managed to miraculously enter Djibouti.

To enter Djibouti, only for those coming from countries where Yellow Fever is endemic, it is mandatory to be in possession of a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate which is generally not requested at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport ( Ethiopia)

At Ambouli International Airport (Djibouti), it is possible to withdraw money at ATMs.

To change cash (Euros), I trusted a guy outside the airport who applied a very disadvantageous exchange rate (1 Euro = 190.00 DFr).

In Djibouti almost 100% of the people are Muslim and therefore Friday is the holiday day when all commercial activities are closed, some even on Saturdays.

In Djibouti almost everyone speaks French but very few people speak English and all the signs on the road and tourist signs are also in French.

Bear in mind that there are very few vehicles on the roads of Djibouti, except Djibouti.

Keep in mind that Djibouti is not a Tourist Nation, but is located in a strategic position. So there are US Bases, Japanese, ect. It is estimated that there are over 8,000 foreign soldiers in such a small nation, as well as many Chinese, European workers, ect. So it is not surprising if, especially in Gibuty City, you meet a soldier or a policeman at every corner. Here, tourists are very rare and therefore it is not surprising if the local population, seeing you with a camera in hand, mistakes you for a journalist and expressly tells you so. For all the aforementioned reasons, you have to think twice before taking a picture in order not to run into unnecessary trouble, especially in Blv de la Republique where there are embassies and government offices.

From the International Airport of Ambouli (Djibouti), located about 7 km south-east of the center of the capital, to reach it, keep in mind that there is no public transport and that a taxi costs 1,800 DFr, even if by bargaining you can get to 1,200 DFr

In Djibouti City I slept at one of the cheapest accommodations in the city, namely the Horseed Hotel, located on the southern edge of the African Quarter (no. 1), in Blv du General de Gaulle, 100 meters. north of the intersection with Avenue 13. Cost for a room with 2 single beds and shared bathroom: 6,000 DFr (I asked for a discount of 500 DFr). Wifi not present. Breakfast not included. The owner speaks excellent English and if you are interested in taking a tour he will put you in touch with the Bambu Service Touristik travel agency. The owner speaks Italian.

Djibouti is a fairly safe city, you can get around on foot especially in the European district, but it is good to avoid entering the district n. 1 the African one south of the Les Caisses Market.

To change money, you can contact the banks located around Place du 27 Juin in the center of Djibouti City, which are closed on Fridays. Many of these exchange only Dollars at the exchange rate of 1 Euro = 173.00 DFr. There are some black money changers, difficult to spot, which offer a slightly more advantageous rate 1 Euro = 180.00 DFr.

A taxi from the City Center to the Port of Djibouti costs 500 DFr.

At least 3 times a week (including Saturday) with departure at 9.00 a.m. there is a passenger ferry that connects Djibouti with Tadjoura. The trip takes about 2 hours. The ticket that you buy before getting on costs 700 Dfr.

Tadjoura, you get around well on foot.

From Tadjoura, there are some Minibuses to Obock every day. The trip takes about 1 hour. In theory, the cost of the ticket should be 700 Dfr. They didn't charge me too, but I don't know why.

There are no hotels in Obock. Asking around, I found one close to the center: the Hotel Dar - Alraha. Cost for a double bed, ensuite bathroom: 10,000 DFr (I asked for a 2,000 DFr discount on the starting price of 12,000 DFr). Wifi not present. Breakfast not included.

Through the hotel I also managed a kind of collective taxi to Djibouti City, departing at 7.30 a.m. from Obock (they picked me up in front of my hotel). The price of the trip is 2,000 Dfr. Duration of the trip about 3 and a half hours. There is a Check point halfway where they asked me for my passport. Scenic road at times with crazy ups and downs in the middle of the mountains.

In Djibouti the most beautiful attractions to visit are Lake Abbe and Lake Assal, both of which cannot be reached by public transport. To try to join a tour or find a private vehicle to reach them, I contacted the Bambu Service Touristik travel agency through the Hotel Horseed, at the Agence Lo Goubet, located in Djibouti City in Blv Cheikh Osman, 50 meters away. of the Tourist office and 100 mt. from Place du 27 Juin, in the person of Valerie who speaks excellent English and at the Tourist office of Djibouti, located in Rue de Foucauld, 50 mt. from Place du 27 Juin, with English speaking staff. In the end I got more or less the same answer from everyone: there are no tours leaving. The only Tour had already started on Friday morning, the feast day in Djibouti. So the rental of an off-road vehicle x 2 days for the visit of Lake Abbè costs 800 $, while the rental of a normal car x 1 day for the visit of Lake Assal costs 300 $. Asking Taxi Drivers in Djibouti City they are willing to take you to Lake Assal for 150 $. Same price was asked of me in Tadjoura.

On the strength of the information gathered and reported above, in the collective taxi journey from Obock to Djibouti City that passes at the crossroads with Lake Assal at 20 km from it, I tried to ask if they were taking me to visit Lake Succitato. The driver suddenly nailed the car and from there the negotiations began that led me to close the deal for 10,000 DFr. So I was able to visit the Assal salt lake for about an hour which, in addition to offering enchanting landscapes with an altitude of 155 meters. below sea level it is the lowest point in Africa, as well as the 3rd lowest on the planet.

From the center of Djibouti City, to reach it the Ambouli International Airport (Djibouti), located about 7 km south-east of the center of the capital, keep in mind that there is no public transport and that a white and green taxi costs 2,000 DFr, even if by bargaining heavily I managed to pay 800 DFr.

There are 2 security checks at Ambouli Airport (Djibouti). The first with the metal detector to enter the airport, the second again with the metal detector to enter the Gate Area.

Punctual as never before leaves from Ambouli International Airport (Djibouti), at 19.05 my plane no. ET365 of the Ethiopian Airlines Company, in the direction of Terminal 2 of the International Airport of Addis Abeba Bole (Ethiopia), (price of the multi-route ticket including taxes from Malpensa to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to Gondar (Ethiopia ) and from Djibouti (Djibouti) to Malpensa with a stopover in Addis Abeba: Euro 672.45).

On the aforementioned aircraft, a snack with a drink and a sandwich is served.

Arrival on time at 8.15 pm, at Terminal 2 of Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (Ethiopia). There are 2 hours of time zone, compared to Italy.

At the aforementioned airport, I remain in the transit area (where there are armchairs where you can lie down to sleep) and therefore it is not necessary for me to be stamped with the Ethiopian entry stamp. As always there is a lot of confusion in this airport and therefore it is necessary to get in line to face the security check to access the gate at least 2 hours before but since 2 hours before your flight gate does not appear on the monitor you need to ask the information desk.

Punctual as never before from Terminal 2 of Addis Abeba Bole International Airport in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) at 00.10 am, my plane no. ET702 of the Ethiopian Airlines Company in the direction of Terminal 1 of Malpensa International Airport (Va), with a technical stopover in Rome of 1 hour to pick up passengers but without getting off the aircraft, (multi-leg ticket price including taxes from Malpensa in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia), from Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) to Gondar (Ethiopia) and from Djibouti (Djibouti) to Malpensa with a stopover in Addis Ababa: Euro 672.45).

Dinner and breakfast are served on the aforementioned aircraft.

I therefore arrive at 7.10 A.M., at Terminal 1 of Malpensa International Airport, where my long journey ends.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

http://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2018/06/viaggio-in-etiopia-addis-abeba-gondar.html