Harari Region · Ethiopia
Harar travel guide
Harar is a city in Harari Region, Ethiopia, home to about 157,000 people.
- Best months
- June and October to March
- Nearest airport
- DIR46 km · Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport
- Currency
- ETBbir
- Time zone
- Africa/Addis Ababa
- Language
- Amharic
About
About Harar
For centuries, Harar has been a major commercial centre, linked by trade routes between Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It is also known in Arabic as the City of Saints. According to Sir Richard Burton, Harar is the birthplace of the khat plant. The original domesticated coffee plant is also said to have originated in Harar. In 2007 the six largest ethnic groups reported in Harar were the Amhara (41%), the Oromo (28%), the Harari (12%), the Gurage (3%), the Somali (7%), and the Tigrayans (3%).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Harar
See
The old town is home to ninety-nine mosques and many more shrines, centered on Feres Magala square.
- Feres Magala square
- Abdela Sherif Museum
- Rimbaud's House and Museum
- St. Mary Catholic Church
- Medhane'alem Church
- Jamia Mosque
- Awaach of Amir Nur
- Harari National Museum
Do
Get lost in the Jugol (old city) and wander around brightly colored houses and small vendors. Some local houses can be visited; the guides can show you which ones, or you can try to find them on your own.
- Feed the hyenas
- Feed the black kites
- Eid al-Fitr
- Shewal Eid
- Ashura
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Harar to stay in
There are very few quality accommodations. Hot water is unlikely and in fact you'll be lucky to get running water at all. Dire Dawa has a better selection of hotels.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Harar
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Harar are June and October to March. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; August is the wettest, with about 147 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Harar: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport (DIR), about 46 km from the city centre in a straight line; Gerad Wilwal International Airport (JIJ, 86 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Harar is not the easiest city to reach; budget transportation options involve long hours and/or cramped conditions. For maximum comfort (and cost) from Addis Ababa, fly to Dire Dawa and have a hotel there arrange private car transport to Harar. There is bus service from Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Jijiga.
Getting around
Auto rickshaws ("bajaji" in Ethiopia) are readily available. Flag one down pretty much anywhere. There is no need to take them around the Jugol as it is very walkable. The main entry into the Jugol is the Harar Gate at its western end.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DIR · Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport
JIJ · Gerad Wilwal International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Harar
Eat
Harar is not exactly a culinary wonderland. Restaurants are few, and most are located west of the Jugol.
Drink
Harar does a lot better in the drinks category. Bunna bets (street coffee stands) dot the Jugol. Outside of the Jugol, Harar has a surprisingly active nightlife. Harar coffee is one of Ethiopia's oldest and most distinctive Arabica varieties. It is traditionally dry-processed, producing a heavy-bodied cup with wine-like, fruity, and sometimes spicy or chocolatey notes. It holds a Geographical Indication (protected regional name) for its unique character. Cultivated at high altitudes using traditional methods, harar coffee is becoming rarer, as these days farmers can get a better price for khat.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Harar: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Harar?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Harar are June and October to March. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; August is the wettest, with about 147 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Harar?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport (DIR), about 46 km from the city centre in a straight line; Gerad Wilwal International Airport (JIJ, 86 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Harar?
bir (ETB).
Nearby
Destinations near Harar
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.