Nature
Daallo forest and escarpment
Juniper forest and a sheer escarpment with views over the coastal plain, north of the town.
Erigavo – history, culture and places to visit | Warar
Cities of Somalia Sanaag · Somaliland
Erigavo
Erigavo · ErigaboA cool highland town and the capital of Sanaag: the juniper forest of Daallo, Mount Shimbiris and cliffs plunging towards the Gulf of Aden.
AdministrationSomaliland
RegionSanaag
Population85,119Estimate: urban population of the whole district (UNFPA PESS 2014), 2014
Location10.618°, 47.370°
Places to visit2
Neighbourhoods2
Overview
Erigavo (Ceerigaabo) is the capital of the Sanaag region. It stands on a plateau at about 1,780 metres, making it one of the coolest towns in Somalia. North of the town the Daallo escarpment and its juniper forest (Juniperus procera) drop steeply towards the coastal plain.
The town is administered by Somaliland, while Puntland and the North Eastern State administration also lay claim to parts of the region. Erigavo is Sanaag's main commercial centre.
What makes it unique
- 01One of the coolest towns in Somalia (about 1,780 m)
- 02The Daallo juniper forest on the northern escarpment
- 03Mount Shimbiris, the country's highest point, nearby
- 04A frankincense trade going back centuries
Places to visit
Nature
Mount Shimbiris
The highest point in Somalia (over 2,400 m), north-west of Erigavo.
Neighbourhoods · Erigavo
2 neighbourhoods
- Caduur
- Tuula Dacar
This list contains verified names; editors keep adding more.
History
Erigavo is a centuries-old settlement that long served as a watering and resting place for pastoralists and trade caravans. It has hosted important reconciliation conferences between Sanaag's communities, including one in 1993 and a major conference in 2025.
Culture
Pastoral traditions and the frankincense trade shape local life. The Sanaag highlands are home to frankincense trees and juniper woodland.
Economy
Erigavo is Sanaag's main market: livestock trade, frankincense (Boswellia) harvested in the mountains, and small irrigated vegetable farms. The Burao–Erigavo road (about 284 km) links it with the interior and the port of Berbera.