Harar is a UNESCO World Heritage walled city in eastern Ethiopia, about 500 km from Addis Ababa, known for its nightly hyena feeding ritual, 82 mosques, the labyrinthine alleys of the Jugol old town, the Arthur Rimbaud Museum, and the Gidir Magala market. According to UNESCO, it is considered the fourth holiest city of Islam, with 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century, and 102 shrines. The townhouses with their exceptional interior design constitute the most spectacular part of Harar’s cultural heritage. Two to three days is enough time to see the main sights, but four days allows for day trips to the Babille Elephant Sanctuary and surrounding villages.
3-Day Adventure to Danakil Depression
8-Days Journey to Wildlife Safari: Harar, Awash, and Bale Mountains
7-Day Journey to Omo Valley & Danakil Depression
7 Days cultural exploration of the Omo Valley and Surma
4-Day Immersive Omo Valley Culture Experience
13-Day Ethiopian Bird watching Specialist Tour
12-Day Ethiopia Expedition to Bahir Dar, Gondar, Simien Mountains, Lalibela, Danakil, and Tigray
12-Day Ethiopia Honeymoon Safari
14 Days: Chebera Churchura, Omo Valley, Lalibela, and Danakil
10-Day Ethiopia Wildlife Photographer Tour
6 Days Ethiopia Historical Circuit
5 Days Timkat Festival Ethiopia
5 Days Yirgacheffe Coffee Tour Ethiopia
| Activity | Duration | Difficulty | Approx. Cost (USD) | Best Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyena Feeding (night) | 1-2 hours | Easy | $3-8 | Year-round |
| Jugol Walking Tour | 2-4 hours | Easy | $10-20 (guide) | Oct-Feb |
| Arthur Rimbaud Museum | 1 hour | Easy | $2-3 | Year-round |
| Gidir Magala Market | 1-2 hours | Easy | Free | Year-round |
| Babille Elephant Sanctuary | Full day | Moderate | $30-50 | Jun-Sep |
| Koremi Village Day Trip | Half-full day | Easy-Moderate | $15-30 | Oct-Mar |
| Traditional Coffee Ceremony | 1-2 hours | Easy | $2-5 | Year-round |
| Harar Brewery Tour | 2 hours | Easy | $5-10 | Year-round |
Harar Jugol UNESCO Walled City Walking Tour
Harar Jugol is a compact 1 km² maze of limestone alleys perched on an escarpment 500 km east of Addis Ababa, inscribed by UNESCO in 2006 for its rare fusion of African and Islamic traditions. The walls surrounding this sacred Muslim city were built between the 13th and 16th centuries. The thick five-metre-high walls run 3.5 kilometres around the city, punctuated by gates including the Asmaddin Beri portal. Inside, the streets divide into roughly 368 named alleys, each with its own character. Colorful homes painted in bright shades of blue, green, pink, and yellow line the narrow pathways. A licensed guide can decode the symbols carved into doorposts, point out hidden shrines, and direct you to the finest examples of traditional Harari house architecture. Plan two to three hours minimum for a proper circuit of the Jugol. Entry to the walled city itself is free.
Hyena Feeding at Night Outside the Harar City Walls
Written records indicate that spotted hyenas have been present in the walled Ethiopian city of Harar for at least 500 years, where they sanitise the city by feeding on its organic refuse. The practice of regularly feeding them did not begin until the 1960s, when a farmer began feeding the hyenas to stop them from attacking his livestock, with his descendants having continued the practice. There are two feeding sites outside the walls. The eastern site is located about 1.5 km east of Erer Gate, near the garbage dump, and is usually more productive than the other because of its isolation and location near the garbage dump, though there is no guarantee of sightings. This impressive spectacle begins around 6:30 pm, and there are generally two to four hyenas that make an appearance after the hyena man calls them. Some of the hyena men give each hyena a name they respond to, calling to them using a hyena dialect, a mixture of English and Oromo. Visitors can hand-feed the hyenas themselves. A tip of around 100 birr is standard for the hyena man, plus the guide fee.
Arthur Rimbaud Museum Inside the Jugol
The museum is tucked inside a beautiful old Indian merchant house in the Jugol. Rimbaud was a French poet who gave up writing at 21, travelled to Ethiopia, and settled in Harar around 1884. He became one of the first Europeans to enter the walled city and lived his best life as a gun runner and coffee exporter. The museum does not have many of his original belongings, but the second floor houses a collection of early photographs, some said to be taken by Rimbaud himself, that capture everyday life in Harar over a century ago. The colourful windows upstairs offer one of the best views over the rooftops of the old city. The building itself is worth the visit even for those unfamiliar with Rimbaud’s poetry. Admission is a small fee paid at the door, typically around 50-100 birr.
Gidir Magala Meat Market and Harar Suuq
Gidir Magala, previously known as the Muslim market, is the main market and the city’s biggest butchery. Here you will find camel meat in every possible form, from mince to whole hump. Buy a scrap and raise it skyward, and a hawk will dive from nowhere, snatch it mid-air, and vanish. The market is filled with overflowing sacks of berbere, lentils, and chickpeas in stalls packed so tightly that browsing requires a one-at-a-time policy. The market is keenly observed by the black kites that perch above, patiently waiting for their moment to swoop. Beyond the butchery section, the broader Harar Suuq covers spices, textiles, incense, traditional Harari basketry, coffee beans, and khat. Arrive before 9 am for the best atmosphere and freshest produce.
Traditional Harari House Visit and Coffee Ceremony
Harar Jugol numbers 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century, 102 shrines, and a number of traditional, Indian, and combined townhouses with unique interior designs, which constitute a spectacular part of Harar’s cultural heritage. The traditional Harari house, known locally as the ge gar, is organized around a series of raised platforms called nädäbas that mark social rank. The main room is the large living room called the gidir gar. It has several raised platforms called nädäbas, which function as seats or beds. A typical house will have five nädäbas. Several families in the Jugol open their homes to visitors for a traditional coffee ceremony. Harar coffee is dry-processed, sun-dried, and hand-sorted with no shortcuts. The ceremony involves roasting green beans over charcoal in the host’s courtyard and is one of the most genuine cultural interactions available in eastern Ethiopia.
Sherif Harar City Museum
One of the most decorated museums in the city of Harar, the Sherif Harar City Museum is a notable sight. Starting with the collection of Abdella Sherif, it contains early examples of Harar coins, bookbinding, and other historical objects. The museum is located close to Ras Makonnen’s Palace and covers Harari cultural history spanning several centuries, with exhibits on traditional costumes, weapons, jewellery, household artefacts, and Islamic manuscripts. This modest museum across the road from Ras Makonnen’s Palace hosts household artefacts, traditional costumes, weapons, and jewellery. What is called Queen Taitu’s Palace, next door, was neatly restored and now shelters a training centre for craft makers. Admission is typically 50-100 birr and the museum is open most mornings except during Friday prayers.
Ras Makonnen Palace Museum
Ras Makonnen, the father of Emperor Haile Selassie, once served as governor of Harar. His former residence has been transformed into a museum where visitors can learn about his pivotal role in Ethiopia’s history. The building itself is a late-19th-century structure that reflects Harar’s position as an administrative center after Emperor Menelik II integrated the city into Ethiopia in 1887. Inside, period photographs, furniture, and documents illustrate the transition of Harar from an independent emirate to a regional capital. The palace sits near Gidir Magala, making it easy to combine with a market visit on the same morning. A guide adds significant value here given the limited written information on display.
Babille Elephant Sanctuary Day Trip
Extending over almost 7,000 square kilometers to the southeast of Harar, Babille Elephant Sanctuary is a vast reserve comprising wide gorges flanked by open plains, rocky outcrops, and meandering river beds. Babille is home to Africa’s most north-easterly population of elephants, which some authorities assign to a unique race endemic to the Horn of Africa. An estimated 200 elephants inhabit Babille, moving seasonally between the Erer and Gobelle river valleys, but also sometimes venturing outside the sanctuary. The best time of year to visit is the late rainy season, June to September, when the elephants usually congregate in the Upper Erer Valley about 40 km from Harar. Sightings are not guaranteed during other months. The best way to see the elephants is to drive through the Erer Valley, then get out and walk. With enough patience and perseverance, you stand a good chance but no guarantee of finding them. Arrange transport through a local guide in Harar. The sanctuary also contains the Valley of Marvels, where tall rocks have been sculpted by erosion into unusual formations.
Koremi Village and Harla Ancient Ruins Day Trip
With its superb architecture and dramatic setting, the clifftop village of Koremi, 19 km southeast of Harar above the Erer Valley, is a definite excursion. The village sits at the edge of the escarpment with views across the lowland plains toward the Somali region. Local guides in Harar can also arrange visits to Harla village, an archaeological site about 38 km from the city where ruins of an ancient pre-Islamic settlement have been uncovered, including decorated pottery, coral stonework, and early coinage from trade with Arabia and Persia. The site is still being studied by archaeologists and remains very lightly visited. Half a day covers Koremi, or combine it with Harla for a full day if transport is arranged in advance.
Harar Mosque Circuit and Islamic Heritage Sites
Harar is renowned for its over 80 mosques, making it one of the holiest cities in the Islamic world. A visit to the Great Amir Nur Mosque of Harar, established over a millennium ago, is worth the effort for those interested in the spread of Islam in Africa. The mosques are scattered throughout Harar Jugol, the ancient walled city. Each mosque reflects the city’s rich spiritual history and serves as a reminder of Harar’s status as a center of Islamic learning in the Horn of Africa. Harar’s great mosque is the only one inside the wall large enough to host both men and women. The mosque was built in the 16th century. Non-Muslim visitors should dress modestly, remove shoes before entering, and visit outside prayer times. A guide who knows which mosques welcome visitors is strongly recommended before attempting the mosque circuit independently.
Sheikh Abadir Tomb Pilgrimage Site
The tomb of Sheikh Abadir, Harar’s legendary founder and second emir, is an important pilgrimage site. Sheikh Abadir Umar ar-Rida is the founding saint of Harar’s Sufi Muslim tradition and is credited with establishing the city as a center of Islamic learning in the 13th century. For centuries, Harari Sufis have been ritually feeding hyenas on Ashura, a Muslim holiday. The tomb complex remains an active place of worship, and visitors can observe devotees conducting zikr, the Sufi practice of rhythmic repetition of sacred phrases. The site provides direct insight into Harar’s Sufi heritage, which is distinct from more austere forms of Islam practiced elsewhere in Ethiopia and Somalia. Visit with a guide and dress conservatively.
Makina Girgir Tailoring Street
Makina Girgir is the thrum of Harar’s tailoring industry. A whole street of tailors are hunched over sewing machines. Makina is the brand name, Italian, a relic of the 1930s occupation, and girgir is the sound the machines make. You will hear it before you see it. The street is one of the most photogenic and characterful corners of the Jugol, where tailors produce traditional Harari clothing including the embroidered dresses worn by women at festivals. Items can be made to order within a day or two. The Harari people are distinguished by the continued cultural traditions and quality of their handicrafts, including weaving, basket making, and book binding. Purchasing a piece of handmade Harari textile directly from the maker at Makina Girgir is far more meaningful than buying from a tourist stall near the gates.
Harar Brewery Tour
The Harar Brewery was established in 1984. It produces Harar Beer, one of Ethiopia’s most recognized local lagers, brewed using highland barley and water