Djibouti City Tour

• Djibouti derived from the word YABOUTI, which means COOKWARE in Afar!
• Djibouti derived from the word BOUTI, which means MONSTER in Issa /Somali!
• Djibouti derived from the word GABOUTI, which means HILL in Arabic!

Among those 3 versions, it is up to you to choose which one you refer but the town of Djibouti was founded by Mr Leonce Lagarde, the former Governor and founder of the Republic of Djibouti! The town of Djibouti was founded around 1890’s because it was the perfect spot to build the harbour and the railway to connect Ethiopia to Djibouti Sea. The town is divided into 2 areas: the European quarter, and the African quarter where the former African market (marché central) was located. During the city tour our tour guide would explain you more about the culture and history of Djibouti.

Half day is enough to visit Djibouti town and the tour starts at 8 am in morning and finishes at noon by lunch time and it is also possible from 3 pm to 7 pm until dinner time.

Here the visiting places: Djibouti downtown European quarter, the Market in African quarter, train station, the 5 harbors area of Djibouti, Balbala, PK 12, Doraleh, Ambouli, Airport road, Haramous and Souvenirs Shopping area.

Come and Explore Djibouti, the land of adventures with the team of BAMBU Service Touristik, we guarantee you an unforgettable and wonderful experience making your trip an enjoyable and best one.

 

YOUR SATISFACTION IS OUR MAIN GOAL!

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  195 km South West of Djibouti town – Dikhil Region
• the triple junctions and part of Danakil depression

Lac Abbée, also called “the rotten lake” in Afar due to the awful odours discharged by the boiling and sulphuric water sources. The lake is situated at the junction of 3 rifts - East African, the Red Sea, and the Golf of Aden – but it is also particularly situated at the meeting of the Rift Valley and the Assal Rift.

The structure of the basin of the lake is very complex geomorphically, and this is why studies done on the lake have always been scientifically complicated: 0 concrete results, only hypotheses. The area of the lake was 650 km² near 1939, and today it’s less than 140 km² due to 2 factors.

The chimneys, formed from chalk concentrations and covered with bacteria, have also appeared with the progressive regression of the lake. In fact, the chimneys were formed in the lake at the time of various seism and earthquakes that took place when the water level was still higher several million years ago. And if you observe carefully, you will remark that the chimneys are well aligned along bends, that’s because they are formed along the fault lines. This site offers visitors an exceptional ecotourism experience and if you are travelling to Djibouti don’t pass over the chance to visit this lake unique in the world full of secrets and surprises!

And during the trip to Lac Abbeh, our tour guide will explain you more about the geology of Lac Abbeh. It is geology paradise! Lac Abbeh tour is 2 days trip, you should spend the night in tourist camp, don’t expect luxury in the camp but you have access to electricity and clean water.

It is also possible to combine Lac Abbeh and Lac Assal tours with extra charge but normally Lac Abbeh package is combined with the south circuit, Ali Sabieh and the desert of Grand Bara. The tour stars at 8 am the first day and finishes at 5 pm the next day but it is also possible to start to tour at noon.

107 km North West of Djibouti town – Region of Tadjourah the lowest point in Africa and part of Danakil depression Lac Assal or Bahr al Assal, which means the sea of honey in Arabic, is about 153 m below sea and it is the lowest point in Africa and the third in the world after the Dead Sea and the Lake of Tiberian also located in Middle East. The lake is colorful and has five different colors: white, black, brown, green and blue. No life in the lake and the surface area of Lac Assal is 52km2 while 9000 years ago the lake was 1100 km² and it was not salty at all, it used to be spring water with full of fish.

How could the lake get from spring water into salty water? According to the scientists there are only three hypotheses to explain the transformation of the lake and during the tour to Lac Assal our tour guide would explain you more about the geology of Lac Assal. The geology of Djibouti is complicated but it’s a paradise for geologist!

Lac Assal is day trip and the tour stars at 8 am in the morning but it is also possible to start earlier or later upon request of our customers and it finishes at 5 pm. The visiting places are Canyon Adaleh in Dimbya, the fault in Goubet and hot springs in Korilli around Lac Assal.

The history of Djibouti started in the North and also, it is in the North where the tourism of the country is well developed. The climate is different from the South; it is cool and fresh – good raining season. The North is green, rich in flora and fauna, and that is the only most fertilized part of the country – favourable for agriculture. There are 2 regions in the North of Djibouti: Tadjourah and Obock.

Tadjourah - the white town

The Sultanate of Tadjourah is exactly where the history of Djibouti started. It used to be a strong sultanate but today it is just symbolic. When French men arrived in Djibouti in 1864, they first came to Tadjourah to negotiate a piece of land in exchange of a treaty of protectorate. And then, the Sultan of that time handed the anchorage of Obock over to his new ally, La France. Before the foundation of Djibouti town, Tadjourah was the main road to reach Shoa (Ethiopia). The region has many tourist sites to propose: Lac Assal, Foret du Day, Randa and Sable Blanc.

Obock - the colonial capital

The town of Obock is the former colonial Capital of the country of Djibouti until beginning of 1900’s before the foundation of Djibouti town, but today Obock is the Capital of the region of Obock. The first houses build by French men are still in Obock including the Palace of the former Governor and founder of the Republic of Djibouti Mr Leonce Lagarde – and also the house of Henry de Monfreid, French writer and explorer. The region of Obock has nice beaches for snorkelling and diving like Godoria; Iles de 7 frères (7brothers Islands).

La foret du Day - the millennium forest

La Foret du Day or the Forest of Day in English is sitting in high level at an attitude of 1600 m high; it is a very old forest (millennium) of 3,5 km². The forest is a National Park and it is protected. La Foret du Day has wonderful sites for Hiking and trekking.

Randa - goda mountain

The village of Randa is located in a valley at the bottom of the Day Forest, the climate is good for the agriculture and it rains a lot during the raining season. The area is beautiful for a promenade in gardens, and it is also the best spot to visit the Goda Mountain. Randa is the territory of the Black Panther and the Francolin of Djibouti (endemic bird). And during the trip to the North circuit, our tour guide will explain you more about the Afar and Djibouti culture and history.

The South of Djibouti is divided into 3 regions: Ali Sabieh, Dikhil and Arta. The climate is harsh and 90% of the territory in the south is covered by plains, deserts, hills, mountains and rocks. The tourism in South is quite different from the North; the landscape is wonderful and amazing like in Lac Abbée, Grand Bara and Arta.

Arta - whale shark area

The village of Arta, 40 kms from Djibouti town, is sitting at an altitude of 900 m high. As in the northern part of the country, Arta is the only place in South where the climate is cool and favourable for agricultures. The village was founded in 1925 by a General of French Army and still today there are few military bases and many shooting camps. Plage d’Arta or Arta Beach is well known for the whale sharks by the divers and sea lovers in the world, and the village is also a wonderful spot for hiking and climbing mountains. Dromedary riding, visiting nomad family and nomad houses is the most tour activities in Arta.

Ali Sabieh or Assajog - the desert of Djibouti

9 kms from Ethiopia border and about 20 kms from Somalia border, the town of Ali Sabieh is located in a strategic place and it is very important for the trade between Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia. Ali Sabieh has beautiful hills and a lot of mountains for hiking. The biggest desert of Djbouti is located in Grand Bara, not far from the town of Ali Sabieh. The desert of Grand Bara is an ancient dried lake of 15 kms large and 30 kms wide. Yacht sailing is available at the Association de Char à Voile located in the middle of the desert. It is possible to visit prehistoric Rock Painting in Grand Bar.

Dikhil or Okar - the region of unity

Like Ali Sabieh, the town of Dikhil has the same name as the region (Dikhil). The town is located about 80 kms from Lac Abbée and it is actually the base for visiting the lake. The main economy of the region is the trade between Djibouti and Ethiopia because the region of Dikhil is not far from the border. Sightseeing and promenade in the Oasis are the activities in Dikhil town. And during the trip to the North circuit, our tour guide will explain you more about the Afar and Djibouti culture and history.