Discover Harar

The centuries-old, walled old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and captivates with a maze of narrow alleys, brightly painted houses and traditional courtyards of Harari culture.

Every evening, the so-called hyena man hand-feeds wild spotted hyenas outside the city gates — a tradition passed down for generations that draws visitors from around the world.

Harar is considered the fourth-holiest city of Islam and packs an exceptionally high density of mosques into a small area, many centuries old and architecturally unique for the region.

The bustling markets of the old town offer spices, hand-woven textiles and local coffee from one of the world's oldest coffee-growing regions, often accompanied by the traditional coffee ceremony.

Ethiopian Airlines flies from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa, from where Harar is about an hour away by car. Traveling directly by bus from Addis Ababa is also possible but takes considerably longer.

The local population traditionally speaks Harari, alongside widespread Oromo and Amharic. Some English is usually understood at tourist businesses.

October to May during the dry season is best for walking through the narrow alleys of the old town.

Yes, the evening feeding by the so-called hyena man has taken place for generations and is conducted by experienced locals under controlled conditions, allowing visitors to watch from a safe distance.