Harar: Why This Walled Ethiopian City is East Africa’s Best-Kept Secret

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On a green plateau in the highlands of eastern Ethiopia sits Harar, an ancient, fortified settlement built on faith, trade, and history. It is the ancestral homeland of the Harari people. Known locally as the ‘City of Saints’, it is the fourth holiest city in Islam. This UNESCO site operates as a living community, where narrow, twisting alleyways lead past old, brightly painted houses, busy spice markets, and a nightly gathering where residents hand-feed wild spotted hyenas under the stars. For travellers who value depth over standard tourist tracks, Harar delivers a raw, preserved culture that is rare to find today. 

The wider Harar province also holds immense political significance as the cradle of modern Ethiopian royalty. Just 18 miles outside the historic walls lies a mountain village celebrated as the birthplace of Emperor Haile Selassie (born Lij Tafari Makonnen) on July 23, 1892. His father, Ras Makonnen, was appointed as the first imperial governor of Harar. In 1888, Ras Makonnen selected the area as a strategic military and administrative outpost (ketema). He constructed a residential compound and a garrison there, which effectively founded the modern town layout. 

Today, travellers can visit the town to view the ruins of the governor’s original compound and the historic Kidane Mihret church, which the emperor later erected to commemorate his royal birthplace.  

Harar At a Glance

•  Status: UNESCO World Heritage Site (Inscribed 2006)
•  Altitude: 1,885 meters above sea level
• Architecture:  82 historic mosques and 102 sacred shrines
• Birthplace region of Emperor Haile Selassie
•  Signature Experience: The Nightly Hyena Feeding Ritual

The Trading Hub of the Adal Sultanate

Harar’s foundations were laid between the 7th and 11th centuries, when it grew into a major trade and political centre in the Horn of Africa. As the capital of the Adal Sultanate, the city linked inland African commercial routes with the Red Sea coast and the Arabian Peninsula. 

The heart of Harar is “Jugol”, the old limestone wall-enclosed town. Built between the 13th and 16th centuries and strengthened in 1552 by Emir Nur ibn Mujahid to protect residents from external forces, the barrier stands 5 metres high and runs for 3.5 kilometres. Passing through the gates of Jugol feels like crossing a historical boundary into a distinct era. 

The Gates of Jugol

The limestone walls originally relied on five distinct gates that connected to the main roads feeding the city. Each protected a specific entry point and marked the boundaries of the town’s five traditional quarters: 

• Shewa Gate: The usual arrival point for international travellers, this entrance stays busy and opens directly into the main market area.
• Buda Gate: Found on the western side, this gate retains its stone-built character and leads toward the local agricultural and khat markets. 
• Fallana Gate: Serving the southern part of town, this opening historically handled heavy traffic from regional farmers, pack donkeys, and traders. 
• Erer Gate and Sanga Gate: These eastern and southern entry points allowed merchants and foreign envoys to pass from the lowlands into the secure city centre. 

Mosques and Shrines

Harar holds a remarkable density of historic religious architecture within its small footprint.  Jugol protects 82 mosques, some dating to the 10th century, and more than 100 shrines. These sites commemorate the scholars and Sufi teachers who established the town as a centre of Islamic learning in East Africa. 

• The Grand Mosque (Al-Jami): The oldest Islamic house of worship in Harar features an understated design with twin minarets, one of which was built in the 1760s. It remains the spiritual core of the community.
• The Shrine of Amir Nur: This domed tomb honours the 16th-century leader who built the defensive walls and is a major site of local reverence. 

Harar’s history is also defined by practical religious tolerance. While it remains a bastion of Islamic heritage, Orthodox Christian churches and Catholic missions sit just a short walk from the historic mosques, reflecting centuries of peaceful proximity. 

The Interior Alleys and Harari Homes

The interior of Jugol is a tight maze of narrow cobblestone passages designed for foot traffic and pack animals. The streets ignore any rigid grid pattern, twisting sharply around corners to slow down the wind and confuse historical invaders.

Behind the plain exterior walls facing the street lie the traditional Harari houses, which open up into vibrant, styled living spaces. The main rooms feature recessed shelves built directly into the walls, displaying rows of hand-woven decorative baskets, brass pots, and heirloom ceramics.  Living rooms feature up to five raised-floor platforms, each representing a different rank for guests and family members during gatherings. The floors are laid with heavy rugs where the daily coffee ceremony takes place. 

Imperial Footprints: Palaces and Museums

Ras Mekonnen’s Palace Grounds

Situated just outside the dense core of the old city walls, this multi-storey building holds a layered history. The grand palace was originally built by Ras Mekonnen Wolde-Mikael Wolde-Melekot, the first imperial governor of Harar and the father of Emperor Haile Selassie. Built in the late 19th century, the historic structure featured sharp, functional architectural lines rather than ornate styling. The building was mostly destroyed during World War II, and a new functional stone-block administrative headquarters was built in the 1930s. Now operating as a regional museum, the venue displays military uniforms, historical weaponry, and correspondence detailing the era’s diplomatic relations. Visitors can climb to the top floors for panoramic views of the old town.

The Arthur Rimbaud Museum

This multi-storey wooden mansion, built with Indian architectural influences, celebrates the French poet Arthur Rimbaud, who lived in Harar as a commercial trader in the late 19th century.  It archives early black-and-white photographs of the region alongside historical maps.

Ras Tafari’s House

Located close to the Rimbaud house, this double-storey building was carved by Indian craftsmen. It hosted the honeymoon of Emperor Haile Selassie (then known as Ras Tafari) and Empress Menen Asfaw. Because an Indian trader built it, it features distinct Eastern woodwork and even a carving of the deity Ganesh above the entrance. It currently operates as the Sherif Harar City Museum and contains an excellent private collection of antique coins, Islamic manuscripts, and traditional garments. Visitors can view the actual portable travel bed used by the emperor when he lived in the region.

Markets and Commerce

Feres Megala (The House Market)

Harar thrives on commerce, and its markets run through the streets from dawn until evening. The central square of the old city is filled with people trading highland produce, fresh coffee berries, spices, and textiles. 

The Aweday Market

Located a short drive outside the walls, this market handles the regional khat trade.  The green leaves are a primary export and drive the local economy.

The Nightly Hyena Feeding

The most unusual aspect of life in Harar unfolds at dusk. For generations, wild spotted hyenas have scavenged the edges of the city, entering at night to keep the streets free of food waste.

In the 1960s, a local family formalised this relationship to stop the animals from targeting livestock. Today, the “Hyena Men” sit outside the gates after dark, calling individual animals out of the shadows by name.

Visitors can watch these large predators emerge from the scrub to take meat scraps from the handlers’ hands. For those willing to try, the handlers provide short wooden sticks to hold the food, allowing an up-close encounter with animals that are usually feared elsewhere.

The Best Time to Visit Harar

At an elevation of 1,885 metres, Harar enjoys a more moderate climate than the surrounding lowlands. The ideal window to travel is from October to February. During these peak dry-season months, skies remain consistently clear, daytime temperatures sit comfortably between 20 °C and 27 °C, and the nights are refreshingly cool. This creates perfect conditions for photographing the ochre city walls and walking through the narrow alleyways without the disruption of intense heat or rain.

For a unique cultural experience, the shoulder months of September and March are also highly recommended. September brings lush, green landscapes immediately following the long summer rains, along with major national celebrations like Meskel. Alternatively, visiting during Shuwalid (Shuwal Eid), a vibrant six-day Harari festival held shortly after Ramadan, offers an unmatched look into local spiritual traditions, complete with music, dancing, and community prayers at historic shrines. Travellers should generally avoid June through August, when heavy seasonal rain can make exploratory walking difficult.  

Essential Safety & Travel Routes from Addis Ababa

Getting to Harar from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, requires traversing roughly 500 kilometres of varied terrain.  While the capital city of Addis Ababa and the walled core of Harar itself remain relatively stable, the rural highways connecting them cut directly through highly volatile zones. 

Crucial Overland Safety Precaution

Driving overland from Addis Ababa to Harar via the A1 and A10 highways is strongly discouraged due to severe security risks. The route traverses the Oromia Regional State, an area experiencing ongoing civil unrest, active operations by armed groups, and an increased threat of highway banditry, illegal roadblocks, and kidnapping.  Furthermore, sudden road closures and communication disruptions are common.  Both the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the US Department of State explicitly warn against travelling through these parts of the Oromia region. Night travel by road is strictly prohibited nationwide due to livestock hazards, poor lighting, and heightened security risks. 

The Recommended Route: Flight + Private Transfer

To bypass these highway security risks entirely, travellers should utilise the express air route.   Secure a short domestic flight operated by Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Dire Dawa International Airport (DIR).  The nonstop flight takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes, with multiple daily connections available. From Dire Dawa airport, hire a private car, taxi, or pre-arranged tour vehicle to make the final ascent to Harar.  The paved 55-kilometre mountain drive takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours, offering panoramic vistas of the valley along the way.

A Living Heritage

Harar does not feel like a preserved museum frozen for tourists. Blacksmiths still hammer iron in the alleys, women carry bundles of bright fabric through the gates, and kids study in the neighbourhood Quranic schools, just as generations before them did. This continuity earned the town its UNESCO designation in 2006, recognising a place where history is lived rather than put on display.

Harar offers a distinct contrast to the rock-hewn churches and high peaks of northern Ethiopia.  It connects visitors to the deep Islamic trading networks of East Africa. Whether walking the quiet paths of Jugol at midday, drinking spiced coffee with residents, or watching hyenas slip into the dark, a trip to Harar provides an authentic look into an old and enduring way of life.