I flew to Mogadishu from Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines. There’s a daily flight at 8:50am and it returns at 12:25pm from Mogadishu daily. There are also regularly scheduled flights from Nairobi, Entebbe, Doha, Djibouti and Istanbul. Other cities and airlines you’ve never heard of run non-regular flights from various cities in the region at times. Flights can be expensive and unreliable for various reasons.
Arriving in Mogadishu Airport can be a bit unnerving because you’ve just landed in Mogadishu, Somalia-that’s not your everyday kind of destination. You’ll see a ton of UN and NGO planes, military and humanitarian helicopters-basically a big clusterfuck.
As you enter the air-conditioned terminal (it’s very hot and humid in Mogadishu), you’ll need to fill out an arrival form. Then you wait in line for visa authentication and they’ll stamp it into your passport-this goes quickly. However, you must have a work visa arranged ahead of time to travel to Somalia. This can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t have any “work” connections. As of time of writing, there are no Somalia tourist visas at all-there are no tourists.
The airport is heavily fortified and can take a while to get in and out of with numerous checkpoints. Departing from Mogadishu Airport can take time and be an intense hassle. There are several security checks. At an outdoors one, you’ll be separated from your bags and forced to wait so dogs can sniff them. There will also be aggressive “fixers” trying to help you for tips. Get there early and be patient. MGQ is unlike any other airport in the world security wise. Seriously, I’ve never seen anything like it including places like Kabul.
If you take one piece of advice from me, it should be to stay at the Peace Hotel in Mogadishu. That’s all you need to know. Arrange your trip through the owner, Bashir. He is absolutely the man in Mogadishu and will arrange your accommodation, transportation and security team. Just trust me, it’ll be the best move you make for peace of mind and security. The security is a little expensive but you’re going to freaking Mogadishu-so just bite the bullet and pay up as getting kidnapped, shot or blown up would suck!
The Peace Hotel is the most heavily fortified hotel I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. In fact, it’s worth one day in Mogadishu, Somalia just to experience the fortification of the Peace Hotel and the airport. It’s a tourist attraction itself in my view and a fascinating place.
Before you leave the compound to go sightseeing, Bashir will give you a security briefing from what is essentially a mission control straight out of a movie. I’ve never seen such a sophisticated security and surveillance center in my life. You are transfixed by how hi-tech it is and how secure Bashir makes you feel. They have cameras all over the city and technology that shows any potential danger. It then offers alternative routes if necessary. It’s really wild. Obviously no photos were allowed.
Inside the Peace Hotel compound is a very comfortable, pleasant and even beautiful oasis in the middle of likely the most dangerous city on Earth. They have a beautiful courtyard, excellent gym, ping pong table, good restaurant, fabulous roof deck and sitting area. You never feel anything but safe, secure and amazed that you’re in the middle of Mogadishu when you’re at the Peace Hotel.
