Travel information
Garissa is off the tourist trail but gives an interesting insight into the Somali way of life without crossing into Somalia itself. The town has attractive side streets with typical brightly-painted shop fronts. Out of town the landscape is thorn scrub. Wildlife to be glimpsed from the road includes eagles, dikdik, baboons and meerkats. Large herds of camels are often seen being moved by families between seasonal village sites.
There are daily bus services from Nairobi to Garissa. The road to Garissa is hard surfaced and in good condition. By car, the journey takes about 4 to 5 hours. Garissa has an airfield but no scheduled flights.
Garissa is small enough to get around on foot, but taxis can easily be hired. Beyond Garissa itself the roads are unsurfaced and frequently become impassable even by 4-wheel drive vehicles during the rains.
You can buy traditional Somali curio items such as dhiil, ameel and an array of calabashes
Most 'internationals' eat at the Nomad Hotel but there are several small 'hotels' (cafes) around town.
This is a mainly Muslim town so alcohol is not widely sold. The 'MAJI CLUB ' opposite the Nomad Hotel is the most popular gathering place for non-Muslim locals and visitors to town. There are also quite a number of other places to socialize and have a cold tusker, like the GOVERNMENT GUEST HOUSE, JAMHURI CLUB and TOWN CLUB. now there is a new classic hotel on board.
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