Old Town (walled city)

Harar, Ethiopia

The UNESCO World Heritage Site containing Harar's walls, gates, mosques, markets, and the House of Arthur Rimbaud.

Places in Old Town (walled city)

Traditional Adare home restaurants Traditional Adare homes, many of which are now restaurants serving traditional Harar food.
Old Town Harari lunch houses Lunch at a local house of the Adere or Harari people, a genuine local dining experience.
Old Town brewery restaurant A brewery in the Old Town, part of Harar's small but distinctive dining scene.
Old Town coffee houses Coffee houses within the walled city, reflecting Ethiopia's deep coffee culture.
Old Town brewery bar A brewery in the Old Town offering local beer within the historic walls.

Best time to visit: October to March (dry season) offers the best conditions for exploring Harar's walled Old Town and evening hyena feeding.
Getting around: The walled Old Town is compact and walkable, with Erer Gate about two kilometres away serving as the main hyena-feeding site each evening.
Currency: Ethiopian Birr (Br)
Language: Amharic; English is common in tourism.
Timezone: EAT (UTC+3)
Current trends: Harar's tourism scene continues to be defined by its nightly Hyena Men feeding ritual just outside Erer Gate, a genuinely unique draw that coexists with the city's status as Islam's fourth holiest city, while traditional Adare homes converted into restaurants keep authentic Harari cuisine and hospitality alive within the UNESCO-listed walls.

Erer Gate district — About two kilometres from the old town, the best spot for the nightly Hyena Men feeding ritual.
Local market district — Attended by tribal people of Amhara, Oromo, and Hararis, near traditional Adare homes.