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Last updated on September 25, 2024
Wanna travel to Eritrea with Against the Compass?
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Eritrea on:
February 21st to 28th, 2025
This itinerary covers pretty much everywhere you can possibly visit in Eritrea.
With the exception of the Dahlak Islands, anywhere not covered in this Eritrea itinerary is typically restricted or off limits to tourists.
Please also remember that this itinerary is aimed at independent backpackers who are traveling by public transport, and like to take things relatively slowly although you could easily complete this itinerary much quicker, assuming you are traveling by car.
In fact, on our Eritrea Expeditions, we manage to squeeze this itinerary in only 8 days.
Learn more about our upcoming tours to Eritrea.
For travel tips, info on visas, etc., don’t forget to read our travel guide to Eritrea
In this Eritrea travel itinerary, you will find:
our recommended travel insurance for Eritrea
IATI Insurance is one of the very few that covers travel in Eritrea.
Places to visit in Eritrea with a 11-day itinerary
Map of the things to do in Eritrea
Here are my recommended places to visit in Eritrea, and the most common travel itinerary we use for our expeditions.
How to plan your itinerary for Eritrea
As you may know, Asmara is located in the center of the country.
Since the only way of traveling to Eritrea is by flying in, your trip will always start and end in Asmara.
Furthermore, you’ll always have to come back to the capital before heading in any other direction, as there’s no direct transportation from Keren to Massawa. Instead, you will need to stop in Asmara, and most likely spend the night there.
Fortunately, Asmara is a pretty cool city and the best place to visit in Eritrea, so heading back there every other day isn’t something you will regret.
Don’t forget to check our travel guide to Eritrea for all the practical information.
Day 1, 2 – Arrival and Asmara visit
In my experience, Asmara was without a doubt the highlight of my trip to Eritrea.
Unlike many other sub-saharan African capitals, this is such a charming, peaceful city.
There’s no traffic, it’s not crowded, and it’s very pedestrian friendly.
The city was entirely built by the Italians in the 1920s and everything has been beautifully preserved, meaning it’s a very beautiful city as well.
The best thing you can do in Asmara is hang out in the different cafés over a macchiato, search for delicious Italian food and check out the various art deco buildings dotted across the city.
For more information about Asmara, read: Things to do in Asmara
Where to stay in Asmara
Day 3 – Journey to Keren
The journey from Asmara to Keren takes around 3-4 hours by bus, but it can take even longer.
The bus station in Asmara is located here.
Try to get there early.
Day 4 – Keren
Predominantly a Muslim city, Keren, the capital of Anseba region, has a sort of Middle Eastern feel, or Sudanese, but what is obvious is that this is a completely different world from Asmara.
Keren is a super traditional city, where you’re likely to find more donkeys and camels than cars.
The best day to visit Keren is during the weekly animal market, a lively market in which Eritreans from all over the Anseba region come to buy and sell livestock, from camels to massive bulls.
The animal market takes places every Monday from 7am to 3pm, so plan your trip accordingly.
Things to do in Keren
- Animal market: As already mentioned, only on Mondays.
- Italian and British cemeteries: Keren witnessed a fierce battle during WWII, at which the Italian troops were defeated by the British forces and Eritrea fell under UK control.
- Former Eritrean Railway Keren Station: A vintage train station, today partially abandoned.
Where to stay in Keren
Day 5 – Return to Asmara
The distance isn’t that far, only 90 km but it does take a while, as per usual in this part of the world.
Day 6 – Drive to Massawa
Again, distances are relatively short, but it can take ages for the bus to get to Massawa.
Try to be at the bus station early in the morning.
Day 7 – Massawa and Foro
Massawa was one of the cities most affected by the war and it is here that you realize the severity of the problems the country faces, as it’s been decades since the end of the war yet most buildings are still in ruins.
Ruled by the Ottomans and then the Egyptians, Massawa has a very different from vibe from anywhere else you have been to in Eritrea, not only in the architecture but also in the atmosphere, as the humid and ridiculously hot weather of this region has made life extremely slow and laid-back.
Things to see in Massawa
- Former Italian Bank – An old Italian building, today in ruins
- Imperial Palace – A stunning building which served as the winter residence of Haile Selassie, the emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974.
- Old City – Check out all the Ottoman buildings.
- Try the local fish – There are many fish restaurants here and I recommend you try Selam Fish Restaurant, a really authentic place where you pick which fish you want to eat.
Day trip to Foro
Foro is a small town located 50km south of Massawa and pretty much the gateway to the inhospitable and infamous Afar region and the Danakil Depression.
The main reason to come to Foro is for the ruins of Adulis, the most important ancient port of the Axumite Empire, an ancient civilization that ruled in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia for 800 years, from 1st to the 10th century.
The ruins are a couple of kilometers from Foro, but guess what?
I didn’t visit the ruins.
I didn’t visit them for the simple reason that it was market day (Thursday) and people from all over the region head to the market, including many Afar and Soho, so I chose to enjoy that unique, super offbeat place instead.
In any case, I’m not a big fan of visiting ruins and, apparently, the site is very much destroyed, so unless you know the history, it would need a lot of imagination to enjoy the place.
My recommendation: if you’re visiting Massawa on a Thursday, go to Foro in the morning, and visit Massawa in the evening.
Where to stay in Massawa
Day 8 – Back to Asmara
Back to the capital, as per usual.
Day 9 – Decamhare and Senafe
Warning! This part of Eritrea can be challenging without your own wheels. You can travel to Decamhare and Senafe easily but for the rest of the places, a car is a must. Hitchhiking may be an option too.
Visiting Decamhare
Decamhare is a town southeast of Asmara that served as the industrial hub for Italian Eritrea. At its peak in 1938, almost half of the town’s inhabitants were Italian citizens.
It is known for its vineyards and flour mills and, despite considerable fighting in the War of Independence, Decamhare still has significant examples of colonial architecture, along with a few vintage cafés.
You can visit Decamhare in 1 or 2 hours. However, covering both Decamhare and Senafe by public transportation in one day can prove difficult.
The Valley of Sycamores
Between Decamhare and Senafe, there is a valley of massive sycamore trees, definitely worth checking. The valley however, is located off-road and quite far from the main road, so once again, a car is much needed.
Visiting Senafe
I’m not sure if there are direct buses from Decamhare to Senafe. I presume there are, although probably not many. Worst case scenario, you should easily be able to find direct transportation from Asmara.
Senafe itself is not super exciting but since not many travelers go there, the locals are always curious and surprised to meet foreigners. That was the highlight for me.
Another highlight is Emba Metara, a small mountain with a giant cross on top, which I strongly recommend you climb. The views are amazing. The last section of the climb is quite challenging, you’ll actually need the help of a cable which is attached to a spike.
On your way to the top, you are likely to be followed by loads of kids.
Where to stay in Senafe
There is only one very, very basic guest house in the center of town.
Day 10 – Qohaito
I don’t think there’s any public transportation to Qohaito, but if you do manage to get there either by hitchhiking or taxi, note that Qohaito is a plateau where we find a 2500-year-old pre-Axumite archaeological site, the most important in Eritrea after Adulis.
This site is on the UNESCO tentative list.
As mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of archaeological sites, so I didn’t find Qohaito particularly exciting. However, the plateau is located right on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, giving you absolutely awesome views of the canyon.
It’s also worth mentioning that in this area, you are likely to meet people from the Soho tribe, a Muslim ethnic group that claims to have descended from Arabs, and a group of pastoralists who live a traditional life unaffected by modern changes.
Also, there’s some very cool ancient rock art somewhere down the valley, but you’ll have to ask for directions around the village.
In the evening, it’s time to try to get back to Asmara.
Day 11 – Departure
This itinerary comes to an end on the 11th day of your trip.
Remember that this is the same Eritrea itinerary we offer on our expeditions.
Future expeditions to Eritrea are scheduled on:
- November 6th to 13th, 2024 – SOLD OUT
- January 18th to 26th, 2025 – SOLD OUT
- February 21st to 28th, 2025 – APPLY NOW
- November 7th to 18th, 2025 – APPLY NOW
- November 21st to 28th, 2025 – APPLY NOW
❗ More information for traveling to Eritrea and the Horn of Africa
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
A guide and article for traveling in Eritrea destination
Travel Itineraries to other countries in Africa
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