Dire Dawa

Dire Dawa exists because of the railway: when the French-built line from Djibouti to Addis Ababa reached this point in 1902 and the engineers could not take it up to Harar, a new town was laid out beside the station, and the city grew from there. The result is two halves separated by a dry riverbed. Kezira, the planned quarter, has a grid of wide streets, arcaded buildings and the old station, its architecture Mediterranean and colonial in feel. Megala on the other side is the older market town, with the Kefira market where Oromo, Somali and Harari traders meet and where khat is a major business. The railway itself is now largely replaced by a new standard-gauge line on a different route, and the old station is a monument.

What you actually see

• The old railway station - the French-era terminus and its buildings.
• Kezira quarter - arcaded streets on the planned colonial grid.
• Kefira market - the trading heart of the older Megala side.
• Khat trade - the leaf moving in bulk through the market.

When to go

October to March; Dire Dawa is low and hot, and March to May is severe. Mornings are best for the markets. The city is a common stop en route to or from Harar.

Honest expectations

The city is hot and much of the old fabric is run down. The historic railway no longer runs on this line, so the station is a relic rather than a working terminus. Khat is central to daily life here and the afternoon slowdown is real. Facilities for visitors are limited.

Nearby

Harar lies southeast; the Valley of Marvels is beyond it.