Cape Guardafui

Cape Guardafui is the tip of the Horn of Africa, the point where the Gulf of Aden gives way to the Indian Ocean, a headland of bare rock and cliff standing above one of the busiest and most dangerous stretches of water for shipping anywhere. A lighthouse built in the 1920s stands on the point. Ships have wrecked along this coast for as long as there has been trade through it.

What you actually see

• The cape - the tip of the Horn of Africa itself.
• The two seas - the Gulf of Aden meeting the Indian Ocean.
• The lighthouse - the 1920s tower on the headland.
• The wreck coast - a shore that has taken ships for millennia.

When to go

October to April is the cooler season and the practical window. Summer heat is extreme. The monsoon makes the sea rough for much of the year.

Honest expectations

The track out is very long and rough and needs a convoy and guides arranged in advance. There is no water, shelter or facility of any kind. Travel to this region requires serious preparation and local arrangement.

Nearby

Iskushuban is west, and Ras Hafun is south.