Kismayo National Park

Kismayo National Park covers a stretch of coast and hinterland near the city of the same name in Somalia's far south, taking in acacia savanna, coastal dune and mangrove where the Juba river system approaches the sea. It was declared in the 1980s and held antelope, giraffe and a range of birds. Management lapsed for decades and the park exists more on paper than on the ground.

What you actually see

• The coastal dune - the sand ridges running behind the shore.
• The acacia savanna - the dry woodland inland of the coast.
• The mangrove - the stands where the river country meets the sea.
• The 1980s designation - a park declared and then left without management.

When to go

December to March is the cooler dry season. The Juba region has two rain seasons, around April to June and October to November. Heat outside the cool months is severe.

Honest expectations

There is no functioning management, no infrastructure and no visitor arrangement; the park is a designation rather than an operating reserve. Wildlife has been very heavily reduced. Any travel here needs arrangement well in advance through local contacts.

Nearby

Kismayo is nearby, and the Juba river runs north.