Lag Badana National Park Voyage Tips and guide

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Lag Badana was Somalia's first national park, established in the 1980s at the country's southern tip as part of a push to increase tourism in the country. This fell apart in 1991 when the civil war broke out, and so it is now less a park and more simply one of the most serene and beautiful places on Earth.

Serene... except for one thing: the lush green forests of Lag Badana provide lush green cover for Al-Shabaab militants. It is from this area that Al-Shabaab has staged attacks into coastal Kenya. The Somali and Kenyan militaries have sought to flush the militants from the forest, but the security situation in the area is ever-fluid. Nominally, it is under Somali government control as of 2023. But it just as well may not be as you read this. It remains a no-go zone.

It's a pity. The park is teeming with wildlife, lions included. Palm-tree-lined beaches give way to coral reefs and desert islands. There is nary a soul around (apart from the aforementioned, perhaps) and it will likely be this way for quite some time.

It'd be a guess. You could try to get to Kismayo (you probably shouldn't try to get to Kismayo) and arrange a tour from there.