"Djibouti" a Djibouti Travel Page by traveldave

I traveled to Djibouti in November 2007 as part of a birdwatching trip to Yemen and its island of Socotra. My group made a side trip to Djibouti specifically to see the Djibouti francolin, a partridge-like bird that is one of the rarest, most endangered, and most range-restricted birds in the world. (And I must admit, we also went for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this rarely visited country).

Seeing the francolin involved driving around the Gulf of Tadjoura to the high mountains on the north shore of the gulf, and then camping in a primitive campsite in the Forêt du Day National Park. Along the way, we passed through rugged desert landscapes and black lava fields. Roadside overlooks along the highway provided spectacular views of the Gulf of Tadjoura, the Ghoubet-Kharab, and Lake Assal, the lowest point on the African continent. We also spent a short time in Djibouti City and its surrounding areas looking for more common east African birds.

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