Mandheera county, or Mandera, is the north-eastern-most county in Eastern Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Mandera.

Understand

Most of Mandera's inhabitants are ethnic Somali. Economic mainstay largely remains livestock trade.

Climate

Temperatures tend to be hot throughout the year. Daily temperatures are typically above 30 °C (86 °F), while at night, they can fall to 20 °C (68 °F). Precipitation is extremely low, with the area receiving a minimal amount of rain. Droughts are not unusual.

Get in

• 1 Mandera Airport (NDE ^IATA). Flights from Nairobi. (updated Jan 2023)

See

• 1 Malka Mari National Park. The park is mostly semi-arid bushland and scrubby grassland with riparian woodland and along the river. There are plants in the park that are unique to the area. Some of the animals that live in the park are the Somali giraffe, crocodile, hyena, agama lizards, antelopes, vultures, dik-dik, Nile crocodiles, zebra and genet. Over 20 species of birds can be found here, including streptopelia decipiens, cichladusa guttata, ploceus dichrocephalus and the rare corvus ruficollis (desert crow). (updated Jan 2023)
• Daua River
• Hills of Garre
• Rhamu Hills

Do

Visit some of the Elwaq fort built during the era of sultan Aw Gababa.

Drink

Fresh camel milk

Sleep

• 1 Mandera Palace Hotel, ☏ +254 712 833910. Hotel and restaurant. (updated Jan 2023)

Stay safe

Experiencing large-scale violence as a result of the civil strife in Somalia, engagements between the Ethiopian military and Somali insurgents, inter-clan warfare, livestock raids between rival herders, targeted attacks, and frequent banditry, the United States Department of State has labelled the area "one of the most conflict-prone areas in the world".