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Mandera County, Kenya

Mpaka

Mpaka means the border.

Mandera County

Mandera links Kenya to its Ethiopian and Somali borderlands.

Capital
Mandera
People
867k
Area
25,798 km²
Altitude
230 m
Plan a tripTravel the road

Mandera is Kenya's far north-eastern corner, where Kenya meets Ethiopia and Somalia. The doum palm–lined Daua River crosses its dry plains. It is a centre of Somali culture in Kenya.

Travel note: The UK government advises against all travel to Mandera County because of terrorism risk.

Why it matters

Mandera links Kenya to its Ethiopian and Somali borderlands. Malka Mari National Park protects desert species found almost nowhere else in Kenya.

The economy

Herding, riverside farming and cross-border trade make up most of the economy.

Must-see in Mandera

  • Malka Mari National Park

    Set up in 1989 on the Ethiopian border, and probably Kenya's least-visited national park.

  • Daua River

    A palm-lined river with crocodiles and hippos.

  • Goro Ade ruins and colonial military graves

    Historic sites inside Malka Mari.

  • Hamadryas baboons

    Malka Mari holds East Africa's first confirmed population.

  • El Wak wells and old fort

    Historic wells and a fort at the border town of El Wak.

  • Desert birding

    Rarities include the brown-necked raven and black-billed wood hoopoe.

Peoples of Mandera

Communities with a historic home in Mandera. Today people from every part of Kenya live and work here.

Music, food and culture

Mandera's Somali cultural festival has featured traditional dances, a camel caravan and a traditional wedding. Signature foods include camel milk and meat, canjeero, bariis and sambuusa.

Best time to go

June to September, since the main roads become almost impassable in the rains.

On the map

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Mandera and its neighbours. Tap a county or a place to read about it.

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Your questions

When is the best time to visit Mandera?

June to September, since the main roads become almost impassable in the rains.

What is Mandera County known for?

Mandera links Kenya to its Ethiopian and Somali borderlands. Malka Mari National Park protects desert species found almost nowhere else in Kenya.

Where is Mandera and what is its capital?

Mandera is Kenya's far north-eastern corner, where Kenya meets Ethiopia and Somalia. The doum palm–lined Daua River crosses its dry plains. It is a centre of Somali culture in Kenya. The county capital is Mandera, and the 2019 census counted 867,457 people across about 25,798 square kilometres.

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A giraffe and acacia tree silhouetted against a Kenyan sunset

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