Day Forest National Park

Day Forest, Djibouti — a cool, misty juniper forest clinging to the Goda Mountains above the desert coast, an unexpected highland refuge and the country's only sizeable forest.

The park sits at over 1,000 meters, dropping temperatures noticeably below the coastal heat, and shelters the endangered Djibouti francolin, found nowhere else on Earth. Short hiking trails wind through juniper and wild olive stands with views down to the Gulf of Tadjoura — a striking contrast to Djibouti's desert reputation, best combined with a trip to nearby Lake Assal.