Most of Djibouti is very hot and dry, so the Day Forest feels like a completely different world. Ancient juniper trees – some hundreds of years old – spread their branches overhead, and the ground beneath is covered in grasses, ferns and wildflowers. The air is noticeably cooler and smells of damp earth and green leaves.
The forest is the only place in the world where the Djibouti francolin lives. This shy bird is about the size of a small chicken, with beautiful speckled feathers, and it is so rare that scientists work hard to count and protect every single one. Olive baboons, warthogs and a variety of colourful birds also make the forest their home.
The Goda Mountains rise to over 1,700 metres above sea level. From the higher ridges on clear days, you can see all the way down to the Gulf of Tadjoura glittering far below. The contrast between the cool, leafy forest and the hot, rocky coast is one of the most surprising things about Djibouti.
Day Forest is protected as a national park, which means people work to look after the trees and animals. Local rangers patrol the park, keep records of the wildlife and share the forest's story with visitors. Because the forest is small and the animals that live there are rare, every tree matters.