Sudan is afflicted by civil wars which have been raging, on and off, for more than 40 years.

When the colonial

map-makers divided up Africa, they included in Sudan the predominantly Muslim people of the north (including
Nubians), who share much of their history and culture with Egyptians and Arabs, and the largely Christian and
Animist Bantu people of the south, who have more in common with the rest of sub-Saharan Africa than with
their northern neighbours.
After decades of civil war and a transitional period of self rule, South Sudan became independent on 9 July
2011. Conflicts still linger in the western region of Darfur, and in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile States, next
to the border with Ethiopia and Eritrea. Since 1989, Sudan has been under the authoritarian rule of Omar
Hassan Al-Bashir.
Sudan is as geographically diverse as it is culturally; in the north, the Nile cuts through the eastern edge of the
Sahara: the Nubian desert, the sites of the ancient kingdoms of Kush and Meroe, and the land of the Seti.
Here, agriculture drives the economy. Staple crops include ful (fava beans), dates, tomato, and onion. The East
and West are mountainous regions, and much of the rest of the country comprises savannahs typical of much
of central sub-Saharan Africa.

Sudanese travel visas are expensive and difficult to acquire for some nationalities in some countries or for
people with an Israeli stamp in their passport. It is advisable to obtain a Sudanese visa in your home country if
possible. Hours-long waits for customs clearance are not unheard of, and landing in Khartoum can be tricky.
Entering or exiting by land usually goes smoothly. Alcohol is forbidden in Sudan, and attempting to import it
could bring strict penalties. If you planning to obtain a Sudan visa quickly in Cairo note that it is likely that the
Sudanese embassy in Cairo will be closed on Fridays.
Citizens of Egypt, Qatar(for 1 month), Syria(for 1 month) are exempted from needing a visa for entry. Nationals
of Saudi Arabia do not a visa only if it's for the purpose of business.
Citizens of Eritrea, Kenya, Malaysia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates can obtain a visa on arrival. All
exept the U.A.E. are if provided that you are arriving from the country that you are a citizen of. Holders of
diplomatic or service passports of China and holders of diplomatic passports of Algeria can obtain a visa for
Sudan on arrival. People of Sudanese origin can obtain visa on arrival regardless of their current nationality.

From Egypt[edit]
Cairo is one of the easiest places to get one (usually a couple of hours after application), although for a lot of
nationalities it costs USD100 (payment is now possible in Egyptian pounds). You will almost definitely need a
letter of invitation/introduction from your embassy, and the time this takes varies from embassy to embassy.
The British Embassy charges 450 Egyptian pounds () for theirs and is situated only 200m from the Sudanese
one. The Irish Embassy charges 85 Egyptian pounds. Note that the Canadian embassy does not issue these
letters, but that the Sudanese embassy in Cairo will give visas to Canadians without the letter. This will present
problems within Sudan when trying to obtain permits or renew visas, as these can only be obtained with a letter

from the Canadian embassy in Khartoum which the embassy will not at this time provide. It is possible to obtain
a sponsorship for the Visa from the Cairo embassy and skip the letter from your own embassy, though this
depends on who you are dealing with at the embassy.

From Ethiopia[edit]
Getting a visa from the Sudanese Embassy in Addis Ababa is extremely unpredictable, although it is cheaper
(around USD60). Your name is first sent to Khartoum merely for approval. An official has stated, "It could take
two weeks, it could take two months." Once your name has been approved, the visa itself only takes a couple
of days. Britons and Americans are generally given more of a run around, but no nationality is guaranteed swift
receipt of a visa. Expect to wait a minimum of two weeks for approval. If your trip continues from Sudan to
Egypt and you already have your Egyptian visa you may be given a two-week transit visa for Sudan in only a
day. The cost is USD100 (USD200 for US citizens). It can be extended in Khartoum (at a hefty cost, though).
The British Embassy in Addis Ababa charges a steep 740 birr (over GBP25) for their letter of
invitation/introduction.

From Kenya[edit]
Visa applications are submitted between 10am and 12pm and visa collected next day between 3pm and
3.30pm. Cost is 5000 Kenyan Shillings (US$50). Letter of support for application can be obtained from own
embassy (e.g. British Embassy, charges 8200 Kenya Shillings, turnaround time depends on availability of the
Consul who needs to sign the letter). Sudanese Embassy is located in Kabarnet Road, off Ngong Road
(10minutes walk from Wildebeest Campsite accommodation in Kibera Road, and near Prestige Shopping
Plaza). Note that google, visa hq etc. show the old address (Minet ICDC building), which is not correct.
Generally the experience at the Nairobi Sudanese Embassy is less confusing than in Egypt (with its jostling
queues at three anonymous but different windows) however as at January 2010 the staff member dealing with
the public is extremely unprofessional (even suggests putting false information).
Possibly out of date information: From Kenya - as in Addis Ababa, the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi sends
your name to Khartoum for approval. The time it takes is similarly ambiguous, although the embassy is far
more professional and efficiently-run than Addis Ababa's.

By plane[edit]
Khartoum Airport (KRT) is the main gateway into Sudan by air. There are also some international flights
which use Port Sudan airport.
Khartoum Airport is served by various European, Middle Eastern and African airlines. Among the cities with
direct air links with Khartoum are Abu Dhabi (Etihad, Sudan Airways), Addis Ababa (Ethiopian
Airlines), Amman (Royal Jordanian, Sudan Airways), Bahrain (Gulf Air), Cairo (EgyptAir, Sudan Airways,
Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways), Damascus (Syrian Airlines, Sudan Airways), Doha (Qatar
Airways), Dubai (Emirates, Sudan Airways, flydubai), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Istanbul (Turkish
Airlines), London (British Airways, British Midlands, Sudan Airways) and Nairobi (Kenya Airways, Sudan
Airways),Sharjah (Air Arabia low cost airline)

The airport is served by dilapidated yellow taxis that will routinely overcharge. Alternatively you can book taxis
with a Khartoum taxi company called LimoTrip that use metered taxis and good vehicles at better rates - 00249
183 591 313 or info@limotrip.net.
Port Sudan airport handles flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Cairo. These flights usually begin/end
at Khartoum. There are also twice-weekly connections from Port Sudan to Dubai operated by flydubai.

In Khartoum/Omdurman you must see the Sufi ritual of drumming and trance dancing, about one hour before
sunset and Friday prayer. These rituals take place northwest of the Nile river in Omdurman. Very welcoming,
festive atmosphere.
A walk around Tuti Island, situated in the middle of the confluence of the two branches of the Nile, can take
about four hours. The less populated northern section is pretty, with its shady lanes, and irrigated fields, and
there is a great little coffee stall under a tree on the western side.
The pyramids of Meroe are 2.5 hours north of Khartoum (leave early to avoid Khartoum traffic). On the same
route visit the sites of Naqa and Musawarat. In theory permits are required before visiting the sites and
guidebooks say that you pay beforehand in Khartoum, but as of January 2010 this appears to have changed.
Now you pay at each site. Cost is 10 Sudanese Pounds. Naqa and Musawarat are signposted beside the Nile
Petrol station (about 1hours 15 minutes north of Khartoum) and the track is fairly clear but sandy. It is probably
good to carry a GPS to avoid getting lost in the bush.
After 4pm take a good coffee at The Egg hotel, with high altitude view over Khartoum, the Nile, and
Omdurman, and stay to watch the sunset. Worthwhile.
About 1.5 hours south of Khartoum visit the dam. Just north of the dam (downstream) the Nile is also very
wide; on Friday/Saturday the area is popular is day visitors.
There is good diving near Port Sudan, either on live-aboards or from the new Red Sea Resort (north of Port
Sudan). Beware the windy season (Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb) unless you're not prone to seasickness (2.5 hours dingy
ride from the coast in rough seas can be testing!).

Sudanese cuisine has various influences, but none of them is dominating the regional culinary cultures. Among
these, there is the Egyptian cuisine, the Ethiopian and the Turkish one (meatballs, pastries and spices), but
there are also numerous dishes that are specific to all Arabian nations. Foul, made from fava beans, is a
common dish. Fresh fruit and vegetables are very common. Local Sudanese breads are Kissra, a bread made
from durra or corn; Aseeda, a porridge made from wheat, millet or corn; Gurassa, a thick bread from wheat
flour similar to pancake, but thicker. One local Northern Sudanese dish is Gurassa Bil Damaa which is a bread
of unleavened wheat similar to pancake but thicker, topped up with meat stew. Some Eastern Sudanese dishes
are Mukhbaza which is made of shredded wheat bread mixed with mashed bananas and honey, and Selaat,
which is lamb meat cooked over heated stones and Gurar which is a kind of local sausage cooked in a similar
way to Selaat. One of the popular dish from western Sudan is Agashe, a dish prepared with meat seasoned
with ground peanuts and spices (mainly hot chilli), and cooked on a grill or an open flame. One of the main

attractions is Sug al Naga (The camel market) North of Omdurman, where you can select your meat of choice
and then hand it over to one of the ladies to cook it for you in the way which you prefer. Sudan also has some
refreshing drinks such as Karkade (hibiscus) which can be served hot or chilled, aradeeb (tamarind) and
gongleiz (made with the baobab fruit). The local energy drink is a carbohydrates laden drink known as
Madeeda. There are several types of Madeeda, made with dates or with Dukhun (Millet) or other types blended
with fresh milk, and usually heavily sweetened with Sugar. You might consider asking for reduced sugar in
Madeeda and in Mukhbaza, as it might otherwise be too sweet.

I) Larger Towns and Cities

Most larger towns and cities have affordable hotels, although not as cheap as you might imagine. Quality is
generally consistent within the price range.
Basic hotels provide a bed and a fan with shared bathroom/toilet facilities. There may be more than one bed in
the room but you are usually expected to pay for the whole room. The bigger the group of travellers, the more
economical these rooms are, as more beds are often put in a room (within reason) to accommodate everybody
without the price being changed. Some hotels have cheaper beds outside in the open as in smaller towns and
cities. These hotels are not very clean but are cheap and perfectly acceptable for short stays.
Lower mid-range hotels - more likely to be found in Khartoum - offer the worst value for money. They may have
en suite bathrooms, (mostly evaporative) air conditioning and satellite television, but for what you're paying
(two or three times that of basic hotels depending on your bargaining skills) the rooms are extremely tatty and
hotel owners will almost always subscribe to the philosophy of: 'Only fix something if the guest complains'.
There will sometimes be rooms minus the bathroom/air conditioning/television for prices a little above those in
basic hotels.
Upper mid-range hotels are the next step up, with spotless rooms of a far higher quality but prices (usually
quoted in dollars) closer to what you'd expect in the West. You'll have little to find fault with, though.
Top-end hotels are commonly of the Five Star variety, and include the Hilton. The few are found mostly in
Khartoum. They are much more expensive than the upper mid-range hotels.
II) Outside Larger Towns and Cities
Outside larger towns and cities hotels don't normally go above basic. That means bedframes with either simply
a string mesh or with thin mattresses; that is not to say they are uncomfortable. They are offered (generally in
fours or fives) in rooms where there is often a ceiling fan to keep things cool. The beds are usually cheaper and more fun to sleep in - out in the courtyard under the stars, although there is obviously less privacy and
security. As with the basic hotels in larger towns and cities, it is more often than not impossible to rent one bed
in a room as you might in a dormitory. Hotel owners insist that you rent the whole room. Rooms become
unavailable quickly at certain times (weekends, for example). Showers may be bucket showers, with water
straight out of the Nile if your route follows that river.
Camping in the wild is easy in rural areas outside the south as long as the usual precautions are taken.

Sudan is a malarial region, so be especially cautious during the rainy season. Poisonous snakes, spiders and
scorpions are common to the southern areas.
Be cautious when drinking water. Make sure you choose bottled water, or use purifying tablets. Also, avoid any
fruit drinks, as they are obviously made with the local water. And remember, that any ice cubes ( for example, in
sodas) are only frozen local water.
On long trips (particularly during the hot season) on public transport it is often impossible - or would be
expensive - to carry the amount of bottled water you need, and it may be scarce at certain remote stops.
Therefore, keep plenty of your chosen means of purification close at hand (not in your luggage strapped to the
roof!). Sanitation in some areas is nonexistent, so wash your hands frequently.
Food from streetside vendors is generally fine if it is being prepared and served frequently. Empty restaurants
and street cafes often indicate that food is standing uncovered and unrefrigerated for hours at a time.
Sudanese currency is notoriously dirty, and even the Sudanese handle small bills as little as possible. A hint
would be to carry antibacterial wipes or gel in your luggage to treat your hands after handling filthy currency
notes or shaking too many unwashed hands.
Sudan has reported Ebola outbreaks in 2004 and it is not advised to take local hospital treatments unless there
is a real urgency. If you have malaria-like symptoms, seek medical assistance when possible, medical
treatment is also available in many private clinics with high standards and reasonable price here are some of
these private clinics: (Doctors clinic, Africa St, Fidail medical center, Hospital road Downtown, Yastabshiron
medical center, Riyadh area, Modern medical center, Africa St, International Hospital, Khartoum northAlazhary St)
Schistosomiasis/Bilharzia - Avoid bathing or walking through slow-flowing fresh waterways. If you have been in
contact with such water or develop an itchy rash or fevers after your return, seek medical attention. Doctors in
the West may only think to test you for malaria - you may need to see a tropical medicine specialist.