Sudan

North Africa · Africa

Capital
Khartoum
Currency
Sudanese Pound (SDG £)
Language
Arabic and English (official)
Timezone
UTC+2
Safety rating
1.5/10
Best time to visit
The cooler months from November to March are historically best for desert travel, though conflict currently prevents tourism.

Overview

Sudan holds more ancient pyramids than Egypt, with the haunting royal necropolis of Meroë rising from empty desert, alongside Nubian heritage along the Nile and Red Sea diving at Port Sudan. Its hospitality was once legendary among travelers. Active war, however, has made it inaccessible and unsafe for tourism.

Visa requirements

Visas must be arranged in advance through an embassy, often with an invitation, but processing is severely disrupted by the conflict.

Safety information

Sudan is engulfed in active armed conflict and most governments advise against all travel and urge their nationals to leave. The security and humanitarian situation is extremely dangerous nationwide.

Travel tips

Cash in US dollars is essential as cards do not work and banking is collapsed. Arabic is vital, and you must follow government advice, which is to avoid all travel during the conflict. Communications are unreliable, so any contingency planning must account for that.

Cities in Sudan

Traveler essentials