Sudan

Despite all the negative media coverage Sudan is not an abandoned, poor and insignificant country. It is one of Africa's largest countries. Thanks to Sudan and its gold the ancient Egyptians became fabulously rich and even today there is enormous wealth beneath the Sudanese land. It is not only about precious ores and oil though but also about the legacy of the ancient Kush Empire whose historical legacy is now fighting the sandstorms of the Nubian deserts northeast of Khartoum. In the past the Empire's presence was clearly visible by the gilded top of the sacred Barkal Mountain. Today it is being uncovered again by teams of archaeologists from around the world.

Local pyramid fields cannot be compared with the grandious Egyptian pyramids but they definitely outnumber them. There are 180 pyramids on the territory of Napan, El Kurr and Meroe and an expedition tour across these areas has some sort of colonial charm, especially if you add a cruise on the Nile cataracts to it. Around the banks of Nile dense villages, interesting birds and hibiscus fields huddle in dense greenery under the date palms to make great karkade tea. From time to time you pass by laughing fishermen, schoolchildren or unsual rock formations with deserted beaches. The Nile means life to Sudan and the sunsets in Khartoum above the confluence of both the White and Blue Nile are absolutely stunning. Khartoum still has a touch of colonial times, a rural atmosphere with inconsistent flashes of modern civilization. Perhaps it is the perfect time to visit Sudan before the genius loci disappears. In Sudan everything succumbs to the dictatorship of the desert and the Nile and it is not exagerated to say that the locals are born from sand. They spend most of their lives walking barefoort on sand and they are buried in sand. It is ever present and it could explain why Sufism has such strong roots in Sudan.

We would very much like to write about the geography of the united Sudan which once used to be a great and powerful country however we have no choice but to talk about Sudan without its now self-functioning southern brother (South Sudan). The total area of the new country is 1 886 068 km² and the capital city Khartoum is well located approximately in the middle of the whole territory at the confluence of the White and Blue Nile. The north of the country is almost uninhabited and most activities and cities are concentrated along the Nile and in the southwest. Sudan now has access to the Red Sea, which has a relatively smaller coastline with excellent diving conditions. Last but not least, Sudan's neighbors are Egypt, Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

bespoke expeditions in guaranteed slots
flight tickets including business and first class seats
transfers by road or air
high standard accommodation in both cities and desert areas
local tours and experiences with professional guides
tailored holiday packages with the possibility of combining your stay with visit to other destinations
VIP airport lounges prior to and after your flights
multilingual assistance throughout your stay
team-building programes

Looking at the globe vertically Sudan is about 2 000 kilometers tall and has a width of 1 700 kilometers. Thus you can imagine the weather won't be the same everywhere in Sudan. The north has a tropical desert climate which among other things causes a large temperature difference between day and night. Summer temperatures range between 35-50 degrees celsius. Months from October to April are the most suitable for hiking and visiting Northern Sudan however the best season is from late November to early February. In October, November, March and April, daytime temperatures range between 30-37 degrees celsius during the day and between 24-29 degrees during the night. In December, January and February it is around 25-30 degrees celsius during the day but only 15-21 degrees during the night. Humidity is only between 20-40 percent with almost no precipation or rainfall. Northern Sudan can sometimes be hit by sandstorms. In the southern half of the country there is an equatorial monsoon climate characterized by wet summers and dry winters. The amount of precipitation increases as you move south where it reaches levels between 500 to 1500 mm.

The following table shows the average daily air temperatures in Sudan:

	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Avg. maximum	31	33	37	40	42	41	38	37	39	39	35	32
Avg. minimum	16	17	21	24	27	27	26	25	26	26	21	17

Area:	1 886 068 km²
Population:	40 187 000
Capital:	Khartoum
Government:	republic
Head of state:	president
Currency:	Sudanese Pound SDG, 1 CZK = 2,20 CZK (10.2.2020) comprised of 100 Piasters. We recommend exchanging foreign currency directly at the airportl. Alternatively you may exchange it in hotels, banks or local exchange offices. Opening hours are usually from Sunday to Thursday starting at 8:30 AM and closing at noon. You may be asked to provide a valid passport and we strongly recommend you to keep a receipt of the exchange.
Payment methods:	payment cards are scarcely accepted wherefore you will need to always have cash on you. In some places Euro is accepted as an alternative.
Time zone:	+1 hour in summer, +2 hours in winter
Language and ethnics:	Arabic is spoken by more than half of the population. English is mainly spoken by foreigners, most of whom are English, Greek, Italian and Indian. The rest of the population speaks indigenous languages, in the east it is a mixture of Kushitian and Arabic, in the north it is Nubian with a number of dialects that belong to the so-called Nilotian languages. In the west of Darfur, Arabic is spoken, and most of this territory is represented by an ethnic group called the Fur. The Southwest is represented mainly by the Zande ethnic group. Mountains in central Sudan are represented by languages from the Niger-Kordofan group. The southern provinces, where you meet the tallest and darkest human group in the world (Dinka, Nuer, Shilluk, Bari, Lotuko, Anuak, Though, and others with an average height of 182 cm), speak Nilotian languages that link the material and spiritual culture areas. In total 570 different ethnic groups live in Sudan and summed up they speak 100 different languages.
Religion:	Islam is the official religion of Sudan and about 70% of population adhere to it. 25% of the South's black population practices animis and the remaining 5% are Christians
Emergency calls:	999 police, 995 tourist police
Vaccination:	it is not obligatory altough we recommend vaccination against hepatitis. In the North of Sudan from November to February the occurrence of mosquitoes is very low thus the risk is very low as well. On our tours we ensure you have the best hygiene standards including a sufficient amount of filtered water for drinking during tours, bathing or teeth brushing
Electricity:	240V with ocassional black-outs wherefor it is recommended to carry your own flashlight
Mobile phones:	Sudan's mobile network coverage is constantly evolving. Mobile phones now work in all major locations although sometimes they have to wait for the line to be released. The country code for Sudan is 00249. Mobile connection to the Czech Republic is easy.
Transporation:	transporation in the capital city is very chaotic with frequent traffic jams. Outside the capital asphalt roads are less common as paved rocky roads or sandy roads prevail. For off-road vehicles are used during our expeditions. All of them are air-conditioned with 4x4 drive. Tipically Toyota Land Cruisers or Toyota Hilux Double Cabin. For faster transportation, there are 23 airports in addition to Khartoum, with a dense network covering the entire country.

Visa to Sudan

If you are a foreign national let us know what passport you hold and we will inform you whether or not you are obliged to apply for visa to the Jordan.

Visa is required for Czech citisens and we will help you obtain it. As this is a lengthy process it is necessary to start preparing your trip on time, at least 4 weeks in advance. The client must provide personal information, 2 photographs and fill up required forms at our office. The passport must not contain an Israeli stamp and must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of planned departure from Sudan. After the visa has been issued, additional passport registration documents must be taken to Sudan as directed by the travel agency.

Location

Pictures

Our Services

Weather

Useful information

Visa to Sudan

The Land of Black Pharaoh

The Best of Sudan

Pinacles of Dubai and Sudan