I am honoured to be able to open a topic about the Sudan! 🇸🇩

And I'll do so reporting my recent trip to northern Sudan (November/December 2022). I had laid my eyes upon it months ago but, after having been in contact with the agencies since, I was surprisingly rather lucky to be able to take part in it! It seems that there simply are not so many people interested in the trekking-flavoured itinerary I had selected, and November/December is still not the highest season (December/January is, apparently). The starting program was this, but ours was a version without the northern extension, and what follows is its actual realisation:

- Day 0: flight to Khartum over Istanbul (with usual delays and race from gate A to gate F to catch the connection, i.e. traversing the whole airport, which is big), late arrival
- Day 1: relaxed visit to Khartum (with guide) while waiting for the other travel companions to gather
- Day 2: long day of road trip towards the north, camping in the desert near Old Dongola after a visit to its cemetery part ("beehive tombs")
- Day 3: morning visit to Old Dongola (TWHS), then attempt to visit Banganarti (TWHS), then rather confused day through the desert never too far from the Nile and villages, and finally camping amidst big dunes
- Day 4: late departure, visit to a Nubian village, on to Karima, there visit to al-Kurru and Gebel Barkal (WHS), staying at the rather luxurious Nubian resthouseū
- Day 5: morning visit to the area of Gebel Barkal, then to the crumbling pyramids of Nuri, then farewell to civilisation as we crossed the Nile steered towards the Bayuda desert (which is part or overlaps with the Al Hassania national park TWHS), camping near the Atrun crater
- Day 6: hike at dawn on the rocky hills and in the crater, later at Ḥūš aẓ-ẓalām (~ hoosh addalaam) "the dark places" (so I was told and so I transcribe, but maybe "the dark monsters"?!), impressive volcanic formations in the Bayuda desert. After that long, long transfers through the sands until a crossing of the Nile and evening arrival at the tented camp at Meroe (also property of I.T.C. Sudan)
- Day 7: whole, somewhat lazy, and hot, day at Meroe (WHS), enjoying both sunrise and sunset, again night at the camp
- Day 8: visit at the "other part" of Meroe, then passing by the town of Shendi, then on to Muṣawwarāt aṣ-Ṣufrā' (component of Meroe WHS) and camping in the desert/arid savannah
- Day 9: having had the fine idea to walk from Muṣawwarāt to the temples of Naqʿa (Naga) (component of Meroe WHS), we started a little late, but we came to the end (ca 20kms). Siesta, visit to the temples and camp nearby
- Day 10: transfer back to Khartum with stop and short boat tour at the sixth cataract, last pic-nic right in front of the National museum, then dervish ceremony in Omdurman
- Day 11: visit to Omdurman and Khartum (with guide). On an anecdotical side, annoyingly, coming out of the arena of Nubian wrestling in the late afternoon I got my phone stolen. Nocturnal flight back to Istanbul for my "Turkish extension" of this trip...

Our group was small: 6, that is, 5 plus the tour leader of the travel company. The staff was numerically nearly equivalent at 5 (three drivers, the guide and a cook; this inevitably leads all my friends to label this trip as "colonial" -_- ). The guidewas a young local archaeologist and very competent: I was very satisfied. We also ate very well and everything was perfectly organised. Now, the genesis of the itinerary was quite complicated: I first contacted the I.T.C. Sudan, not only because they are Italian, but also because they seem to be rather dominant in Sudan as far as tourism goes (e.g. they own the Karima guesthouse and the fixed-tent camps at Meroe and Tombos, which are very good options); then I was redirected to an Italy-based company (Shiruq) which was proposing the same itinerary (Tra quiete e luce "Between stillness and light") on behalf of I.T.C. with departure on November 30th. But there were no other participants, so as late as the middle of October (!) I was re-re-directed to actually the same again itinerary by this English one-man travel company Fitzroy, starting on the 23rd, and so I could go. But the masterminds and the ultimate organisers are always and only the people at I.T.C.

I tried to to ask for an extension (Red Sea or Dinder national park or even the north we had not visited), but it was nearly impossible as a lone traveller; no other person would have taken part in it and the costs were prohibitive and with a senseless cost/benefits ratio (more than 1000€ per day...). In their opinion, it was also not possible to let me try to do this more independently. Partly I think they are right, but partly I think they just have different travel styles in mind. Anyway, I just rerouted my flights back home so as to have some days in Turkey. I am still annoyed at having "lost" the north with Sai, Kerma, Soleb... but well, it just means another trip to Egypt and down south from there becomes necessary.

Some points:

On the rails: I got the impression that you need somebody to organise things for you, starting from the visa for which you need an "invitation". At the very least a driver. And to do something more than just reaching Gebel Barkal or Meroe, you surely need some help. This makes everything costlier than one would expect for such a country, and also gives me the impression that, as Els once noted for Egypt, it can be difficult to deviate from standardised touristic routes. This might also be because tourists are not so many. So I regretted a little not being even more pressing with the agency than I already was, but I had to pass through 2 or 3 communication loops. In general, I got the impression that individual travel is very limitedly possible, if not even discouraged.

Pyramids: these (Gebel Barkal and Meroe) will be on any tour. They are easy to reach; for example, Meroe lies near the main road to Port Sudan not too far from Khartoum and could even be a (very long) day trip. Probably they could be done independently (though police might enquire and be suspicious of lone travellers. Sometimes they do not understand). There are some top accommodations (the Nubian resthouse in Karima is downright fantastic and just in front of the Sacred Mountain) at both sites, but camping should always be an option, especially at Meroe. The main sites themselves (Gebel Barkal proper at Karima and Meroe 2) are easily accessible, quite contained and straightforward to visit. Very enjoyable the freedom of movement you have there.

Red Sea: this is a separate trip. Sanganeb needs to rent a boat in some way.

Off the beaten track: It's also true that as soon as you want to go to a minor location of these WHSs or to a TWHS it might be less straightforward. Apart from the other Meroitic sites of Muṣawwarāt aṣ-Ṣufrā' and Naqʿa which should be on most tours, I got the impression that you have to insist for all the rest (e.g. Zuma or Sanam for Gebel Barkal). My suggestion would be to make everything very clear from the beginning and not let go anything: don't let you deter by the usual quote "but there's nothing to see there!" (OK, I know I am talking to a community which goes to pile dwellings and buried Roman limites). For example, I thought that given our camp near Old Dongola (TWHS) a visit would have been automatic, but no! I had to put it forward! Apparently, "trekking" goes in conflict with archaeology... but such a near miss would have been miserable, especially as the site is so good. In general, information is scarce. Expanding and commenting old Els's list:

* Old Dongola is still easy to reach (with drivers) and on the main routes. Many tours include it, but make it sure. It is an exceptional site.
* But already Banganarti is non-trivial. 7kms from Old Dongola, but amidst villages in the sand with no roads; even our experienced drivers had to ask for directions. At least it is near and so a detour is thinkable. But then it was closed, I suspect for communication problems.
* All other TWHSs are journeys by themselves, and apart from the Red Sea and Suakin, probably they see almost no tourists. The "cluster" north of Old Dongola is not always included in tours: be sure to inquire for it to avoid missing them like me (it should be 3/4 extra days).
* The al-Hassaini park overlaps with or is contained in the Bayuda desert. But to got there you just need a prepared expedition for desert camping, there's really nothing. We heard some rumours about the possibility of organising a crossing by dromedary caravan... it only takes 40 days!!!
* The agency told me that they simply do not go to Darfur and Kordofan (which include Wadi Howar, Ar-Radom, Jebel Marra and Jebel ad-Dair). Information is very scarce for all these places. While some parts of Kordofan might be accessible, I think it is wise to follow this advice. Conversely, Khartum, and more so the Northern State, are perfectly fine and welcoming.
* The agency told me that Dinder park is currently accessible, but: November was not the right season (40°C all the time); it is an expedition by itself to arrange with the tour operator outside of "normal" tours; infrastructures are at the lowest level; the region might be subject to instability or other problems. So I had to rule it out.

Last comments: The two land-based WHSs are such for a reason and should not be missed on any first Sudan trip. At the moment, apart from the Red Sea, there are also not many other areas to explore: I estimate you have less than a sixth of the country at "your disposal". Do not neglect Khartum as, though it is not really the most pleasant of cities, it has quite some sights and its charm, especially in Omdurman and on the banks of the Nile. The National museum (if open... at the moment, closed indefinitely for "restorations") is also a must-visit. In the end, my catalyst for a visit were Meroe's pyramids, but I ended up enraptured by the mix of archaeology, landscape and mystique of Gebel Barkal, the "holy mountain".

Our tour was somewhat experimental, as "trekking" is not the most popular option and some things were tried for the first time, so I felt that some parts (especially around the Nubian villages) were blundered. But all in all it was great, especially the idea of staying one night more than many other tours in the Bayuda desert, where we could do simple but gorgeous hikes.

Els told me that she thinks "Sudan is a special country", and yes, she is probably right. I think it surely deserves much more sites on the list (Old Dongola is an autoinclude, and so sites in the north; but nature is also interesting), as it has an enormous potential... alongside enormous problems, unfortunately.

I've been in Khartum in November 2021 if my memory serves me well, but it's easy to know, it was the day after the coup d'état! Hence I had to stay at the hotel during 8 days, as a lockdown...very bad trip, and i didn't see anything except the arabic district of Khartum...
The extension to the Red Sea was included, I'm a little bit disgusted lol

At the moment the situation seemed/seems to be stable. There are periodic demonstrations in the city which can be dealt with organisationally. But yes, what happened to you is a possibility to take into account, you were unfortunate and I am sorry for your bad experience, I can only imagine!!!

I don't get exactly by what you are disgusted... ?

By the impossibility to see the rare and beautiful sites you have planned to visit

As it was focused on Kushite and Meroitic collections I would assume a lot of WHS related material has been looted from the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum.

Looks rather devastating unfortunately.

New images reveal extent of looting at Sudan's national museum as rooms stripped of treasures: the Guardian

Video from the Sudan Tribune on Twitter