The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Sudan
North Africa
Ancient pyramids, Sahara desert, the Nile and culture. Meroe, the Napatan region and a marine heritage on the Red Sea.
- On the map
CapitalKhartoum
When to goDecember to February
Suggested length6 days min.
CurrencySudanese pound / Sudanese pound
LanguagesArabic, English
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Khartoum · Lac Nasser · Meroë
- Best season
- December to February, from Khartoum’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 6 days for these 3 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Possible
November
Khartoum: mean maximum 36 °C, 0 mm of rain · hot.
- Mean maximum
- 36 °C
- Rain
- 0 mm
- Station
- Khartoum
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Some regions are formally advised against by the authorities. Check the official advice before making any plan. Official travel advice
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/soudan/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Sudan, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to enter Sudan.
- To enter Sudan, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination. For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Sudan guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip: TravelHealthPro has more information on malaria in Sudan.
- The current conflict has severely affected health services and many may be unavailable, including hospitals for British nationals in Khartoum. Medical facilities in the country are limited and medical evacuation is likely to be necessary for all but the most basic treatments.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 22 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Red · Zones formellement déconseillées (en rouge)
Il est formellement déconseillé de se rendre dans l’ensemble du territoire soudanais, y compris à Khartoum et à Port-Soudan. Le pays est depuis plusieurs années traversé par un conflit extrêmement meurtrier.
États du Darfour
- There has been widespread violent crime in Khartoum since the start of the conflict. There have also been reports of a large increase in crime in other cities and areas of Sudan. burglaries and home invasions
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- Non-Muslims are allowed to drink alcohol in Sudan, but not in the presence of Muslims. However, you may still be arrested for drinking alcohol regardless of the circumstances. There are severe penalties for drug trafficking.
Currency
Sudanese pound / Sudanese poundViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Sudan. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 51,662,147
- Time zone
- +1 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and G plugs · 230 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +249
- Languages
- Arabic, English
- Area
- 1,886,068 km²
- Highest point
- Deriba Caldera, 3,042 m
- Main religions
- Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- KRTKhartoum International AirportKhartoum3.5 M passengers · official site
- MWEMerowe AirportMerowe
- KSLKassala AirportKassala
- UYLNyala AirportNyala
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Sudan, see information on driving abroad. You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Sudan for up to 3 months. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence.
Destinations
The essentials.
Khartoum
Khartoum, also spelled Khartum, is the capital and most populous city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State.
Lac Nasser
Lake Nasser (Arabic: بحيرة ناصر Boħeiret Nāṣer, Egyptian Arabic: [boˈħeiɾet ˈnɑːseɾ]) is a large reservoir in southern Egypt and northern Sudan.
Meroë
Meroë was an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile about 6 km (3.7 mi) north-east of the Kabushiya station, which is 35 km (22 mi) north-east of Shendi, Sudan, about 200 km north-east of Khartoum.
Khartoum
Filmed by usMust-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Ful Medames
Ful medames (Arabic: فول مدمّس, romanized: fūl mudammas, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈfuːl meˈdæmmes], lit. 'buried favas'; other spellings include foule mudammes), or simply ful, is a stew of cooked fava beans served with olive oil, cumin, and optionally
Kisra
Kisra, also spelled kissra (Sudanese Arabic: [ˈkisra] ), is a Sudanese popular thin fermented bread made in Sudan, Chad, South Sudan, Algeria and some parts of Uganda and Kenya. It is made from durra or wheat. There are two different forms of kisra: thin bake
Asida
Asida (Arabic: عصيدة, or Maghrebi ġsydë, pronounced [ˈʕs(ˁ)iːdə]), a common dish in the Arab world, is a lump of dough made by stirring wheat flour into boiling water, sometimes with added butter or honey. Similar in texture to fufu, it is eaten mainly in Midd
Mullah Tagalia
Tagalia, also called mullah tagalia or red stew, is a Sudanese and Chadian sauce popular during Ramadan. It is mainly made from onions, minced beef, tomato paste, oil, and spices such as coriander and red pepper. The spices contribute to the sauce's red color.
Kamounia
Kamounia, sometimes spelled kamouneya, is a beef and liver stew prepared with cumin. It is a part of Sudanese, Egyptian, Algerian, Libyan and Tunisian cuisines. Lamb is also sometimes used as a primary ingredient, and additional spices are sometimes used. It i
Domiati
Domiati cheese, also referred to as "white cheese", is a soft white salty cheese made primarily in Egypt, but also in Sudan and other Middle Eastern countries. Typically made from buffalo milk, cow milk, or a mixture, it can also be made from other milks, such
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Salamسلامhello, peace
- Shukranشكراthank you
- Min fadlakمن فضلكplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority.
- Languages: Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur.
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 1 January (1956) ; independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Deriba Caldera, reaches 3,042 m.
51,662,147 inhabitants in 2025 on 1,886,068 km², about 27 per km².
Independence on 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK).
The country on video
Sudan, in motion.
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)1.2World Bank · 2025GDP growth3.1 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)138.8 %World Bank · 2022Unemployment (ILO estimate)7.5 %World Bank · 2022International tourist arrivals836World Bank · 2018
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
The Viafro letter
The journey continues.
A short letter, when there is something to say. One-click unsubscribe.
Sources and verification dates · 19 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Sudan (Q1049)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Sudan · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Sudan · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Sudan · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (Arabic)
- Wikipedia · Ful medames (en article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Kisra (fr article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Assida (fr article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Tagalia (en article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Kamounia
- Wikipedia · Domiati
- Wikipedia · Khartoum
- Wikipedia · Lac Nasser
- Wikipedia · Meroë
- CIA World Factbook · Sudan (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Soudan · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 22 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Khartoum · monthly normals (World Meteorological Organisation,{{cite web) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.