To help inspire or plan your trip to Sudan, some of its major attractions for travellers are shown below, including some of the best natural, historical, cultural and adventure sites in the country. These include all of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Sudan which represent the best of the world's cultural and natural heritage.
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Lake Nasser Border Crossing

Crossing the border between Egypt and Sudan requires a ferry crossing between Aswan in Egypt and Wadi Halfa in Sudan. The ferry is old, basic with limited comforts and with a very unpredictable schedule but is an authentic and fascinating travel experience, far from the tourist crowds at Egypt's attractions. The ferry passes by some spectacular desert scenery and some amazing historic sites such as the temple at Abu Simbel.

Temple of Amun at Gebel Barkal

The temple and pyramid complexes along in the Nile in Sudan are evidence of the Napatan, Meroitic and Kushite civilisations that ruled here between 900 BC and AD 600. At Gebel Barkal, the Temple of Amun served as a religious centre for the Kush, mirroring Egyptian religious values. The temples are beautifully decorated and have hieroglyphic inscriptions, while the complex also includes tomb pyramids. Further north lie the Egyptian style Temple of Sulb near the village of Wawa and the Temple of Kawa near Dongola.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region

Pyramids at Meroe

The royal city of Meroe was founded by the Kingdom of Kush, a major power from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., whose empire extended from the Mediterranean to the heart of Africa. The pyramids at Meroe are the most impressive and well preserved in Sudan, but virtually deserted compared to their counterparts to the north in Egypt. The site also includes the remains of temples, domestic buildings and water management installations. South of Meroe lie the Lion Temple at Naqa and the palace at Musawwarat es-Sufra.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe

Khartoum

Like the rest of the country, the capital Khartoum is as off the tourist trail as you can get, but is a fascinating city to explore. The old British colonial city lies on one side of the river and the sprawling town of Omdurman on the other. The market at Omdurman is one of the most interesting in Africa, both for its products and the sight of the Sufi Whirling Dervishes, who every afternoon dance to a religious frenzy. Elsewhere the Khalifa Museum is the best museum in Khartoum to discover Sudanese history. Khartoum is also the site where the Nile splits in two, to form the White Nile which heads south to Uganda and Lake Victoria and the Blue Nile which heads east to Ethiopia and Lake Tana.


Other World Heritage Sites in Sudan

Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park