# SUDAN (information) stay: 29/Aug/2006 ..07/Sep/2006 ## General View --------- People are very kind. They try to invite you for meals and stay. They are different from other African people. They cannot speak English. The weather is different from the north and the south. When I visited, in the north was dry and in the south there was often rain. I got SUDAN visa at JAPAN, Dar es Salaam (TANZANIA), Nairobi (KENYA) / about $100 (single 2 weeks or 3 months, it depends on the embassy) TOP ## Economy --------- $1 = SD212 (F.X. 212.8) (border between ETHIOPIA) $1=SD200 (trading from $50..) (border between EGYPT, Wadi Halfa) $1=SD210, $1=LE5.2 No ATM for the international card T/C is not a good rate 60..70% value of the cash accommodation (camping); 300.., petrol; 145../L, Fanta(350ml); 100, local restaurant; 100.., Internet; 500/h TOP ## Food --------- Alcohol is prohibited. non-alcohol beer, 'BIRELL' (330 ml, SD200) TOP ## Accommodations --------- They have parking area as long as there's no note. But the security is your own responsibility. ### in Gedaref You may find cheaper hotels. But they seems to be in the slum. And it was difficult to find a parking area. AMIR HOTEL (in the town, near the main road) S3000, W? / self-contained You can park your motorcycle in the kitchen. But the problem is the steps in the entrance. ELMOTBAKIL HOTEL (in the town, along the main road) S8812, W13113 / self-donated They have a parking area. ### in Khartoum (capital) National Camping Residence (south of the town, refer to the map) C300, room? / shared toilet & shower, You can find plugs at the stage. The rooms seemed to be only for groups. This seems to be a training camp. There are often many groups. Camping area is just an earth ground. In case of rain, there will be many puddles. The way; When you came here from the south, you will find a central reservation. And you'll see DAIHATSU, MITSUBISHI and SHELL petrol station on your left side. After the SHELL, change the lane to the centre. There will be a break point of the central reservation. You can find this turning point easily because there are some cars which are turning left there. Turning left there and going through the dirt road 1 km, then turn right. On your left side after 300 m you'll find it. Blue Nile Sailing Club (along the Blue Nile, between the White Nile Bridge and the Blue Nile Bridge) C; $3, parking; (car)$5, (motorcycle)$2 per day / drink service and so on This is near the centre of the town. ### in Wadi Halfa The water seemed to be from the Nile directly in this town. So it was muddy. Most people sleep on the bed in the patio of the hotel (Inside of the room is not cool). The electricity will stop midnight. Al Ashraf Hotel (in the west) bed 700 / shared toilet & Nile? shower (muddy water) You can park your motorcycle in the store. Plug is at the reception. Nile Hotel (in the west) bed 700 / shared toilet & bucket Nile? shower (muddy water) You can park your motorcycle inside. But it may hard to go through the reception space. This is popular, so many people are there. TOP ## Town --------- ### in Khartoum (capital) (hearsay) Registration at the Tourist Info seems to be free. When you go to the north (go to Wadi Halfa), you must prepare for everything here. Until Aswan in EGYPT, there are only small towns. petrol; 145/L #### Supermarket; AFRA shopping centre Big supermarket. Everything is here. Internet -cafe, bank, forex-bureau and fast-food shop are also here. When you came to Khartoum from the south, you'll find it on your right side easily. It's along the big main road. #### Forex Bureau; UAE Xchange (open 900..1500) They show you a good rate. There are many branch offices in the town. It is also in AFRA shopping centre. #### Internet; At the first floor of AFRA shopping centre, inside of the bowling alley. 500/h / To display Japanese is possible #### Agent?; Mr. Moez Mahir moezmahir@gmail.com / moezmahir@hotmail.com +249-9129-72571 / mobile; 0122-380-740 He can speak English and kind. He will help you anything about you with no money. He is an elder brother of Mr. Mazar Mahir, who is at Wadi Halfa. Sometimes he is at Blue Nile Sailing Club. You can make a reservation of the ferry to EGYPT by him. But if it's second class of the ferry, there's no need (meaning?) of reservation. Because it's non-reserved seat. ### in Wadi Halfa There are restaurants, groceries and hotels. There maybe an Internet-cafe and petrol station, but I didn't see. When you go to Aswan (EGYPT), you should make some Egypt Pound (LE) here. You need some money at the border in EGYPT. #### Agent?; Mr. Mazar Mahir mobile; 0122-380-740 (office) MASHAN SHARTI FOR SERVICE (other signs, 'Tele Communication,' 'MIDHAT MAHIR' on the white wall, near 'Nile Hotel') On Wednesday 8 o clock, there are some European tourists in front of Mr. Mazar Mahir's office. And he guides all embarkation & disembarkation procedure until you get on the ferry. Basically each payment (refer to 'border') is by yourself at the each window. So you can know he doesn't take a cut. In addition, he doesn't expect a tip. I wonder how he lives. He can speak English and kind. He is a younger brother of Mr. Moez Mahir, who is at Khartoum. He is famous in Wadi Halfa, so it's easy to find him by asking people. #### Exchange; Mr. Mazar Mahir shows you the street-exchanger. $1= SD210 (212), $1= LE5.2 (5.77) ( ) is inter bank rate Be careful! They try to mix old notes. #### Ferry (SUDAN-EGYPT); timetable; departure; (Wadi Halfa) every Wednesday, 1300..1400 / (Aswan) every Monday, time? navigation; about 18 hours When the train arrived late at Wadi Halfa, the departure of the ferry becomes late. 'Abu Simbel' appears 4 or 5 hours after the departure. In the night it is lit up. ticket; (first-class) 13900 per person (at Aswan LE380 pp) / including supper and breakfast, 2..4 beds in a private room, shared toilet, no shower, no door lock, plug is there! (second-class) 8700 / supper, non-reserved long sheets or deck (motorcycle) 26400 / loading into the passageway from the passenger's entrance (car) about 450 euro?, (at Aswan LE2452) / Another ship will bring your car. The charge depends on the passengers (cars) number. The passengers divide the shipping charge. The ship can carry only several cars (?, not sure) at one time and operates with another timetable. You cannot get your car on the same day at the arrival port. cabin; The air-conditioner is working including second-class. You can buy a small bottle of coke (SD100) and so on in the ferry. I recommend you the first-class. The second-class is terrible! If you get on with motorcycle, loading is after the other passengers. So it's impossible to get a seat. Even though the deck, it's also difficult to get a space. At the deck, you need a blanket or sleeping bag against the wind. A German tourist had a camera stolen while he was sleeping on the deck. loading (motorcycle); You have to load your motorcycle into the cabin (passageway). Everything is after all passengers. The passengers' entrance is not so wide. And there is a little step (10..15 cm?) at the entrance. I didn't check the width exactly, but DR250 with rear side-cases was possible to load. The parking space is just the passageway near the entrance. The width of the passageway is enough for two 250cc motorcycles parking in two rows there. You can arrange your motorcycles lengthwise, too. Don't forget to cover your motorcycle. I had the accessaries of the motorcycle stolen. The entrance was right side of the ferry at Wadi Halfa. But at Aswan, the exit was opposite (left) side of the ferry. So it's better to load your motorcycle from the head into the ferry. TOP ## Government Establishments (visa) --------- No data TOP ## Border --------- #### Gonder-Gedaref (entry from ETHIOPIA); No money is charged. You need the carnet. Photo(1) and fingerprinting will be required at the security centre (registration). immigration --> customs1 --> customs2 --> security centre (registration) #### Registration; You must get the registration stamp on your passport in a big town. But at the above border, you cannot get it (Wadi Halfa is OK). If the stay in SUDAN is less than ? days (a few days?), you don't need the registration. When you leave SUDAN, your registration will be checked. If you don't have the stamp, you'll be fined 6600 + 1000/day! (hearsay) registration charge: (Khartoum) 8000 (but at the Tourist Information; free?), (Wadi Halfa) 6600, (another town); 6600? You don't need to get the stamp every town, I think. #### Wadi Halfa (Wadi Halfa - Aswan) (leaving for EGYPT); (SUDAN side) At the Alien Office (immigration); Exit Card + Ebola hemorrhagic fever Card; 600, passport clearance; 500 photo(1), copy of your passport(1), copy of SUDAN visa page(1) (You can copy them in the town) The Yellow Fever Card might be checked (not sure). You don't need the 'Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Card' anywhere, though they made. At the port; port tax; (motorcycle) 2050 At customs (in the port); document?; 1600, customs clearance; 1500 (EGYPT side) The Egypt formalities for entry are inboard performed after the Aswan arrival. On that time, you can buy the visa for EGYPT ($15). I suggest you preparing for just $15 in advance. TOP ## Road --------- The distance (km) is measured by GPS track data. When you drive, you should think 4..7 % is longer than the following distance; Khartoum[0 km]--Wadi Halfa (border)[about 1000 km]: At least 3 days you need, I think. #### *Desert Route (passing through Nubian desert) I didn't take the route. But I know the Japanese woman who passed this route by motorcycle. Maybe with a car. I'm asking the info. #### *Nile Route (along the Nile) This is a popular route. You need to cross the Nile by ferry somewhere because there's no bridge. I heard there were three ferry ports. Dongola, Argo and Delgo. I checked only Argo and Dongola port. Dongola is popular. #### Nile Ferry; Dongola (west side) - ?? (east side); (person)50, (motorcycle)50, (car)1300 They say that there is a bad road between Argo and ?? (east side ferry port). But I think it's not so serious condition. Kooya (west side) - Argo (east side); (person)100, (motorcycle)100, (car)1000 / 30 min to the opposite side. To find Kooya ferry port without a GPS is a little difficult. #### Petrol Stations (Khartoum - Wadi Halfa); Khartoum, Omdurman, S.N.C. (180/L), Abu Dom (180/L), Dongola (There are some petrol stations. 180/L, There were some petrol stations between Abu Dom and Dongola, but close) Argo (There are some petrol stations in the north of the town. 180/L) Delgo (There seems to be a petrol station. bottled petrol. 500..1000?/4L) Abri (There is a petrol station. bottled petrol. 850/4L, There was another petrol station in the north of the town, but close) Wadi Halfa? (I didn't watch. Maybe there is. But at Aswan (EGYPT) is cheaper) You can get petrol only the above places in the north from Khartoum. #### Water; Around August or September, you'll consume at least 2 little water in the daytime. You can buy mineral water at a village on the way. (100/600ml, 200/1.5L). It's one idea to mix the juice powder. There are many water jars in the town. The water is cold and free. I don't know the risk of the water (^^). #### Accommodation; You can find a place for bush-camping on the way. Sudan people are very kind. They try to invite you to their home. To stay their home is also good idea. Argo[0 km]--(dirt, corrugation, flood, divergences, soft-sand), flood point[? km]--Delgo[92 km]--(dirt, floods, divergences, soft-sand), flood point[125 km, 137 km, 139 km, 148 km]--the Nile view[188.. km]--Abri[197 km]--(corrugation, gravel, dirt, flood, detours, rarely soft-sand, rocky), flood point[? km], puddle[250 km]--Wadi Halfa[375 km]: The road is along the Nile. Sometimes some sections are covered with the river. But there you can find the detour (wheel tracks) in the east side of the road. Be careful of the soft-sand in detour. Abri - Wadi Halfa section is in the wilderness. That's very nice. Near Wadi Halfa, there is an intersection. The left (north) way is a shortcut to Wadi Halfa, but you cannot pass, if the river rises and the road is covered with water. Abu Dom[0 km]--(paved)--[19 km]--(flat dirt, divergences with soft-sand and corrugation)--[64 km]--(paved)--military camp [66 km]--(paved)--[82 km]--(flat dirt, divergences with soft-sand and corrugation)--[141 km]--(paved)--[187 km]--Dongola[193 km]--(paved)--[199 km][0 km]--(dirt, soft-sand)--Kooya[38 km]--(ferry)--Argo[39 km]: (19..64 km) and (82..141 km) sections were under construction. They were flat dirt but barricaded with gravel hills. The detours were soft-sand, corrugation and many divergences (wheel tracks)! If you can break through the barricade, it's better to drive the flat dirt. When you drive the detour, don't lost the direction. In case you lost your way unfortunately, look for the telegraph poles. The poles must lead you to the next town. And there is a road along the poles. The flat dirt which is under construction is also near them. When you head for the north, to find Kooya ferry port is a little difficult. It's 38.1 km from Dongola (the end of pavement in Dongola) to Kooya (the intersection in Kooya to the port). The port is 600 m from the intersection to the east. The intersection is small and has no sign. In addition, there are many small towns around there. It's difficult to know which town is Kooya. I don't recommend you to go to Kooya ferry port without GPS. I don't know the section between Argo and ?? (ferry port town at the opposite side of Dongola). Someone said that's a difficult dirt road. Khartoum[0 km]--(paved)--Omdurman[10 km]--(paved)--[68 km]--(flat dirt, detour with soft-sand and corrugation)--[79 km]--(paved)--[80 km]--(flat dirt)--[107 km]--(paved)--S.N.C.[209 km]--(paved)--Abu Dom[323 km, 6..7h]: (68..79 km) and (80..107 km) sections were under construction. They were flat dirt but barricaded with gravel hills. The detours were soft-sand and corrugation. If you can break through the barricade, it's better to drive the flat dirt. The petrol st. is only S.N.C. between Omdurman and Abu Dom. Gedaref[0 km]--(paved)--Wad Medani[231 km]--(paved)--Khartoum[about 420 km] (border between ETHIOPIA)[0 km]--(dirt, bumping, under construction), fuel?[40 km]--[58 km]--(paved), fuel?[109 km]--(control)[152 km], PENTA[152 km]--Gedaref[about 160 km]: The first 58 km was a bump dirt road. But it was under construction. So it will be paved in the future. At the border town, there was a fuel station but only for diesel. 40 km and 109 km from the border, there were black-markets but only for diesel. The petrol station is only PENTA PETROLEUM at 152 km from the border, before Gedaref. Passport Control is also at 152 km from the border. TOP ## GPS (download)--------- Read Me First! (for GARMIN 'Map Source' file) khartoum-aswan.gdb Khartoum (SUDAN) - Aswan (EGYPT) addis-khartoum.gdb Addis Ababa (ETHIOPIA) - Khartoum (SUDAN) (GPS eXchange format file) You need to rename the file! khartoum-aswan.rtf Khartoum (SUDAN) - Aswan (EGYPT) addis-khartoum.rtf Addis Ababa (ETHIOPIA) - Khartoum (SUDAN) (Plain Text, only the main waypoints) Khartoum (SUDAN) - Aswan (EGYPT) (html) Addis Ababa (ETHIOPIA) - Khartoum (SUDAN) (html) ************************************************************ (End) (English Home) http://www.seagulljapan.info/index2.html / (Japanese Home) http://www.seagulljapan.info/index.html All Rights Reserved: (c) seagull (seagulljapan@gmail.com) Copying is free as far as my copyright is specified. That's welcome to leave the copy at accommodations.