Compare Saharan Gems Of Sudan & The Kush by Dragoman vs Cairo To Addis Ababa (38 Days) Nile Trans (Nt38) by Oasis overland
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| Trip |
0 | Poor
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0 | Poor
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| Duration | 8 days | 38 days |
| Price From | $ 1,300 | $ 3,244 |
| Price Per Day | $ 163 | $ 85 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Camping | Basic |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
4 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches and 4 Dinners |
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| Description |
As a destination, Sudan is so often overlooked but to journey through the beautiful Nubian desert is a wonderful experience. Clustered along the banks of the Nile, are some of the greatest sites of antiquity. They may not rival Luxor or Abu Simbel in grandeur and scale, but in sheer, artistic beauty and isolation, they are second to none. The petit temples of Naga and Musawwarat are simply lovely, and the experience of camping under the stars in the wilds of the desert behind the Pyramids of Meroe is serene. Add in a boat trip across the Nile to the Temple Of Sulb, with its towering columns and you get a true sense of what is hidden in the Sudanese Sahara. Khartoum, sits on the confluence of the Blue and White Niles, and across the river from the city in the plains of Omdurman, where we have the rare chance to witness the bizarre dances of the whirling Dervish. This a raw and highly vital street display by Sufi devotees. |
This overland tour begins in North Africa's Egypt, and travels down through Sudan and Ethiopia. These countries are all historically and culturally rich, and incredibly geographically diverse - making for an unforgettable trip. The unique historical sites of Egypt need very little introduction, but fewer people know about the coral reefs of the Red Sea, the deserts of Sudan and the Ethiopian highlands (Africa's largest mountain range). All of these will be incorporated into your overland tour |
Day 1: Khartoum
Border Information: if joining in Khartoum, you will most likely enter Sudan at Khartoum International Airport (IATA code: KRT).
There will be an important group meeting at 10:00am: please look for a note from your leader at the hotel reception when you arrive with more details about this important meeting. Your leader will need to collect your passport in order to get everyone's visas registered today.
The rest of the day will be free to independently explore Khartoum, including possible optional visits to the impressive Grand Mosque and the bustling Omdurman market.
Please note that many of the options listed below will only be possible for those with extra time in Khartoum before the start of your trip with us: please contact the Sales team if you would like to book pre-tour accommodation with us to have extra time exploring Khartoum.
In Khartoum we stay in a comfortable hotel with good facilities.
Day 2: Dongola
Today our journey begins with a drive out into the Sahara deserts northwest of Khartoum. We will arrive at the historic site of Old Dongola, once an important city in medieval Nubia. After an included visit to the site, we will wild camp in the stunning deserts nearby.
Estimated Drive Time: 6-8 hours (please note that all drive times given here are approximate estimates only and are given with the best intentions: however please be aware that the drive times are heavily dependent on traffic, road conditions, weather, police roadblocks, and many other factors: flexibility is essential on any overland trip!).
Daily Activities
Included Activities (Included in Kitty)
Explore the curious medieval ruins of Old Dongola in the western deserts of Sudan
Day 3: Wawa, Dongola
Today we will journey through the remote areas of northern Sudan and the vast Sahara Desert. En route we will visit the Deffufa of Kerma near Dongola, once of the site of the capital of the Kingdom of Kerma, an incredibly ancient civilisation that flourished in the area as long as 5,500 years ago. In the afternoon we will arrive in the small village of Wawa, and will have an included visit to the deserted ruins of the Temple of Soleb on the opposite bank of the Nile.
We will wild camp near the village of Wawa.
Estimated Drive Times: 5-7 hours.
Daily Activities
Included Activities (Included in Kitty)
Visit the pre-Kushite Temple of Deffufa, a 5,500 year old Nubian archaeological site built by the Kerma civilisation
Explore the ruins of the Temple of Soleb
Day 4: Karima
Today we will journey to the town of Karima, where we have an included visit to the mysterious site of Jebel Barkal. A very distinctive flat-topped mountain in the desert, the site has some well preserved ancient paintings in a small temple underneath it and a few Nubian pyramids nearby.
We will wild camp in the deserts east of Karima.
Estimated Drive Time: 5-6 hours.
Daily Activities
Included Activities (Included in Kitty)
Visit to the Kushite temples and climb to the summit of the distinctive Jebel Barkal mountain
Explore the ancient Kushite Royal Pyramids at Nuri, near Karima
Day 5: Meroe, Nuri
Today we will visit the incredible and haunting Nuri pyramids of the Kushite era, east of the town of Karima. We will then continue our drive towards the famous site of Meroe, wild camping in the deserts nearby.
Estimated Drive Time: 5-6 hours.
Day 6: Naqa, Musawwarat, Meroe
This morning we will visit the incredible deserted Kushite pyramids of Meroe, one of the most iconic and haunting sites in Sudan. In the afternoon we will move on to the other magnificient Kushite sites of Musawwarat and Naqa: we will visit both highlights and then wild camp in the deserts nearby.
Estimated Drive Time: 1-2 hours.
Daily Activities
Included Activities
Explore the ancient Kushite temples of Naqa and Musawwarat
Included in Kitty
Guided visit of Meroe Pyramids
Day 7: Khartoum
Today we will complete our journey back to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, where we have a much-deserved refresh and relax in the hotel after our time in the desert!
In the evening we will meet up for an included visit to Omdurman to see the weekly gathering of Whirling Dervishes, a magical cultural experience to see in the sunset.
In Khartoum we will return to our comfortable hotel with good facilities.
Estimated Drive Time: 4-5 hours.
Daily Activities
Included Activities
Witness the spectacular Whirling Dervishes of Omdurman
Day 8: Khartoum
Border Information: if finishing in Khartoum, you will most likely exit Sudan at Khartoum International Airport (IATA code: KRT).
Today is the end day for passengers finishing their trip in Khartoum. Please note there is no accommodation included on the trip tonight: please contact the Sales Team if you are interested in booking extra nights of accommodation in order to fully explore and take part in some of the optional activities listed below.
The first part of our day is spent in Cairo visiting the great Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza with our Egyptologist guide, and also the Egyptian Museum. We then drive towards the Red Sea Coast. You will have time relax on the beach or try your hand at various watersports such as snorkelling, windsurfing or scuba diving in the cool clear blue waters. We end our first few days in the city of Luxor where the Valley of Kings and Queens and Karnak and Luxor Temples will keep us busy exploring for a few days more.
DAY 5-14: LUXOR TO ABU SIMBEL
Here in Luxor - you have the opportunity to visit the Valley of Kings and Queens, the remarkably well preserved tombs of ancient rulers such as Ramses lV and Tutankhamun have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics that still seem fresh even after 3000 years. Karnak and Luxor Temples are both in easy walking distance from our camp - as is the local souq where you can pick up an array of souvenirs.
A half day drive further south brings us to Aswan. Here you will notice the first of many cultural changes on this trip. The darker Nubian people in Aswan lead a more relaxed and less hectic pace of life than their Egyptian countrymen. We base ourselves here for a few days to finalise our Sudanese visas if we haven't already done them in Cairo and in which time you can choose to join a 2 or 3 day felucca boat cruise to Edfu and/or Kom Ombo. From Aswan we drive to Abu Simblel where there is the opportunity to visit the massive stone monuments built by the greatest of all pharaohs, Ramses ll.
DAY 15-20: ABU SIMBEL TO MEROE
From Abu Simbel we take a ferry across Lake Nasser to the border with Sudan. This can be a long border crossing but once the formalities have been dealt with, we drive to the friendly town of Wadi Halfa.
The hospitality in Sudan can be surprising, but very genuine. For such a poor country with so many recent problems Sudanese people are often too willing to invite you for a meal or a cup of 'Sudanese whisky' - better known as tea! From Wadi Halfa we board our expedition vehicle for our drive across the Nubian Desert. Our route will see us either hugging the banks of Nile as it snakes its way south or possibly experiencing the vast open desert plains which is dissected by the main train line from Khartoum, making this our only real point of reference. Whether passing through sleepy Nubian villages, resting in tea rooms, pottering around the local souqs or experiencing total isolation in the middle of the desert - a unique experience awaits you along this not so travelled route.
Note: If the security situation in Sudan has not improved, then we will overfly from Cairo to Addis Ababa (flight at your cost, budget $200) after completing the Egypt section using public transport and local hotels. We will then join our overland truck in Addis and adjust our itinerary in Ethiopia. We ran our 2023 Addis Ababa to Cairo trip in this way and it worked very well.
DAY 21-24: MEROE TO KHARTOUM
The ancient Pyramids at Meroe lie to the north of the capital Khartoum. Khartoum is our next stop and it has a fantastic setting on the confluence of the Blue and White Niles. Our stay here is on the banks of the Nile at the quirky but interesting Blue Nile Sailing Club. It houses one of General Kitcheners old Gunboats, a relic from the British military campaign against the Mahdi over a century ago. For such a large city, Khartoum feels quite laid back. In our few days here you can visit the Hamed al Nil Tomb or take a trip to the daily camel market. Viewing the confluence of the two Niles is also an interesting way to pass the time.
DAY 25-38: KHARTOUM TO ADDIS ABABA
From Khartoum we drive south-east through the towns of Wadi Medina and Gedaref, on our way to Ethiopia. Many of the roads we travel on are often in mountainous areas, so travel is slow. Ethiopia has a lot more visual & indigenous history than any other sub - Saharan country. In the towns of Gondar (the capital of Ethiopia from 1632 until 1868) we spend a few days where it is possible to organise overnight trips to the Simiens Mountains National Park - home to the Gelada Baboon, hikes are available in the area. You may also wish to arrange a trip to the holy city of Axum dating from the 12th Century have been kept alive by generations of dedicated priests who guard their precious religious and artistic artefacts.
Lalibela, famous for it's 11 monolithic rock-hewn churches is our next destination where you have the option of a guided tour of one of Ethiopia's holiest cities.
Our route to Addis Ababa takes us via Lake Tana and the spectacular Blue Nile Gorge and Falls. From Bahir Dar you can organise boat trips to some of the small islands which have Monasteries dating back up to 900 years and which are still looked after by monks who live from subsistence farming. A couple of days drive brings us to the capital Addis - where we have the chance to indulge in some authentic Ethiopian coffee or explore 'El Mercato' - one of Africa's largest open air markets.
