Not many get the opportunity to visit Sudan, a developing country plagued by its politics and a turbulent past. Despite that, Sudan is an incredibly humble country, and one of the most hospitable places to visit. If you find yourself in the middle of the tripolitan capital, here are the best things to do in Khartoum. First off, why is it called a tripolitan? Well, the capital is made up of three major cities: Khartoum, Om Durman and Bahari (literally meaning on the water side).

Second, here’s what you need to know before visiting Khartoum. Sudan has had a rough history. After the continent’s longest-running civil war – the region was split into two autonomous countries: Sudan and South Sudan. Just recently, Sudan saw another wave of revolutionary demonstrations and a massive power-shift, all of which is still defining Sudan’s future.

Before venturing, make sure to download either app Tirhal or GO, bother are local ridesharing applications like Uber and will make getting around much easier. Note, that you’ll be expected to pay cash since there is no service to connect directly to a credit or debit card. Now, that you know how to get rides, here’s what to do in Khartoum.

What to see in Khartoum?

There are a handful of staple attractions and must-visit places in and around Khartoum – just remember that Khartoum is split into different cities so things are quite spread out!

The National Museum of Sudan

A visit to Khartoum has got to start with a stop at the national museum. If you’ve been following us for a while, you know how passionate we are about the Egyptian Nubia, well this museum is home to the largest collection of Nubian archaeological artifacts in the world. If anything, it’s a wonderful way to connect with Sudanese culture and have a better understanding of their history.

Ethnography Museum

Like many other African countries, Sudanese people have a deeply rooted tribal history that manifests itself in everyday life. The ethnography museum offers a glimpse into the traditions of different Sudanese tribes and populations and also showcases unique artifacts from the different regions. We highly recommend a visit here!

Khalifa House Museum

Located in Omdurman, the Khalifa House was the residence of Khalifa Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, a highly revered Nubian Sufi religious leader. Although small, we highly encourage a quick stop here because the architecture of the home coupled with the history exhibits are quite a site.

St. Mathews Cathedral

Visitors have to make a stop at this beautiful neo-Romanesque styled cathedral in downtown. The detail in architecture is truly fascinating and worth the tour. St. Mathews was built in 1908 when the British built Khartoum as the capital of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and continues to operate to this day!

Mosques

There a number of impressive mosques throughout Khartoum and Umdurman. Favorites are the Al Kabir Mosque and the beautifully designed Al Amarat Mosque.

Nile Street

Reminiscent of Cairo’s Nile Cornishe, this busy strip of restaurants, music venues and cafes runs perfectly along the Blue Nile river. Things get pretty exciting in the evening on Nile Street. We recommend taking some time to stop at the floating boat shops, you can even boat hop. Each of the stationary boats turns into a lively establishment.

The most popular activities on Nile Street? Attending live music performances and renting a small boat for a short sail down the river.

The Corinthia Hotel

Corinthia Hotel stands tall with its unique design, constructed to resemble a ship’s sail, yet many perceive its shape as a large egg! Take this opportunity to visit the hotel, especially the top floor for an enjoyable cityscape views of the city.

Hamed al-Nil Tomb

Set aside an afternoon on any given Friday (it has to be a Friday) and make your way over to Om Durman to visit the Hamed al-Nil Tomb. Just before sunset, you can witness authentic Sufi whirling dervishes practicing their rituals. Don’t be discouraged by the crowd, it’s quite a safe space and worth the experience.

Tuti Island

A small island that continues to preserve the country’s history and the simplicity of life. The island is mainly agricultural so you’ll get to see many citrus orchards and vegetable farms as you roam around. For more portraits at Tuti and Khartoum, check out our photo journal. 

Wander the narrow streets in Tuti and make sure to reach the edge of town to get a panoramic view of Khartoum from the other side of the water. Why is this important? Well, the Nile River as a whole is important in this region, for starters it’s the longest river in the world. Khartoum is strategically located at the confluence of the White Nile, which flows north from Lake Victoria and the Blue Nile, which flows west from Ethiopia. This brings us to our second point; if you’re lucky you can actually see the meeting of the two rivers.

Now, back to Tuti Island. Take some time to visit the local Antique Tuti Mosque. There, you’ll be greeted by locals selling fresh fruits, Sudanese coffees and more local products.

Assaha Lebanese Village

Al Housh

Sultana

If you’re looking for superb coffee we highly recommend Qahwa Republic. Another recommendation is Someet Gallery, an eclectic café and gallery showcasing historic artifacts and art made by locals, some of which is on sale.

There’s a lot more to see in Khartoum, mainly unnamed hidden gems, train tracks, & old clay huts. Give Khartoum a chance and really wander the streets as much as you can.

Personally, this blog post doesn’t do Khartoum justice and I will have to shoutout Darah Ghanem on beautifully capturing the city in her post on Roam Magazine.