Sudan
Khartoum travel guide
Khartoum is a city in Sudan, home to about 5,345,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- KRT3 km · Khartoum International Airport
- Currency
- SDGSudanese pound
- Time zone
- Africa/Khartoum
- Language
- Arabic, English
About
About Khartoum
Khartoum, also spelled Khartum, is the capital and most populous city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State. With an estimated population of 7.1 million people, Greater Khartoum is the largest urban area in Sudan.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Khartoum
See
- Sudan Presidential Palace Museum
- Confluence of the Blue and White Nile
- Souq Arabi
- National Museum of Sudan
- Sudan Ethnographic Museum
- Sudan National Botanical Garden
- King Farouq Mosque
- St. Matthew's Cathedral
- Souq Omdurman
- The Mahdi's tomb
- The Khalifa's House
- Sufi dancing
Do
There are many professional and international clubs spread around the three cities. Providing for sport, cultural activities or simply a place to meet, they are a lively remnant of British influence.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Khartoum to stay in
A 5% tourism tax and 15% VAT may well be added to your bill - Khartoum's hotels are inconsistent in telling you about these taxes in advance, and (especially for cheaper hotels) inconsistent in paying this money to the tax authorities. Ask if there are any hidden extras before booking.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Khartoum
Khartoum has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; August is the wettest, with about 68 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Khartoum: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Khartoum International Airport (KRT), about 3.2 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
Khartoum is both easy and difficult to get around. It is easy in that much of the city is laid out on a grid, with long straight roads and the airport and Nile as easy reference places. It is difficult in that the city (or indeed the 3 cities) are very spread out, making walking a long and tiring option. Maps are hard to come by, but Google Earth offers some good high-resolution images. These come in three varieties; bright yellow and often beaten up Toyota Corollas Model 1977, small 6-seater minivans, and more modern metered taxis.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KRT · Khartoum International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Khartoum
Eat
Khartoum has a good sprinkling of restaurants, with new ones popping up every couple of months – other than restaurants attached to hotels there is little quality eating to be had in Khartoum’s city centre. Amarat hosts the majority of the better eateries, although Ridyah and Khartoum 2 also have some places. Omdurman and Barhi have a light sprinkling of simple restaurants. All restaurants have about 15% government tax and 3-14% service charge. For some local fare, try traditional gurasa (a large thick wheat pancake) or kisra (large thin pancake) with your choice of sauce (bamya based with lamb or chicken) or yoghurt with sugar (gha'ib).
Drink
It's best to prepare yourself to be alcohol-free for your stay: there are places serving 'special tea' dotted around and non-alcoholic beers are available, but in general it's more hassle than it's worth to track down alcohol during a short visit. For long-termers, however, the market does exist - via diplomatic bags and other routes... apparently.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Khartoum: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Khartoum?
Khartoum has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; August is the wettest, with about 68 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Khartoum?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Khartoum International Airport (KRT), about 3.2 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Khartoum?
Sudanese pound (SDG).
Nearby
Destinations near Khartoum
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.