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Sudan FAQ

Is tipping customary in Sudan?

Tipping isn’t customary, however if the service in a cafe or restaurant is good, feel free to leave spare change or round up the bill.

What is the internet access like in Sudan?

Internet cafes can be found in most cities but may be expensive and slow.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Sudan?

Mobile phone coverage is good in urban areas. Ensure you have global roaming activated with your carrier if you wish to use your phone.

What are the toilets like in Sudan?

Sudan’s toilets may be basic. Be prepared for squat toilets, even in major centres.

Can I drink the water in Sudan?

Tap water isn’t safe to drink in Sudan. Instead bring water purification tablets or equivalent. For environmental reasons, try to avoid bottled water. Ask your leader where filtered water can be found.

What will it cost for a…?

Bottle of soft drink = 2 SDG
Beer in a bar or restaurant = 8 SDG
Simple lunch = 10 SDG
Dinner in an inexpensive restaurant = 25 SDG

Are credit cards accepted widely in Sudan?

Credit cards are rarely accepted in Sudan.

What is ATM access like in Sudan?

Some ATMs are available in Khartoum. Cash can also be withdrawn from a bank using your card.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before travelling in Sudan?

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of your trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

What public holidays are celebrated in Sudan?

Jan 1 Independence Day
Jan 7 Coptic Christmas
Jan 24 Al-Mowlid Al Nabawi (Birth of the Prophet)
May 5 Coptic Easter
Jun 30 Revolution Day
Aug 8 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
Oct 15 Aid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
Nov 4 Islamic New Year
Dec 25 Christmas Day

Please note these dates are for 2013. For a current list of public holidays go to:
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/Sudan/public-holidays

Do I need a visa to travel to Sudan?

Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. The visa requirements for your trip vary depending on where you are from and where you are going. As a general rule most countries expect that you will have at least 6 months' validity on your passport. On arrival visitors may be asked to present return tickets and evidence of means to cover your intended stay.

We keep the following information up to date as much as possible, but rules do change - it's important that you check for yourself. Residents from other countries must consult the relevant embassies or your travel agent.

  • SUDAN SOUTHBOUND::
    The process of obtaining a Sudanese visa can be a complicated one so it is vital that you read the following information thoroughly.

    All nationalities require a visa to enter Sudan. All nationalities must check with their respective embassies. If possible it is recommended that you obtain this visa in advance of your trip, however the whole process of obtaining a Sudan visa before travel can take up to 8 weeks, and there are a few ways in which you can apply for your Sudan Visa.

    1. IN ADVANCE:

    Direct with a Sudan Embassy or Consulate.

    For US citizens please visit the Embassy of Sudan in Washington on details of how to apply for the tourist visa www.sudanembassy.org

    For UK citizens please visit the Embassy of Sudan in London for details on how to apply for the tourist visa http://www.sudan-embassy.co.uk

    For Australian citizens please visit the following website for details of your closest Sudan Mission http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Mission/list.rails

    All Applications must first be presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Sudan for authorisation by one of the following:
    • A Sponsor (Relatives or Friends in Sudan)
    • A Sponsoring Company based in Sudan
    • Business partner based in Sudan
    • A Hotel or Travel Agency based in Sudan.

    Please check with the Embassy as some embassies will organise the authorization letter for you as part of the visa application service. If the Embassy does not provide this authorization letter then you will have to obtain this through waleed.travel@gmail.com at Lendi Travel who can help you obtain this for a fee (approx. $165 USD). Please note you will also have to pay for your visa fees on top of this.
    Once accepted your authorisation will be sent to the embassy in which you are obtaining the visa.

    2. THROUGH A VISA AGENT - THE VISA MACHINE:

    If you decide to obtain your visa through The Visa Machine please contact them directly for all the information.


    3. HERE ARE YOUR OPTIONS IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN YOUR VISA BEFORE TRAVEL:

    For all nationalities except US citizens you can obtain the Sudan visa in Aswan, however the process can be time consuming and the information can change suddenly (we therefore recommend all nationalities obtain Sudan visas in advance). They cost up to US$150 and take 1-2 days. You must have already obtained your Ethiopian visa and if you are flying out of Khartoum then you must have proof of exit such as your flight ticket.

    You will also need to obtain a letter of approval from your respective Embassy/Consulate in Cairo to vouch for your identity and there may be a charge for this letter. For British Nationals your tour leader will already have a copy of this for you.
    You will need approx. 6 passport photos for the visa.

    For US citizens unable to obtain the tourist visa before travel you can obtain this in either Cairo or Aswan. All applications must first be presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Sudan by one of the following:
    • A Sponsor (Relatives or Friends in Sudan)
    • A Sponsoring Company based in Sudan
    • Business partner based in Sudan
    • A Hotel or Travel Agency based in Sudan. Please visit www.sudan.net for the list of hotels and travel agencies who can assist with the visa application process. Once accepted your authorisation will be sent to either Cairo or Aswan depending on where you have instructed.

    PLEASE NOTE: Due to the process of authorisation being controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sudan, Dragoman or Intrepid will not become involved in any way in the authorisation process.

    REGISTRATION IN SUDAN:
    Everyone is required to register with the Aliens Department within three days of your arrival in the country (2 passport size photos are needed and the fee is the Sudanese Pound equivalent of around £35). Once registered, you are not required to obtain an exit visa to leave the country. You are required to pay US$20 per person airport tax.
  • SUDAN NORTHBOUND:
    The process of obtaining a Sudanese visa can be a complicated one so it is vital that you read the following information thoroughly.

    All nationalities require a visa to enter Sudan and it is recommended that you obtain this visa in advance of your trip. All nationalities must check with their respective embassies. The whole process of obtaining a Sudan visa before travel can take up to 8 weeks and there are a few ways in which you can apply for your Sudan visa.

    <b>1. Direct with the embassy</b>
    If you choose this option please check with your closes Embassy as some embassies will organise the authorisation for you as part of the visa application service. If your Embassy does not provide this authorisation then you will need to obtain this through a Sudanese travel company such as Lendi Travel (email waleed.travel@gmail.com) who can help you for a fee.

    For US citizens please visit the Embassy of Sudan in Washington on details of how to apply for the tourist visa www.sudanembassy.org

    For UK citizens please visit the Embassy of Sudan in London for details on how to apply for the tourist visa http://www.sudan-embassy.co.uk

    For Australian citizens please visit the following website for details of your closest Sudan Mission http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Mission/list.rails

    <b>2. Through a visa agent</b>
    If you decide to obtain your visa through an agent such as Travcour (UK) or Toll (Australia) then you will need to apply for the authorisation before you apply for the visa. The agent should list details on their website how to do this, otherwise you can contact a local Sudanese travel agent such as Lendi Travel (email waleed.travel@gmail.com) who can help you for a fee.

    <b>3. En route in Nairobi, Kenya</b>
    If you have obtained both your Ethiopian visa AND Egyptian visa in advance, or if you are flying out of Khartoum and have proof of exit such as your flight ticket, you can apply for a Sudan visa in Nairobi without an authorisation letter. You will however be required to submit a letter of introduction from your own Embassy confirming your nationality and stating there is no reason you cannot travel. Some Embassies charge a fee for this letter, and some will not provide it at all so please check with them well in advance.

    The visa cost can vary significantly and cost US$50-$180. It generally takes 1-2 days. You will need approximately 6 passport photos for the visa.

    US citizens who are unable to obtain the tourist visa before travel can obtain this in Nairobi, however you must first apply for your authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sudan. To get this you can contact Waleed Arafat at Lendi Travel in Sudan - waleed.travel@gmail.com who can apply for your authorisation number on your behalf for a fee (approx. US$165).

    <b>4. En route in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia</b>
    If you are travelling on a longer combination trip, you can also obtain your visa en route in Addis Ababa but first you must apply for an authorisation letter in advance. To get this you can contact Waleed Arafat at Lendi Travel in Sudan - waleed.travel@gmail.com who can apply for your authorisation number on your behalf for a fee.

    <b>PLEASE NOTE:</b> Due to the authorisation process being controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sudan, neither Dragoman nor Intrepid will become involved in any way in the authorisation process.

    We try to keep this information as up to date as possible, however the process of obtaining visas can change suddenly and at any time. For this reason we advise you to always check with the Embassy.

    <b>REGISTRATION IN SUDAN</b>
    Everyone is required to register with the Aliens Department within three days of your arrival in the country (2 passport size photos are needed and the fee is the Sudanese Pound equivalent of around GBP35). Once registered, you are not required to obtain an exit visa to leave the country. You are required to pay US$20 per person airport tax.
  • SUDAN - LONG COMBINATION TRIP SOUTHBOUND::
    The process of obtaining a Sudanese visa can be a complicated one so it is vital that you read the following information thoroughly.

    All nationalities require a visa to enter Sudan. All nationalities must check with their respective embassies. If possible it is preferable that you obtain this visa in advance of your trip, however the whole process of obtaining a Sudan visa before travel can take up to 8 weeks.

    For US citizens please visit the Embassy of Sudan in Washington on details of how to apply for the tourist visa www.sudanembassy.org

    For UK citizens please visit the Embassy of Sudan in London for details on how to apply for the tourist visa http://www.sudan-embassy.co.uk

    For Australian citizens please visit the following website for details of your closest Sudan Mission http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Mission/list.rails

    HERE ARE YOUR OPTIONS IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN YOUR VISA BEFORE TRAVEL: -
    For all nationalities except US citizens you can obtain the Sudan visa in Aswan although the process is time consuming and information can change suddenly (we therefore recommend all nationalities obtain Sudan visas in advance). They cost up to $150USD and take 1-2 days. You must have already obtained your Ethiopian visa and if you are flying out of Khartoum then you must have proof of exit such as your flight ticket.

    You will also need to obtain a letter of approval from your respective Embassy/Consulate in Cairo to vouch for your identity and there may be a charge for this letter. For British Nationals your tour leader will already have a copy of this for you.
    You will need approx. 6 passport photos for the visa.

    For US citizens unable to obtain the tourist visa before travel you can obtain this in either Cairo or Aswan. All Applications must first be presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Sudan by one of the following:
    • A Sponsor (Relatives or Friends in Sudan)
    • A Sponsoring Company based in Sudan
    • Business partner based in Sudan
    • A Hotel or Travel Agency based in Sudan. Please visit www.sudan.net for the list of hotels and travel agencies who can assist with the visa application process.

    Once accepted your authorisation will be sent to either Cairo or Aswan depending on where you have instructed.

    PLEASE NOTE: Due to the process of authorisation being controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sudan Dragoman and Intrepid will not become involved in any way in the authorisation process.

    REGISTRATION IN SUDAN:
    Everyone is required to register with the Aliens Department within three days of your arrival in the country (2 passport size photos are needed and the fee is the Sudanese Pound equivalent of around £35). Once registered, you are not required to obtain an exit visa to leave the country. You are required to pay US$20 per person airport tax.
  • SCANNED PASSPORT COPY:
    Please note that in order to confirm your booking on this trip we will require a scanned copy of your passport at time of booking.

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Sudan at a glance

  • 9
  • Khartoum (population 2 million)
  • 34.3 million
  • Arabic, English
  • SDG
  • (GMT+03:00) Nairobi
  • Type C (European 2-pin), Type D (Old British 3-pin)
  • +249

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