Sudan tours & holidays

Hundreds of ethnic groups reside in Sudan, each with their own culture and traditions, although Arab culture predominates. This is particularly true in the north, where Sharia law rules the land, most of the population is Muslim and people tend to prefer traditional clothing to Western garb. Men wear long robes called jalabiya and women wrap a garment (called a thawb) around their entire body. This is worn for both religious reasons and to protect against the heat. Long, loose clothing offers greater relief from the scorching sun than shorts and t-shirts in Sudan.

African culture and traditional animist beliefs are more common in the south. Many speak local dialects or English rather than Arabic and brew a strong beer in their homes called marissa in direct defiance of Sharia law. Music and dance are an important cultural element for some groups, while wrestling is linked to the identity of Sudan’s Nuba people.

While lifestyle and culture can vary greatly across the country, all Sudanese people share a strong sense of hospitality and generosity. Locals will go out of their way to make sure guests are comfortable, offering their best food and drink, even when they can’t afford it; groups out to lunch will frequently invite complete strangers to join them; and people often keep a pot filled with water outside of their house for passer-bys in need of a drink. It’s a custom called sabeel and it originated as a gesture of kindness to neighbours who spent their days working in the fields (about 80% of Sudanese jobs are in agriculture).

Although Sudan may have a long way to go before it recovers from years of government abuse, famine, and civil war, the people who call this country home are among the friendliest you’ll ever meet.

Located in northeastern Africa, Sudan is bound by Egypt to the north; the Red Sea, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east; South Sudan and the Central African Republic to the south; and Chad and Libya to the west. Two major tributaries of the Nile River – the White Nile and the Blue Nile – merge near the centre of the country in the nation’s capital, Khartoum. The unified Nile continues north to Egypt, separating the Nubian Desert, which occupies the northeast of Sudan from the Libyan Desert, which occupies the northwest. Desert gives way to open savannah, largely flat to the east, but rising to two plateaus to the west and south. The western plateau makes up the war-torn region of Darfur. Sudan also contains several mountain ranges – the Nuba Mountains located near the border with South Sudan and volcanic peaks that make up the Marrah Mountains in Darfur.

Shopping opportunities in Sudan are largely limited to street vendors and local markets, called souks. The capital has a number of souks worth checking out, though Souk Omdurman is the largest in the country and perhaps the best place to shop unique Sudanese items and handicrafts. Vendors line an endless maze of narrow alleyways selling a wide range of goods, often cheaper than elsewhere in the city. Local crafts to keep an eye out for include grass and straw products, carved wooden statues and masks, goods made from copper and brass and gold jewellery. Friendly haggling is the norm at markets and payment is always in cash.

Khartoum also has two relatively new shopping malls – Al Waha Mall and Afra Shopping Mall. Both malls house mostly independent shops that sell clothing, accessories, stationary and electronics.

Most festivals in Sudan are religious holidays and are celebrated privately with family and friends, although there are a few rowdy exceptions. Some of the biggest and most important festivals in Sudan include: 

1. Mawlid an-Nabi (The Prophet’s Birthday)

The birth of the Prophet Muhammad is a national holiday in many Muslim-majority countries. In Sudan, Sufi Muslims celebrate the 12th day of the fifth month of the Islamic lunar calendar by throwing carnival-like festivals in public squares where religious scholars give public lectures, stories are told about the life of Muhammad and stalls sell food and sweets.

2. Sufi Holiya Festival

 Social hierarchies and ethnic differences are put aside each October for this boisterous Sufi holiday meant to commemorate the death of a saint. Attracting Sufi Muslims from near and far, festivities begin with a parade and end with an all-night celebration where revellers dance and sing songs while traditional music is played.

3. Eid al-Fitr

This three-day festival, which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, is typically celebrated with friends, family and food. Beginning on the first day of the tenth lunar month, people collect sweets and eat plenty of porridge (aseeda) as they move from house to house visiting neighbours.

4. Eid al-Adha

 Meaning ‘festival (or feast) of the sacrifice’, Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday. Traditionally, people are meant to sacrifice an animal as a symbol of religious devotion, however many in Sudan are unable to afford this. Instead, people spend this day feasting with family.

Sudanese cuisine tends to be simple yet flavourful. Dishes rely heavily on grains and legumes due to the country’s dry climate and are flavoured with spices introduced by the Middle East and Mediterranean, such as cardamom, cinnamon and red pepper. Porridge and kisra (a Sudanese flatbread similar to roti) are dietary staples. Made from wheat, soghrum or corn flour, porridge is eaten like rice and usually served with a meat and vegetable stew (mullah).

Falafel is a popular vegetarian dish, although in Sudan it is called tamiya and is made from broad beans. Fava beans are a common breakfast choice. Stewed with various spices, you’ll find food vendors and restaurants across the country serving bowls of this national dish. 

Meat is an essential part of the Sudanese diet and might be roasted, barbequed over charcoal, pan-fried or featured in soups and stews. A typical stew will contain chunks of beef or lamb, as well as sheep’s fat, onions, okra, tomato paste, yogurt or milk. Sheep organs (including the lungs, liver and stomach) are commonly eaten raw with onions, peanut butter and salt as an appetizer. In the south, fish from the Nile Rivers features more prominently in dishes.

Peanuts, dates and figs are also important ingredients in Sudanese cooking, which are used to add both taste and texture. Peanuts are frequently used in soups or to coat meat while dates are often added to porridge.

Sudan abides by Sharia law, which means alcohol is prohibited. Rather than alcohol, tea is the beverage of choice for most Sudanese. Turkish coffee is also quite popular. 

Must-try foods in Sudan

1. Ful medames

 Sudan’s national dish turns the humble fava bean into something rich and flavourful. Beans are stewed with tomatoes, onions and various spices, and are usually served with various accompaniments, including salad, tamiya, chilli sauce, tahini or sesame oil.

2. Kisra

 A Sudanese flatbread made from sorghum flour. This dietary staple accompanies most meals.

3. Goraasa be dama

 Chunks of beef are simmered in tomatoes and flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon and garlic to create a stew that is served on goraasa, a simple wheat-based flatbread.