You are here: Home > Travel Information > Destination Guides Text size A A A See what people from around the world are saying about cities we fly to and from worldtopics: South Africa: Khartoum willing to settle differences- AU mediator - 7thSpace Interactive (press release) http://t.co/00VqfAvz 10 minutes ago modernghanaweb: Regional Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control convenes in Khartoum: KHARTOUM, Sudan, May 21, 2012/... http://t.co/lBsAuJc9 11 minutes ago MedStu21: Great: South Africa: Khartoum willing to settle differences- AU mediator http://t.co/4qT0r1OY 34 minutes ago World / Africa / Sudan / Khartoum | Overview | Fast Facts | Arrive | See | Eat | Sleep | Connect | Business Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, sits where the waters of the Blue Nile and White Nile meet before continuing their slow progress to the Mediterranean. The city is a melting pot of the tribes, nationalities and ethnic groups which make up Sudan but is relatively free of the troubles which afflict other parts of the country. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Currency Sudan Pound (SDG) Address: Post Code: Tel No: Visa Requirements All visitors must apply for a Visa before travelling and must have a valid return air ticket Address: Post Code: Tel No: Language Mainly Arabic. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Timezone GMT +3 Address: Post Code: Tel No: Weather Hot climate year-round with average July temperatures of 32 °C and average January temperatures of 24 °C Address: Post Code: Tel No: Dialling Code 00 249 Address: Post Code: Tel No: Electricity 220V. Round two-pin plugs as standard Address: Post Code: Tel No: Health and Safety Comprehensive travel and medical insurance are advised. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Flights to Khartoum arrive at Khartoum Airport (KRT) 3 miles east of the town centre. The only way of getting into the city from the airport is by taxi which takes 10 minutes and costs around 10 SDG (£2.50) Address: Post Code: Tel No: Nile Street Nile Street or Shari'a Al-Nil Probably the prettiest street in Khartoum. With the Blue Nile on one side, the street is lined with pretty, albeit decaying-looking, colonial buildings. The Presidential Palace, also fronting the Blue Nile, is an impressive building but visitors are not allowed to walk in front of it - the guards will ask you to cross the road and proceed behind and around the building. Address: Post Code: Tel No: The National Museum The National Museum is also along Nile Street and contains exhibits that rival those in the ancient Egypt sections of the British Museum or the New York Met. You'll have it all pretty much to yourself. The best time to visit is in the mornings. It tends to close at noon and reopen at 3pm. Open from Monday to Friday. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Confluence of the Blue and White Nile Confluence of the Blue and White Nile: The confluence of the two branches of the Nile is best seen a couple of miles along Nile Street from the Presidential Palace. From the metal bridge (the old one, not the newer concrete one) linking Khartoum and Omdurman, it is said that the two different colours from the different branches can be seen coming together and flowing separately for a distance before converging. Address: Nile Road Post Code: Tel No: Quick Lunch - Cafekange Head to the air-conditioned Cafekange for a tasty a la carte or buffet-style Sudanese lunch. Address: Intersection of Malik Abdul Aziz with Street 11, Middle Road, New Extension Post Code: Tel No:00 249 83 465 694 Top Table - Riviera Restaurant and Park For a special treat, dine at the Riviera Restaurant and Park. Address: located near the Morada fish market alongside the River Nile in Omdurman Post Code: Tel No:00 249 87 562 745 Cheap Eat - Little India Restaurant Authentic Indian food at bargain prices is on the menu at Little India Restaurant. It's open daily for lunch and dinner. Address: Street 41, Plot No. 47 Post Code: Tel No:00 249 912 306 543 On Business - Grand Holiday Villa The Grand Holiday Villa is a Malaysian-owned hotel housed in a colonial-style building with all the facilities a modern business traveller needs. The onsite Malaysian restaurant is also very good. Book now Address: 7 Nile Street Post Code: Tel No: Lap Of Luxury - Hilton Khartoum Situated near the Al-Mogran Park and the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, about 3km to the west of the city centre, the Hilton Khartoum hotel is an upmarket haven with a pool and tennis court. Book now Address: Mogran Street Post Code: Tel No: Cheap Sleep - Dandas International Hotel You'll find comfortable rooms at affordable prices at the Dandas International Hotel . Rooms have satellite TV, en-suite bathrooms, and there's free wi-fi in the lobby. Book now Address: Corner Abu Sin & El Sharif St Post Code: Tel No: Coffee And Chat - Café Khartoum For hot gossip in elegant surrounds, make your way to Café Khartoum at the Burj Al-Fateh Hotel (Nile Rd, 00 249 156 555 555). With views of the Nile and the city, it is the place to see and be seen. Address: Nile Rd Post Code: Tel No:00 249 156 555 555 Formal Presentation - Al Salam Rotana The smart Al Salam Rotana hotel (6 Airport St, near Afra Mall, 00 249 1 8700 7777) offers international five-star standard conference facilities and wi-fi. Address: 6 Airport St near Afra Mall Post Code: Tel No:00 249 1 8700 7777 Evening Drinks - Babanga Café Khartoum is alcohol-free. For coffee and soft drinks, hang out in the lively Babanga Café, (Street 15 Amarat). Try a cold glass of kerkade or aradeb, drinks made from local plants. Address: Street 15 Amarat Post Code: Tel No: General Etiquette The government of Sudan is Islamic and Islamic law (shari'a) governs the country (despite opposition in the Christian and animist south). Arabic is the official language but there are hundreds of local languages and dialects, the most prominent being Bari in the South. In the north and in Khartoum, typical Muslim behaviour is the norm and should always be respected. Men shake hands with men but if greeting a woman a man should always wait for her to extend her hand. Modest dress is essential for both sexes. Alcohol and pork are forbidden. Public demonstrations of affection between the sexes are frowned upon, even among visitors. In Sudan, people of the same sex stand closer to each other than you may be used to, especially when in conversation. Try not to back away as this may be seen as rude. Eye contact is important. Don't be confused by Sudanese head nodding. A single nod down indicates ‘yes'. A nod up means ‘no'. Do not cross your legs so that the sole of your foot is pointing directly at anyone as this may be seen as offensive. Pointing directly with the index finger is also rude. If invited to someone's home, wear clean socks as you will be expected to remove your shoes at the door. Treating guests hospitably is a point of personal honour, so expect warmth and generosity. Food is often eaten with the hands, remember always to use your right hand, for eating and passing dishes as the left is considered unclean. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Business etiquette Businessmen should wear a lightweight suit. Businesswomen should dress appropriately, avoiding low necklines, bare shoulders and skirts above the knee. Because of the heat, a shirt with or without a tie is usually acceptable for men in business meetings. You should ideally arrange meetings well in advance and confirm before you arrive and again the day before. You should aim to be punctual but don't be offended if your counterpart is not. Most meetings take place in the morning. Business cards are useful. A translation into Arabic on the reverse will be appreciated and make you stand out. Shake hands with everyone present, even if someone arrives in the middle of a meeting. Building a relationship is essential to doing business here so allow plenty of time for small talk at the start of a meeting and never try to hurry things along. Expect interruptions in meetings. This is normal behaviour and no indication of how seriously your business is being taken. Address: Post Code: Tel No: General business information The working week is 8am to 2.30pm Saturday to Thursday, though some businesses continue to 3.30 pm. Islamic religious festivals are observed as public holidays, especially in the north, where they may last for several days. Christmas is a holiday on 25 December and Coptic Christmas on 7 January. Coptic Easter is also a holiday. Other public holidays are on 1 January (Independence Day), 3 March (Unity Day), 1 May (Labour Day) and 30 June (Revolution Day). Credit cards are rarely accepted so take clean dollar bills in large denominations. International dialling code: +249 Address: Post Code: Tel No: Print City guides Khartoum Flights Book flights to Khartoum now Lowest fares Departure airport -please select- Aberdeen (Dyce) Belfast City Dublin East Midlands Edinburgh Glasgow Leeds Bradford London Heathrow Manchester Norwich
