Located on the shore of the Red Sea, south of Egypt in north east Africa, Sudan is a large country steeped in history. Places like the ancient city of Naqa, Meroe and Kerma in the Sudanese City, stand as testaments to the greatness of the once great kingdoms of Napata and Nubia. Then there is the iconic Suakin, and the main cities of Khartoum and Omdurman on the banks of the Blue Nile and White Nile. In the south of the country, the climate is much wetter and the lands are dominated with grassed plains. Here you can explore Dinder National Park to see some of Africa’s most famous wild animals such as lions and antelopes.

In the highlands is the resort town of Arkawit, where visitors can escape the equatorial heat and enjoy hiking trails. Along the eastern coastline, lie Tawkar and Port Sudan, where scuba divers come to enjoy the little explored reefs and wrecks of the Red Sea and Sanganeb (Marine) National Park.

Despite being a very hospitable place, Sudan has some substantial problems that have hampered the development of tourism in the country. It ranks 181 in the list of richest countries in the world by GDP, so the government has never prioritized tourism. Many rich countries advise against travel to Sudan due to the risk of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict. Indeed much of the country has been gripped by civil war for the past 40 years. Darfur and all border areas, apart from the Egyptian border, remain very dangerous places to visit. Even so, over 800,000 visitors arrived in 2018, and tourism still contributes 4% to GDP.

The COVID virus was first detected in Sudan on 12 March 2020 and Sudan immediately responded by suspending tourist visas to citizens of known hotspots. By 14 March it had closed all airports, ports and land crossings and declared a public health emergency, closing schools and banning large public gatherings. From 8 July 2020, the government started to ease the lock-down restrictions in Khartoum, and the curfew was lifted on 16 September. Khartoum International Airport on 9 July. Current entry requirements include proof of a negative PCR test result. Further information can be found here: UK GOV – entry requirements.

December 2020 January and February 2021 saw a surge in cases, but a clear picture has been difficult to find due to inadequate testing and underreporting. To date 38,000 cases have been confirmed, together with 2,900 deaths, and a world ranking of 161 in the list of countries with most deaths per capita. If that were anywhere near the truth then things would not be so bad. However, excess deaths suggest that real deaths are over 11,000 – 3 times are 300% worse than officially declared. Less than 1% of the Sudanese people have been fully vaccinated, thanks to the decision of various rich countries to enforce vaccine patent rights, prioritizing money over the lives of poor people, as per usual.

Our Sudan liveaboard diving expeditions are currently operating, both out of Port Ghalib, on the Egyptian side of the border, and out of Port Sudan. It is an off the beaten track destination, little visited, with big fish, sharks, wrecks, Cousteau’s underwater research laboratory, and great visibility. A true voyage in to the unknown. You should be an Advanced Open Water diver and have at least 50 previous dives to consider a trip here.

Finding flights to Port Sudan can be a problem, but experienced intrepid explorers should be able to connect through Egypt, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and a few other countries.