Africa Archives - Page 2 of 8

Africa Zimbabwe Zimbabwe-Zambia 2023

Visiting Harare

I arrived in Zimbabwe after a long flight from Vancouver via New York and Nairobi. I landed in Harare. The purpose of my trip to Zimbabwe it was to visit Victoria Falls, but there was no way I was going to skip visiting the capital on my first visit to Zimbabwe.

Arrival in Zimbabwe

I don’t think Zimbabwe way it needs much of an introduction, but just in case: it is in southern Africa, formerly Rhodesia. It became independent in 1980 and then from 1980 to 2017 was under authoritarian rule courtesy of Robert Mugabe. During this time there was massive inflation, human rights violations, and corruption. Things are better now. What Zimbabwe always had however is astonishing natural beauty and wildlife. The former being the reason for my visit.

Two fun facts about Zimbabwe.

It has more official languages than any other country (16), though English is most commonly spoken.
During the period of hyperinflation in around 2008-2009, purchasing power of the currency got so bad that the government had to issue notes as high as 100 trillion. Some of these are still floating around for purchase by tourists and nerds. I was not lucky enough to get a trillion note, but I did find some in the billions and millions.

Visas

As a Canadian, I was able to get a visa at the border. I knew I would be in and out of Zimbabwe a couple of times on my trip, so I tried to get a multi entry visa or at least a double entry visa, but this was denied and I was only given a single entry visa, which cost $75.00 US payable in US cash on the spot. It was effectively a cash grab and there was no formality and no application. (These is a thing called a Kaza Visa, which gives multiple entries to Zambia and Zimbabwe, but it is no longer given to Canadians since Canadians no longer need a visa to visit Zambia.)

Accommodations

I then took a taxi to my accommodation: the Bronte Garden Hotel. Honestly, the Bronte Garden Hotel is a little bit above my general budget, but it looked so charming and I felt that after such a long journey it would be amazing to stay in such lovely surroundings. The Bronte Garden Hotel, at least its main building, was built in 1911 as the house for some sort of industrial colonial bigwig. It was converted into a hotel about 50 years ago. It is a collection of two or three white two-story buildings set amidst lush tropical gardens. There are trees and flowers and pools, statues, and lovely seating areas set under the trees. A bar and a restaurant. It feels quite special.

The thing that put it within my reach price-wise is that while the main house is well outside of my normal budget, they have some more basic rooms in the houses that are much more affordable. These cheaper rooms are less fancy, but you still get access to all the same grounds and amenities, and that’s really the reason that I wanted to stay there. I enjoyed my time at the Bronte Garden Hotel immensely. The two nights that I was there, I spent my evenings in the garden with cigars (actually I also spent my mornings in the garden with cigars) and I had several conversations with other people staying at the hotel, most of whom were there on business from South Africa. It was just a lovely oasis.

me and my breakfast cigar at the Bronte Garden Hotel

Wandering in Harare

But of course, I didn’t come to Harare to sit in a hotel. I was in the city for a day and a half, two nights in total. The first day, I arrived at midday I didn’t do much of note. I essentially walked around the neighbourhood. Lovely wide streets with flowering orange and purple trees, apartment buildings and big houses. It was pleasant but I didn’t see anything too interesting.

An afternoon walk

The next day, my one full day in Harare, I really explored the city. I walked from my hotel to the National Botanic Garden (free), because it opened early. On the way I walked past a golf course and saw small antelope bounding across the greens. The gardens were beautiful, with different plants and landscaping suitable to different climates. It was massive, more than I could see in one visit, but I enjoyed a stroll around the grounds and chatted with a young man who was friendly and taking a detour on his way to school.

National Botanic Garden

From the garden I walked to a café called The Bottom Drawer. It was in a residential neighbourhood, basically operating out of a house. It was absolutely lovely, set in a garden with plants and trees and chickens running loose I sat on a comfy sofa on a covered veranda and had coffee and sandwich while I planned my next moves.

I had walked quite a far way from my hotel and in the opposite direction from where I wanted to go next, so I took a taxi back to my hotel and then walked from there.

a park near the National Gallery

I walked into the centre of town, passing along the way lively street markets and businesses, busy with traffic and commerce. I had wanted to visit the National Gallery and that was my first destination, however it was closed (Mondays). Fortunately, the Artopia Café in the in the gallery was open. A cool cafe with art and free wi-fi and coffee and lots of young people working on laptops. It was a good spot, especially after my long walk. Behind the gallery, accessible from the café was an outdoor sculpture gallery, so I got to see that, which I enjoyed.

Artopia Café and the Sculpture Garden

I could have gone to the Shona sculpture gallery, which is a popular tourist attraction, however my hotel had a lot of Shona sculptures in its gardens and I didn’t feel need to see more. But I did visit another gallery near the National Gallery about a block away, called the First Floor Gallery. It is on a higher floor of a commercial building and has almost no signage, but I found it. It is a small gallery (free) and with interesting contemporary art. Plus, it has access to the roof from which you can get a decent view of the streets below.

First Floor Gallery & and the view from the roof

Walking through central Harare was moderately interesting. It was pretty orderly and it lacked the chaos that I often enjoy in big African cities. I got in trouble only once for attempting to walk up to a statue that was accessible on a small bridge over an intersection. I got halfway there and the police on the street started shouting at me to turn around, so I did. I don’t know what the problem was it was completely accessible, but I didn’t argue.

*intersection with the off-limits statue*

I spent a couple hours just walking around Harare, checking out a market and some of the interesting architecture, and just looking around. Harare was interesting enough for a day, but I definitely didn’t feel the need to stay there for longer than that. For those of you that wonder about these things, it felt totally safe.

street markets

sights in Harare

I returned to the hotel for dinner, and cigars and chitchat in the gardens until it was time for bed. It might seem fast, but it was the perfect amount of time for me to visit Harare and I really enjoyed it. But on my third day I took off again for my second location in Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls (the town and the falls).

Africa South Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

The Sights of Juba

My second day in Juba started when I awoke at the lovely Acacia Village Hotel. I wish I had better pictures of it, but as with the rest of Juba, photos are technically not allowed. All around the hotel grounds they had signs forbidding photography. (So there is no photographic evidence of how ~~great~~ sweaty I looked smoking my cigar and sipping on pineapple juice under the trees.)

While yesterday I was a solo vagabond, today I would be escorted around by a driver who would show me the sights of Juba. I don’t normally think this sort of things is necessary (and I much prefer to walk than drive), but with Juba,not being the safest of places, this was my best bet to see the city.

Money Matters

The first order of business was exchanging money. I had come from Sudan where credit cards and ATMs are non-functional, so I had wads of pristine US cash and Euros, but no Sudanese Pounds. The driver knew just the spot. He took me to a small supermarket/general store (not fancy but tidy and well stocked) and the cashier let me exchange money.

I ended up with a fistful of Pounds, each bearing the round head of John Garang de Mabior, one of the leaders of the South Sudan independence movement and the first VP of South Sudan…for 3 weeks. (He died in a helicopter crash.)

Not on the money, sadly, is Salva Kiir Mayardit, the first President of South Sudan. You will seldom see him without his trademark cowboy hat, reportedly a gift from George W. Bush. I must admit to finding that detail rather charming. I feel like if you are going to be the leader of a conflict riddled country you should have a signature look. Say what you will about Idi Amin or Mobutu or Muammar Gaddafi or similar despots – they all had signature looks. Like Karl Lagerfeld.

Take note that the amount of money I had in my hands was far too much for my remaining time in South Sudan and I was unable to change it back, so if you are reading this, and planning a trip to South Sudan, hit me up. I have some Pounds to sell at a good rate.

To Market

From there, we drove to the central market of Juba, the Konyo Konyo Market. I loved the market. It didn’t feel at all tense or unsafe; it was just a regular African market, colorful and lively, with produce, housewares, textiles, food vendors and whatnot. My guide said it was ok to take photos around the market (but he also told me when to not take photos). Lots of women getting their nails done, men selling hookahs and clothes, and so many items I could not identify, but looked to my untrained eye like rocks and sticks.

*Hibiscus flowers and…other things for sale*

We walked around the outside of the market a bit and even took a selfie.

Shipwreck

From there we went to what is probably the most photographed place in Juba, the Afex River Camp restaurant. It is very popular with visitors, expats, and locals who have the money. A nice, outdoor restaurant along the banks of the Nile, under shady trees. You must go through security to enter the compound, but once inside the gates it feels like a haven. We had coffees and water and chatted, while I watched kids climb up a giant tree to grab fruits. Maybe mangoes, but I can’t be sure.

Not only is it a nice spot, but it is the best place to see the most famous sight in Juba: the sunken ship in the Nile. It is about as iconic as sights get in Juba. It is a passenger ferry, half sunk in the Nile, and just…sitting there, stuck. It is incredibly picturesque, sitting at just the right angle and surrounded by foliage. My guide didn’t know a lot about its history but said it had been there for about 10 years or more. The best info I could get was that its engine had just failed and it floated and got stuck. I had been hoping for a more dramatic tale.

*Nile Boat with children in the tree on the left*

It is very tempting to swim out to it, but the multiple warning signs about crocodiles is a sufficient deterrent.

Congregants and Cows

Rested and fuelled, we drove around, stopping at a church to take in part of the ceremony. The place was packed, and people sat outside on the steps and grounds to listen to the sermon.

We drove across the bridge, over the Nile and stopped to check out a herd of the long-horned cattle for which South Sudan is famous.

Plans Thwarted

I had wanted to leave Juba to see a bit of the countryside and maybe drive to a village or something, and my driver was game, but said we may not be allowed to leave Juba. We drove down a rode on the outskirts. Just as the buildings faded away and were replaced by landscape, there was a road block. A rope strung across the street and a mud brick and corrugated metal shack to one side. Men standing around. We were motioned to pull over. A man came up to the driver’s window and they exchanged some words before the driver told me he had to go to the “office” (the aforementioned shack). I waited in the car for a few minutes and then I was asked to join them.

One man sitting at an empty wooden table asked to see my papers. It was impossible to know if there were police or soldiers or just dudes. I handed him my passport, my stamped e-visa, and registration document. He looked and them and then said that if I wanted to leave Juba I needed a special permit. We went back and forth on this for a bit, but he would not agree to let me leave the city. I don’t know if I truly needed a permit or if he wanted a bribe, but he didn’t give me any signals that a bribe was needed. (He didn’t say anything like “Perhaps if you could give me some tea money” or anything like that. Didn’t even ask about money.) So we left and turned around and drove around a bit more.

*Streets and Sights* *(the photo at the bottom is a row of street side barbers)*

Market of Giants

It was fine though because we were able to visit a rural feeling market that I guess was technically in Juba, but it really felt quite apart from the city. I don’t know the name of it, but it was a fairly large market. A collection of shacks, or three walled, roofed structures, extremely modest, on a few streets of dirt surrounded by open, flat barren-looking land. The places sold mostly food items: produce and meat, spices, flour, coffee, that sort of thing. It was market mostly for the Dinka people.

The Dinka are a tribe from the area of South Sudan about 4-5 million in number and traditionally have a pastoral lifestyle and polytheistic religion, though many have converted to Christianity. The thing the Dinka people are most known for though is their height. They, along with the Tutsi people of Rwanda, are the tallest in Africa, which probably makes them the tallest in the world. I know that usually the lists of the tallest people put Netherlands at number one, but I wonder if those fact collectors are overlooking Africa altogether, because I have never seen people this tall in Amsterdam. The Dinka are shockingly tall, and thin, which adds to the look of their height. Many of the men wore western style clothes, but the women wore skirts and dresses of traditional African textiles. Watching everyone parade up and down the market streets, it looked like a convention of super models. I am 5’9” and I felt short.

I don’t have pictures of the market. I took a couple and then my driver said that I shouldn’t, so I put my phone away.

We walked around and then sat in some plastic chairs in the shade of a thatched roof and had ginger coffee, watching the market activities.

Concluding Juba

That was about all there was to see in Juba. It was a good day. I returned to my hotel and spent a relaxing evening smoking cigars and having dinner.

*Wine, popcorn, and a cigar. The traditional evening treat in Juba.*

That was my final night in Juba. There is more to see in South Sudan. It is a country with some beautiful landscapes but there is no infrastructure, so it is nearly impossible to see on your own at this time. There are some multi-day tours that one can book to visit the Mundari tribe and spend time with them and their cattle herds. It looks fascinating, but I’m not a group tour person and I was out of time on this particular trip. I was glad to have seen Juba. To see a bit of a country so new and, unfortunately, so troubled. It’s only 12 years old though, so it hopefully it finds greater stability and prosperity in the future. Maybe not in my lifetime though.

That was it for my Sudan/South Sudan trip. The next morning I would leave for Canada, but via Istanbul, where I would have a lovely overnight layover.

Africa South Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

A Jaunt to Juba, South Sudan

I knew when I planned my trip to Sudan that would have to add on a trip to South Sudan. How could I miss a chance to visit the world’s youngest country? So I added a brief trip to Juba after I left Khartoum.

A Bit of Background

South Sudan was a part of Sudan (then the largest country in Africa) until 9 July 2011 when it became an independent nation and the 54^th country in Africa. Those sorts of shifts seldom happen peacefully, and South Sudan is no exception. In the end, there was a referendum to secede, but that was after decades of fighting for independence. Between the mid 1950s and 2005, the region that became South Sudan went through two civil wars and the unrest continued. The result was that there was no real infrastructure in the area of South Sudan and when it became its own country that was still the case, with factions on many of its provinces fighting each other. (As I always say when I try to sum up historical or political events, this is Wandering North, not Poli Sci North, so if you want a proper account of South Sudanese independence and politics, look elsewhere.)

South Sudan is not known for a lot of things, but what it is known for often is poverty. It is always on the UN list of least developed countries. Today South Sudan does get a share of the money from the oil reserves located in its borders, but it is Sudan that gets the bulk of it. There is not much else in terms of industry or resources. Most people live in rural areas and on less than a dollar a day.

Life in South Sudan is hard. It has the lowest rate of literacy in the world. It has poor access to health services, nutritious food, clean water, etc. The life expectancy is about 55 years, making me a senior citizen.

The other thing South Sudan is known for is violence. Canada advises not to go there under any circumstances due to risks of violence and armed conflict. It is regularly on lists of the ‘most dangerous countries’. But that sort of thing has never stopped me. So I booked my ticket and applied for my visa.

*Canada’s travel warning for South Sudan when I went*

Getting In

I did need a visa to go to South Sudan but, remarkably, they have an e-visa system. You do the paperwork and apply and pay online and get your stamp at the border. It is very expensive, but not difficult. (As least for me. I’m Canadian. Other passports may have different experiences.)

I flew from Khartoum to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on a direct flight. The border was not a big deal. A bit intimidating, but no hassles.

Due to the lack of infrastructure in South Sudan, there is no public transport to the airport, so I arranged to have my hotel pick me up, and it was comforting to see my name “Mr. North” on a sign at arrivals. I got into a nice SUV and was driven, like a dignitary, to my accommodations: the Acacia Village.

Accommodations

South Sudan is poor, but it is not inexpensive to visit. There are lots of hotels and drivers and some restaurants that cater towards people working for aid organizations and NGOs, like the UN. But there is no budget traveller level of services. Of the available accommodations that looked remotely appealing (there are no hostels or cute backpacker spots), Acacia Village was by far the nicest. It is a lovely spot, just a bit outside of Juba’s city centre, filled with trees and cabins surrounding a pool, and an outdoor bar/restaurant. The perfect place to spend time in charming comfort. Visually, it met all my needs. It was just as pretty as the pictures. I loved my cabin, taking a morning dip in the pool, and having evening cigars in the courtyard. But it wasn’t cheap, and it lacked the normal services I thought they should have provided (like daily housekeeping or being able to tell me where to change money). I found that a little annoying. On my first day I was entirely without cash because they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) tell me where I could exchange some bills. Nevertheless, it was lovely, and I would stay there again.

Wandering Solo in Juba

Day one I had no plans except to see what I could see of Juba on my own. The challenges here were that walking along in Juba is strongly advised against due to it being unsafe, and I had no local money, and was not about to walk around and ask people where I could change my cash. (Why not just wear a “rob me” t-shirt?) But I did go out and walk around.

I left the Acacia Village compound. Two sets of gates with armed guards and high walls with razor wire were all that separated me from the outside world. I was a little intimidated by that, but once I was outside, it felt…fine. I am not saying it was safe and I was certainly on guard, but during the day, I felt safe.

*the Acacia Village gates (taken the next day from a car)*

I attracted a lot of attention as I strolled around, ghostly white and dressed in black. Tattoos peeking out. I was a curiosity. But people were nice. Lots of people said hello and asked me how I was. A reasonable mix of smiles and stares. I can’t blame the people who just stared. I may have actually been an idiot for walking around on my own.

*A selfie i snapped as i stepped out in to Juba*

I think the reason it is considered unsafe on the streets is just that people are so poor. And there is a real problem with men getting very drunk on dangerous homemade alcohol and going kind of nuts. Could I even blame someone for wanting to rob me, when they have nothing? Not really, but I didn’t want to take that chance, so I took nothing with me but my cell phone, some cigarillos, and a lighter.

Juba is not an attractive city. Unlike most capitals, it does not have centuries of being a capital city. It is brand new and wasn’t much of city to begin with. There are no museums, galleries, or stately capital buildings, or picturesque anything. Just streets and low rise, quickly constructed buildings. Aside from the few hotels catering to ex-pats, there is really nothing nice or new about it. But it has an energy. The streets were busy; lots of people out playing soccer, riding and washing motorcycles, modest shops, and houses.

The thing that really stood out was how young everyone was. The average age in South Sudan ins 18.6 years (and the median age is 16.7 years). Tons of young-looking men were everywhere. And they looked pretty cool. Especially the ones that were very into their motorbikes. Unlike in Sudan, in South Sudan most people are Christian or followers of animist religions, so gone were the modest robes and head scarves; most people here were dressed in a more western style. Skinny jeans and t-shirt was a common outfit for the young guys in Juba.

I wish I had more or better pictures, but photography is not allowed. There are, I would find out the next day, some places where it is unofficially allowed, but I didn’t know that on day one, so I just snapped a few quick pictures as i strolled.

And that is basically all I did on day one. I just got a feel for the place and got over the nervousness of wandering solo.

I spent the evening, as planned, at the Acacia Village, with a couple of cigars and dinner.

The next day I had arranged for a driver to allow me to see a little more than I could on my own, which would include the proper ‘sights’ of Juba.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

Sufi Night In Khartoum

Friday night is the night to be in Khartoum if you want to explore your spiritual or pugilistic side – but not both. Friday night is the one night a week where you can attend the Sufi ceremony in Omdurman OR Nuba wrestling matches. Annoyingly, they overlap, and it is not possible to do both. I chose the path of enlightenment and went to hang with the Sufis.

Almost every source I read says that about 70% of Sudanese are Sufis or are influenced by Sufisim. I don’t know what that means, but it seems safe to say that Sufism is very important in Sudan. (Sufism is, in the smallest of nutshells, a mystical practice of Islam.) Some Sufis whirl, which is more of a meditative practice, but is usually what people from outside Islam think of when they think of Sufis: the whirling dervish. But the Sufi ritual I was going to attend is not that. It is a Dhikr. A form of dancing, chanting, and music that leads one into a hypnotic or ecstatic state, which brings them closer to Allah. I went to one in 2020 in Lahore, Pakistan and it was quite an experience. I wanted to see what Sudan’s version would be like.

“Sufi night” in Khartoum happens north of the city in Omdurman at the Sheikh Hamed al-Nil tomb. From central Khartoum you can take a minibus or a cab. It is also walkable, but it is a long walk. I left from my hotel (the Acropole), where I had freshened up after my visit to Tuti Island. The tomb is in the middle of a cemetery was easy to find using maps.me, thankfully, as the driver didn’t seem to know the spot. But once you get to the cemetery, it is clear where to go, because everyone else will be going there too. You want to get there about an hour before sunset.

When I arrived, there were already lots of people, some drumming and chanting, but things were pretty quiet. Over the next, maybe two hours, the crowd grew, as did the energy.

I stood at the edge of the circle and watched as men – mostly older – marched around in a circle to drummed beats. They wore richly hued robes of green and red or white and carried staffs or incense. One guy has a whistle and would not have looked out of place in a 70s funk band.

As the crowd grew, the music intensified, and the men moved faster. Some would split off to twirl or dance or move on their own. The chanting and singing grew louder as the sun disappeared and a golden haze covered all of us. Incense filled the air and some men seemed to bathe in it. It was excellent.

Taking photos was not a problem. I had asked some local guys ahead of time and they said it was fine and when I was in attendance there were other tourists who were much more intrusive with big cameras, and no one seemed to mind. I though felt more comfortable just whipping out my cell phone surreptitiously.

I felt very comfortable and welcome. It was a great event. A ‘must see’ in Khartoum.

As I left it was dark and there were lots of cars around but no taxis. I had no idea where to get a bus so I figured I would just keep trying to find a taxi. No luck. I was just starting to think I would have to walk back to the city when a young man approached me and asked if I spoke French. I said I could a little. He said he would help me find a car. He went up to a couple vehicles and found a man (Arabic speaking) who he said would not be able to drive me downtown, but if I went with him to his sister’s house, she would drive me. …ok.

So, I got into the car with the French speaking young man (who just seemed to be along for the ride) and the older Arabic speaking man and we drove a short distance to a house. I only had a fleeting thought of my possible abduction.

We arrived at a nice house with a walled garden. We were taken into the garden and out of nowhere, tea appeared. We chatted (as best we could) over tea until the sister appeared and was told she would be driving me. The sister, who spoke perfect English, agreed.

Next thing, I was in a fancy SUV with the sister and her young son. The woman was, like me, a lawyer and was driving her son to a friend’s house. We chatted on the way and she dropped me off right at my hotel. I offered money as thanks, but she would not accept. It was another example of the hospitality and kindness I found in Sudan. A great end to my trip.

I wrapped up the evening having drinks and a cigar at the home of a guy I met through a friend from the hotel, where he was having a party. I met so many fascinating people, from everywhere, in Sudan for business. Embassy people mostly who had worked all over the world. Strangely to me, they thought I was the interesting one because why would I come to Khartoum for a holiday? That was the question I was asked all during the trip by people who were both surprised and pleased. I said I had just thought that Khartoum seemed like it would be an interesting city to spend a week. And it was. But it was more than that. There is something very special about it. Big and poor and troubled, but kind and welcoming and calm. As I left, I was already thinking I would like to return. After all, I still hadn’t seen the Nuba wrestlers.

I left for the airport around midnight and boarded a plane to Juba, South Sudan.

Postscript: All of this was, of course, a few months before Khartoum was decimated by violence in the spring and I doubt that any of the people I met are still there. I would still like to return someday. I hope that is possible.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

A Trip to Tuti Island in Khartoum

My final day in Khartoum was a Friday. I planned it that way so that I could attend Sufi night in the evening (which I did do, but will put in a different post), but I had nothing planned for the day. I walked without any destination. The streets were quiet and it was hot. I stopped for Sudanese coffee under shady trees whenever possible. I ended up by the banks of the Nile and at the foot of one of the bridges. Across it was Tuti Island. I knew about the island and had figured I would check it out if I had the time. And so I walked across the bridge.

You aren’t technically allowed to take pictures from the bridges. I did sneak one or two, just for that view of the Nile.

On the side of the bridge where I entered I was in Khartoum. A big city. Not exactly bustling, but definitively a city. On the other side, in Tuti Island, it is like a completely different place. Green. Fields of grass being munched on by goats and horses. Fruit trees. People making bricks by hand outdoors. Little shacks or awnings of wood and tarp with shisha cafes and outdoor pool tables. It just felt like this little oasis. An island in the middle of the Nile. Peaceful.

I walked around and took in the atmosphere. There are some streets with houses and businesses, but most of it is just agricultural green space.

Once I had I my fill, I walked back to the foot of the bridge where the semi al fresco cafes were. I was sweaty and hot and stood gazing around when a guy approached me, speaking in English. A Sudanese guy who, I soon found out, had lived in Toronto, Canada for several years where he picked up the language and a love of the Toronto Raptors (basketball). He in invited me in to the shady part of his café and I was soon sitting with a fan blowing on me, a hookah alight, coffee and sweet treats. (He refused to take any payment, though I did leave a tip.)

I chatted with him for about an hour. A really good guy named Mohammed. We talked about social/political leaders – his café had pictures of Malcolm X, Bob Marley, Che Guevara and the like. And he was very open about life in Sudan under the (then) political regime. He said that weekly protests were not as peaceful as people were saying; that a friend of his was killed by a sniper. He got teary eyed when he talked about the poverty and children that didn’t have enough to eat. He seemed to know all the kids in the area and gave them fruits when they came by. He was just such a kind and hospitable soul (like so many people I met in Sudan, but because he spoke English so well I was able to really connect with him). It was a lovely chat with a lovely fellow in a beautiful spot.

I departed and went back to my hotel for a bit of a refresh before going to see the Sufis.

Postscript: Since the violence erupted in Khartoum a few months later, I wonder what happened to him. I guess I’ll never know.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

Day trip to Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra

My next day trip from Khartoum (after visiting the Meroë pyramids) was to go to Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra. As I talked about in the Meroë post, it would be super easy to get to Meroë on your own, but not so with Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra. They are about 30km off the main road and 20km apart, so even if you got yourself to the right spot along the road, you would have to walk quite far into the desert. So I think it would only be realistic if you brought lots of water and were ok with camping out as needed. This did not appeal to me, so I got a driver for the day (a nice man named Osman) from my hotel (the aforementioned and incomparable Acropole).

We drove north from Khartoum, stopping for coffee at a roadside shack for some excellent Sudanese spiced coffee. We drove into the desert, stopping at all of the road checks, where my permit to leave the city (the Acropole took care of this), my visa, and my visa registration were all checked repeatedly.

We also stopped so that Osman could show me a camel, tied by a rope to a wooden lever, whose job it was to walk in circles. As he circled, a mortar in the centre would crush sesame seeds into oil and paste. A camel-powered tahini machine, basically. I did feel bad for the camel, but who really likes their jobs anyway? It was interesting and I met the owner of the operation who had armfuls of cash. (this may be more a refection of mass inflation than his wealth.)

Our next stop was Naqa. But we didn’t go straight to the temple. We had a job to do. Part of the reason I decided to do this in the way I did was because not only did I want to see these historic sites, but the Acropole – home to so many archaeologists and arranger of all the logistics – needed to deliver food and supplies to a team of archaeologists working at Naqa. I leapt at the chance to transport the goods. I had already met and lunched with some archaeologists in Khartoum, but there were ones at work, living in the desert. I was pretty sure I would become their new best friend as they regaled me with tales of their Indiana Jones lifestyles. It wasn’t quite like that, but it was very cool.

Naqa

First, a bit about the site of Naqa. Naqa (ٱلـنَّـقْـعَـة) is an ancient city from the Kushitic Kingdom of Meroë. Although it was, at one time, a huge city, it is now a few temples – but there are archaeologists there excavating and finding new treasures and structures in the shifting sands. The temples that are there have been listed as UNESCO sites and date to between about 400 years BC to about 400 years AD. The lost sites were discovered in the early 1800s and since the 1990s they have been excavated on an ongoing basis by a primarily German team. I met two members of that team including a German woman named Carol who said she has been in Sudan working on excavating these sites since the 1970s. They were friendly and gave me a small book about the sites, but it was pretty clear they wanted to work and not visit with me, so on I went.

Of the restored temples at Naqa is the Temple of Amun founded by King Natakamani (this the header image for this post), the Temple of Apedemak (aka the Lion Temple), named for a lion-headed god worshipped by the Nubians, and the Roman Kiosk. They are incredible. And, again, like the pyramids at Meroë, there was no one else around (except the archaeologists).

Temple of Amun

me at the sarcophagus in the Temple of Amun

Temple of Apedemak (aka the Lion Temple)

The Roman Kiosk

Nearby was a well, surrounded by people traveling with donkeys, filling up containers with water. These are people living in the desert in a nomadic, traditional way and this is their source for water. Once they retrieved it, they disappeared into the landscape. I observed from a distance. I didn’t want to be an annoying tourist with a camera in their faces while they pulled water up from a well.

Musawwarat es-Sufra

From Naqa we drove to Musawwarat es-Sufra (المصورات الصفراء), a temple complex dating to the 3^rd C BC. It had two main sites, the Lion Temple (very well preserved) and the Great Enclosure (this has many impressive elements, but you do have use your imagination a bit to see it as it was). Both were impressive though.

The Lion Temple

The Great Enclosure

Returning to Khartoum

From there we drove back to Khartoum, giving a ride to two men on foot in the middle of the desert back to the main road.

By the time we got back to Khartoum it was dark and the traffic was terrible. There were protests happening in the city (people against the shared military regime and seeking a democratic government) so the bridges were mostly closed. There wasn’t much to look at – darkness in the desert is just black – but it was pleasant to feel the warm night air and reflect on the incredible antiquities I had seen. It is amazing to think that there is more there to find.

I returned to the hotel and had a cigar on the patio, chatting with whomever was around (at this point, even though it had only been about 5 days, I was feeling like family). Another great day in Sudan. The next day (my final one) would be a wander around Tutti Island and a visit to a Sufi ceremony.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

Sudan’s Camel Market

Camel Market

Any trip research for Khartoum will mention the camel market, which is out of Khartoum, but not too far. Perfect for a half day trip. I almost skipped it. I thought, “I’ve seen camels.” And had Khartoum had a bunch of other things to do I probably would have skipped it. I am so glad I didn’t.

You need a taxi to get you to the camel market. At the time I went, there were no buses going there. I got a taxi through my hotel and the driver took me up there. It is a good drive. You see the city fall away and become rural, poorer, dustier.

And then you get to the market. It’s just an expanse of desert with some big trucks, men, and hundreds of camels. It happens daily but is busiest on Saturdays. I went on a Wednesday (‘hump day’, appropriately, as a family member pointed out).

The driver stopped and I hopped out. I felt a little bit weird at first, just walking around and inadvertently attracting attention, but that quickly changed. So many people approached me and said hello and welcome. Dozens of young men asked me for selfies. Most people didn’t speak English, so we did not communicate much beyond greetings of “As-Salaam-Alaikum” and smiles, but I felt welcome.

There are SO MANY CAMELS. It’s crazy. And all around them men in white robes, communicating and, as I understand it, making deals. Despite the fact that this is just an open area full of camels and looks very simple, this is huge business. Sudan has the second most camels in the world (after Somalia) and is the biggest supplier of racing camels to the Arabian Peninsula, where racing camels are prized. They are also sold for meat. The camels are mostly bred and brought in from south east Sudan. You can track camel market prices online. There is a really good article about the camel market in Sudan here. (I kind of want to see a camel race now.)

There were also cows, but they were less impressive.

Hospitality

When I was finished my wander, I was ready for a coffee, so the taxi driver, who had been waiting for me, went to a nearby spot. One of those places that, had I been on my own, I would not have known I could go there for coffee. Just a one-room structure made of mud bricks with open doors on the front and back. No signage.

Inside, I asked for a coffee (one of those excellent Sudanese ginger spicy ones). There were two men inside sitting on low cots eating lunch; sharing a big bowl of foul (spicy fava beans) and fresh flatbread. They waved over for us to join them and would not take no for an answer, so my driver and I sat, and we ate with our hands from the communal bowl. They left before I finished my coffee and when I went to pay, I found out they had paid for that too.

*the men who invited me to share their lunch*

Omdurman Market

From the camel market we drove back towards the city. I had asked the driver not to take me back to Khartoum, but to drop me off at the big market in Omdurman and leave me there. Omdurman is technically a different city from Khartoum, just north of the Nile, but it really feels like part of the same city.

The Omdurman market is a ‘must-see’; an excellent, sprawling market where all the usual things are sold: fresh food, textiles, housewares, etc. It was great for a wander and a lot more Sudanese coffee. To my delight, I even saw a few camels walking through the market, transporting goods. I know it is just daily life for the people that live there, but it did feel like a bit like a movie set. Sort of Indiana Jones-esque.

Walking Back to Khartoum

From the market I had originally planned to take a shared taxi back to central Khartoum, but I decided to walk. It took a couple of hours and wasn’t the most exciting walk, but I didn’t mind. It was still interesting.

It also gave me the opportunity to walk across a particular bridge across the Nile where the blue and white Niles meet. The Nile splits into two halves in Khartoum and it flows North and makes the one, connected river that flows up into Egypt. I walked across the White Nile Bridge and watched the two parts of the river flowing together. (One part is a little muddier, but they are not really different colors.) It was cool to see from a geography nerd perspective. I did not, however, take photos, because photos from bridges is not allowed, and from this bridge in particular is specifically outlawed. If you are going to get nabbed for photography in Khartoum, this is one of the spots where it will happen. When I was there, there were two men on the bridge with a motorcycle; I was later told that they were un-uniformed soldiers. Anyway, there are tons of photos online if you are curious.

Back in Khartoum, sweaty, red-faced and tired from hours of walking in the heat, I stopped at the fancy Corinthian hotel for a bit of AC and a cold drink.

I arrived back at the Acropole Hotel and relaxed on the patio with a cigar before heading out in the evening for dinner with some newly met friends.

It was another excellent day in Khartoum. The next day I would go back out of the city again to visit the ruins of Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

Meroë

Meroë was the main reason I decided to visit Sudan. Pictures of pyramids partly submerged in swirling and otherwise empty desert sands. Not another person in sight. It looked like a dream. And so, on my second day in Khartoum, I made the trip.

My original plan was to take the bus/hitchhike. You can catch a bus from Khartoum that will take you fairly close to the Meroë pyramids and there is a town (Shendi) not far away. You can see the pyramids from the highway on the right hand side and it would not be too far to walk to them if the bus drops you off by the roadside. (Take water!) And there are lots of cars that would likely give you a lift to the nearest town to catch a bus back to Khartoum. Easily do-able as a day trip. That was my plan…until the Sudanese consulate in Ottawa said I needed to have a tour booked to get a tourist visa (and that I could only do this through their one approved tour company) so I booked a driver to take me to Meroë and to get my visa. It wasn’t worth the expense, but it got me there and into the country (and hopefully put a few dollars in a Canadian consulate worker’s pocket) so I can’t complain. Much.

To leave Khartoum, you need special papers authorizing you to travel. This is on top of the visa and the multiple registrations that must be done with the police in Khartoum. My tour company arranged the paperwork, and I arranged the multiple copies of my passport and visa that I would be expected to present at the various roadblocks. On the drive there and back we were stopped multiple times by men in various uniforms (berets, epaulettes askew, medals, brooches, etc) who looked at my passport and paperwork and usually smiled at me. I was extra friendly because I was hoping they wouldn’t notice that the tour company had put the wrong date on the document. They didn’t.

When we got to Meroë I was basically on my own. There is a small fee to enter the site (which you should pay, notwithstanding various unscrupulous travelers noting that you can skip by entering from the back). From there was a walk across the desert to a cluster of pyramids in the dunes.

Sudan has more pyramids than any other country. They are smaller than the ones in Egypt or the Mayan and Aztec ones I have seen, but they are steep, pointy, and plentiful. They are also a bit younger; most being built by the Nubians only about 2500-2000 years ago.

The pyramids were used as burial sites for kings and queens. They have been long since plundered and nothing remains of their contents, but what does remain are excellent carvings – like the sort you would see in Egyptian pyramids.

The thing that is best about the Meroë pyramids though is that you have the place to yourself. I saw one guy on a camel who offered me rides and there were a couple guys at the entrance selling crafts, but at the actual site…it’s all yours. And the setting is spectacular. Rolling dunes of various hues set against a blue sky. The sand is slowly filling up the interior of the pyramids and sweeping up the sides. It’s not hard to imagine them being lost altogether. Conservation is important (which is why you shouldn’t skip out on paying the fee).

It was sometimes a little eerie entering the pyramids and having no one else around. Eerie in a wonderful way. I kept thinking of that old Sesame Street bit where Bert and Ernie are inside an Egyptian pyramid and a mummy comes to life and then does a little dance. I found that eerie too when I was small.

It’s not a large site, so I stayed an hour to two and that was it. We stopped at Shendi for some water and coffee.

There is a lovely looking tented camp nearby (the only proper place to stay the night) and I have no doubt that it is excellent, but it is also very expensive, and so I went back to Khartoum and spent my evening with friends from the Acropole Hotel – followed by a cigar of course.

It was an excellent day.

If I had it to do over, I would have booked a driver to take me on a day trip to Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa, which are not so accessible on one’s own, and I would have gotten myself to Meroë on my own. Instead, I did a second day trip to those sites with a driver on a different day. Day trips in Sudan are not cheap, but the sites are priceless, so it all balances out in the end.

The next day I would visit the camel market and the market in Omdurman.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

Visiting Khartoum

As discussed in a previous post, I had finally been able to visit Khartoum. Often I will breeze through a city in a couple of days, but this time I planned to spend nearly a week in Khartoum. I don’t know why, but I just had a feeling like I was going to like it. Plus, there isn’t a lot to do there. Not a lot of formal attractions, so I felt like it might be nice to go there and just hang out and relax. This idea, of going to Sudan to relax was mystifying to the women seated near me on my flight. Thy were all going for work and would not have gone for any other reason. Fortunately, I was right.

I loved Khartoum. It had many elements of a more middle eastern / Arabic city, like a little Cairo, but it also felt like a proper more southern African city. That won’t really make much sense unless you have been to both kinds of cities, but it just felt unique. Political instability and excessive soldier presence aside, it has a wonderfully relaxed vibe. I enjoyed several days of visiting the city and two days visiting outside the city to see the pyramids and temples.

I can’t talk about Khartoum and not say how great my hotel was. I stayed at the Acropole, which is a family run hotel, the oldest still in operation. It has a perfect location for walking and all the services and support you could want for doing trips out of the city and dealing with Sudanese bureaucracy. I was drawn to it for two reasons: 1) I read that archaeologists and news reporters stayed there (I had visions of myself hanging out with journalists and swapping stories over whisky; and 2) giant balconies – perfect for my evening cigars. I really lucked out. The place was lousy with archaeologists when I was there, and I even got to have lunch with a few of them. (I must have been so annoying; assaulting them with questions like machine gun fire.) The family running the hotel was lovely and, yes, the balconies were perfect for smoking cigars over late night chats. NO swapping stories with BBC correspondents, but with other types of foreign workers and expats. The hotel seems to be a hub for social activities. Perfect for a solo wanderer like me. It was a bit over my preferred budget but was worth every penny. (I am not being paid to say this; it just was a big part of why my trip was so great. I met so many wonderful people.)

I arrived late one night and set out early the next morning to see the city. I can see why many people say one day is good. There wasn’t much to ‘do’. The museums were closed for reasons I could not determine.

There are some lovely colonial era, grand buildings to gawk at, but you can’t photograph any of them and there are lots of police (uniformed and not) who will give you trouble if you do. It is a pity because there are so many government buildings. Some very pretty and some imposing with tanks out front, but all of it is left to my memories. Well, except…there was this one restaurant I went to that was on the roof of a tall building and gave good views over Khartoum and the Nile, from there you can see many of the buildings that are otherwise off limits, including the courthouse and the library building.

So on two of my days I just walked around the different areas. I checked out some street art and smoked shisha along the banks of the Nile, under a bridge, where locals gathered to drink coffee, smoke, and get out of the sun.

I walked around the central souq, and up and down the streets that were mostly pretty quiet. I wandered by mosques and churches, investigated shops, and paid a visit to a tiny art gallery.

I visited the University, which was pleasant and leafy. Not much to see there unless you go in the afternoon, when I am told there are lots of monkeys out and about. I saw only students.

One of the best things about walking about Khartoum is there is coffee everywhere. Not so much as ‘regular’ cafes, but these excellent, roadside improvised cafes under trees. They are all similarly set up: a woman with small, low-to-the-ground cart where she can boil water and hold a variety of spices, coffee, and sugar will make Sudanese coffee and patrons will sit on little, colorful woven seats and relax and enjoy. The coffee is like Arabic/Turkish coffee, but with a mix of spices, including lots of ginger. I think there is other stuff in there – cinnamon probably, cardamom maybe – but a big hit of ginger and a good dose of sugar. You don’t think ginger belongs in coffee? That’s only because you haven’t had it. I drank as much as I could, knowing I wouldn’t be able to anywhere else. I am still thinking about it.

So two of my days in Khartoum were spent basically that way: just walking and exploring and loving it.

Also, on those days, I ended up being very social. I mentioned the lunch with the archaeologists, but I also connected with a girl I ‘met’ through Instagram. She is from America but has lived in Sudan for many years. We met up for coffee and then she, a fellow from the hotel, and a guy from Switzerland/Germany/Australia who works part of the year in Central and Eastern Africa. We went out for shisha and dinner at this excellent Lebanese restaurant next to the Canadian embassy. One evening with this trio and I was loving Khartoum. I felt like I got this rare glimpse into what it is like to live there as an expat or a certain type of local, a bit of insight into the political and security situation, and a good amount of local gossip. It was a lot of fun. (IF any of them read this they will know who they are, but I don’t want to use their names out of respect for their privacy.)

*Assaha – Lebanese restaurant and shisha spot*

On the next of my aimless wandering days in Khartoum, I and the fellow from the hotel went to the home of another local guy who had this fabulous loft style apartment in a fancy area of town. We went out for Thai food with a girl from Mexico, living in Khartoum. Again, just another excellent evening. On my final night I went to a party at that same loft. I have never been so social. It was easy to talk with everyone and everyone was so interesting.

For all of this talk of wandering around in Khartoum and there being nothing specific to do; that’s not entirely true. Unless / until the museums reopen, there are still a few things worth making a point of going to: the souq at Omdurman, Tutti Island in the Nile, the camel market, the Sufi night, and the Nubian wrestling. Unfortunately, the wrestling and the Sufis happen on the same evening so you can’t do both. I opted for the Sufis. I will post about that and the souq and camel market separately.

A few practical things, since I keep getting asked.

Sudan is an Islamic country and I dressed accordingly. A long flowy skirt to my ankles and some kind of high-necked, long-sleeved top. I did not have to cover my head. I probably didn’t have to dress so modestly, but I think that is the better way to go. One day I went walking by myself wearing something less modest and I felt a bit uncomfortable.

Few people spoke English.

Cash is king in Sudan. The rest of the world still has embargoes and sanctions against Sudan, which prevents any foreign credit and bank cards from being used. This means, bring your money in cash (pristine US dollars is best) and budget accordingly. Upon exchanging a small amount, you will be given a brick of Sudanese pounds, so exchange as you go.

I never felt unsafe. That said, I didn’t spend much time out alone at night. I don’t think it is a dangerous place, but since the 2021 coup, the cost of living has gone up a lot and that kind of poverty can breed desperation, so why chance it. Plus, outside of one neighbourhood, Khartoum didn’t seem to have a bustling nightlife.

The people were very friendly and hospitable.

I can’t say enough good things about it. Almost every week since I was there, I have a dream that I am back. That’s not normal for me and I think it speaks to how much I loved it.

More to follow about things I did in Khartoum, and excursions to Meroë, Musawwarat es-Sufra, and Naqa.

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

A trip to Sudan

Plans

I had wanted to go to Sudan as soon as I read about it (beyond what I saw in the news). Looking past the corruption, instability, poverty, and violence, I learned that it was a country of stunning deserts and desolate antiquities. Any travel article about Sudan will tell you that it has more pyramids than Egypt; that’s true, but there is a lot more to it than that. I was only there for a week and just around Khartoum, but the little bit I saw I loved and cannot stop thinking about.

I planned to go to Sudan in 2020. We know how that turned out. When I returned to international travel in 2021, I planned to go at the end of that year, but in October 2021 the government was overthrown by a coup, so I put off the trip again. November of 2022 I finally got there. The last of my covid-delayed trips to be carried out.

A smidgen of history

Sudan is a country of superlatives. It is a massive country (it was the biggest in Africa until South Sudan split off in 2011). It has the most pyramids. Its history dates back to the Pharaohs (about 2500 BC). It had a series of kingdoms (Kerma, New Egyptian, Kush, Nubian), was settled by Arab nomads, and then from about the 16^th century, it was dominated by encroaching forces (including Darfur, Ottoman, and Egyptian). In the first half of the 20^th century, Sudan was governed / occupied by the British and the Egyptians, until finally gaining independence on 1 January 1956. I know that is like 4.5 thousand years of history summed up in a paragraph, but the point is: Sudan is big, and old, and because of its location was a hub for trade, transport, and invasion, which has led to it being a culturally rich and interesting country today.

Since independence, things haven’t been easy for Sudan. Its territory has been fractured between factions fighting for independence or control. From 1989-2019 the country was run by a military dictatorship led by Omar al-Bashir that was accused from everything from genocide in Darfur to supporting terrorism. Al-Bashir was overthrown in April 2019. He is, as of the date of writing this, on trial and in prison.

Since the military coup, things in Sudan are…well, it depends on who you ask. Some people I talked to said it is better (more stable, less violent), others said it is worse (more corrupt, more expensive). Right now, the country is led by two military groups reluctantly sharing power. They have passed a constitution and are in a transitional period. There are multiple police and military forces each of which seems fairly corrupt and fond of patrolling in costume-y uniforms and with guns, or lounging on tanks. Weekly protests in Khartoum were ongoing when I was there. No one I spoke to was optimistic.

[***April 2023 Update: on 15 April 2023, the two military groups sharing power entered into an armed conflict with guns, missiles, bombs, and planes being deployed. The airport was seized and shut down, electricity was lost, and civilians are being killed. People are running out of food and water and medical supplies/help, and are risking their lives to get the things they need or to escape out of the country. So all of the people I met who live there have had their lives and communities shattered. Some of them I am in touch with and some not. It’s very sad to think of this city and people suffering.***]

When I was there in November 2022, the Canadian government advised against all “non-essential” travel there and particularly against “all” travel to Khartoum due to threats of violence and terrorism. Administrative hassles and military presence aside, none of these was much of a concern to me. The parts of Sudan that I saw were nothing short of wonderful. Kind people, interesting sights, a relaxed vibe, and some of the best coffee I have had anywhere.

*Canadian advisory for Sudan in November 2022*

Visas and Requirements

Canadians need a visa to visit Sudan. I applied through the consulate in Ottawa, meticulously sending in all the paperwork, photos, and fees. The processing took 6 weeks. Despite there being no requirement for it, the consulate would not issue my visa unless I booked a tour. Not just any tour, but with one particular tour company in Sudan and I had to tell them that the Consulate in Ottawa referred me. So I begrudgingly booked an expensive day trip from Khartoum to the Pyramids at Meroe. (I had originally planned to hitchhike.) It was such an obvious scam/kick back, but what was I to do? It was annoying, but as soon as I had my passport back with the visa in place, I didn’t care.

Fun Facts

Sudan is right below Egypt, with the Nile running through it. The capital is Khartoum. (Not to belittle it, but it is a name that just sounded to appealingly exotic to me.) About 49 million people live there; mostly Sudanese Arabs, but there are over 500 ethic groups throughout the country. People mostly speak Arabic. The median age is just over 18. (Compare that to Canada where it is just over 41.) It is a Muslim country but not as rigid or restrictive feeling as some countries I have visited. Officially alcohol is not allowed, but there seemed to be lots in supply if you know where to look. About half the population lives in poverty. A lot of that sounds bad, but it has the pyramids, vast and diverse natural environments and wildlife, and some of the nicest people I have met.

This post is already long enough so I will start the actual experience of my visit in another post, but I’ll say here that I loved Sudan. I am writing this well after the fact, and I am still thinking about it and, even though I am committed to travelling to new-to-me countries, I want to go back someday.

Tag: Africa

Arrival in Zimbabwe

Visas

Accommodations

Wandering in Harare

Money Matters

To Market

Shipwreck

Congregants and Cows

Plans Thwarted

Market of Giants

Concluding Juba

A Bit of Background

Getting In

Accommodations

Wandering Solo in Juba

Naqa

Temple of Amun

Temple of Apedemak (aka the Lion Temple)

The Roman Kiosk

Musawwarat es-Sufra

The Lion Temple

The Great Enclosure

Returning to Khartoum

Camel Market

Hospitality

Omdurman Market

Walking Back to Khartoum

Plans

A smidgen of history

Visas and Requirements

Fun Facts