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Sudan

Airport Addis Ababa, Ethiopia plane leaving for Khartoum, Sudan

Hotel Lobby , Grand Holiday Villa, Khartoum, Sudan. Khartoum is the Capital and largest City in Sudan. The location is where the 2 Niles meet . The White Niles waters travel from Lake Victoria to the south from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and the Blue Nile from Ethiopia. They merge in Khartoum to form the main Nile River which continues to flow north towards Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

Entrance Grand Holiday Villa. The country of Sudan is 1/4 the size of the US. It's neighbors are Chad and Central African Nation to the West. Egypt and Libya are to the North. Ethiopia and Eritrea to the east and South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to the South.

Inside our mini bus with guide Hameed starting out in Khartoum. The population of Khartoum is 3.6 milion

Archaeological Museum - Sudan National Museum

Lobby Entrance with old vehicles from years past

Entrance rear main building housing many treasures

Map of Sudan. Sudan is now divided into two countries Sudan and South Sudan.

Area where we will be traveling

Inside the Museum are many beautiful objects

Local students on a field trip to the Museum

Bronze Lamp with incised design

Bronze Head from the Meroitic Period

Meroitic Period Information

Statue of King Atlanesra, son of Taharqua

Information of the period

Garden entrance between the lobby area and the main building

Kumma Temples

The museum also contains two beautiful temples rescued bu UNESCO and moved from the Lake Nasser area, when it was flooded by the water from the dam in Egypt.

Kumma Temple during reigns of Queen Hatchepsut and the Pharaohs of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom

Kumma was part of a series of fortresses, known as Cataract Forts, probably to maintain control over movement up and down the Nile River for both military and economic purposes.

Detailed work is still visible on the walls that have been moved to the museum for protection from the elements.

Main building to the temple complex was in the lane on the Western side, consisting of a doorway with the Stone jambs for support.

Local guard that after some persuasion became more friendly and actually smiled and followed us.

View of the protective buildings built for the protection of the Kumma Temples

Protective building built from the Semna Temple that was moved when the Aswan Dam was built and the waters flooded the areas near Abu Simbel, Egypt.

The Temple of Semna was built largely during the Rein of Pharaoh Tuthmosis III with the fortress of Semna and was dedicated to the Nubian God Dedwen.

Guard and myself. Actually got him to smile before we left the area.

Buhen Temple

Temple was built by Queen Hatsheosut in 1500 BC

Interesting how the late Tutmossis III cut out the Queens name and replaced it with his name

Buhen Temple a large fortress constructed around 1860 BC. fortress extended over 490 feet long along the west bank of the Nile River. At its peak the population was around 3,500. Fortress included administration for the whole fortified region of the second Cataract.

The walls of the fortress were 15 feet thick and 33 feet high. The location of the fortress is now underwater at Lake Nasser in Egypt.

After centuries the colors are still very vivid.

The guard with several members of our tour group

In the background is the Corinthia Hotel Khartoum

Local students touring the museum

Nile Avenue with the Corinthia Hotel in the background

The location where the White Nile and the Blue nile come together to form the Nile River.

Tomb of Mahdi. Omdurman, Sudan Muhammad Ahmad, also known as the Mahdi, is one of the most colorful and controversial Muslim figures of the 19th century. He is held by many as an ardent Sudanese Nationalist and champion of Sharia law, and vilified by many as a violent extremist and Jihadist. Both points of view recognize him as a determined foe of European colonialism and western cultural influences. Today he is honored as the national hero of Sudan. This is especially true in Khartoum, which he captured in a brilliant battle against the colonial army of Britain and their Egyptian allies. Though it is not a mosque, his shrine in Khartoum is generally considered to be the country’s most important Islamic shrine.

Across the street is Khalifa's House which holds a small museum about Mahdyia . Police guards sit outside the entrance to the Khalifa's House.

A mosque located next to the Mahdi's tomb.

A former police motor scooter in ruins. When it falls apart in Sudan they leave it right where is stopped or collapsed.

An antique carriage of yesterdays transportation

Gatling gun from Mahdis Army 1883

Inside the Khalifa's House which is a museum about Mahdyia

Mahdi's tomb and, mosque from the Kahlifa's house

Stairway ready to collapse at the Kahlifa's house

Local stopping by at the Khalifi's house to see friends

Inside the building that houses Mahdi's tomb

Friendly locals outside the Mahdi's tomb building

Old fort at Omdurman

Old river boat

Preparing Sudanese coffee, very strong black coffee, after lunch for us

Blue Nile and White Nile Rivers coming together to make the Nile River

Graduation celebration at the hotel for a group of English Majors

The following photos are random shots around the Khartoum/Omdurman areas of town

One thing you notice is if they drop paper or trash on the ground it stays there until the wind blows it on.

Young mother and child

Outside the Souk, market place, in Khartoum

I would have loved to take photos inside the old Souk, market, but we were forbidden to take in cameras.

Liter everywhere. One of the least clean markets I have seen in all my travels.

At sunset we moved near the tomb of the sufri leader Ahmed al Nil to witness the Whirling Dervishes Ceremony only on Friday evenings. This is the graveyard prior to entering the main area.

Men praying at the local outdoor mosque.

Sufism is associated with both Sunni & Shia Islam. Those who practice it are called Sufis, or Dervishes.

The Sufi order known as Tariqa, Qadiriyyah is one of the most widespread in Sudan & north Africa. It was established by Abdul Qadir Jilani (1077-1166 AD), a native of the Iranian province of Gilan.

The ceremony starts with the Madeeh - chanting words of gratitude to the Prophet Mohamed. The audience interacts with the chanters, dancing to the rhythms of the percussion instruments.

Then comes the Zikr, in which the dervishes repeat the word 'Allah' many times.

The dervishes start whirling around inside the circle. With the music, the fragrance of burning frankincense, the endless repetition of religious chants, and the dizziness, they go into a state of trance

According to ancient belief, Sufism is about the purification of the soul in pursuit of inner peace.

The whirling dance came from the Mevlevi Order in Turkey, and is just one of the physical methods used to try to reach religious ecstasy

While the more well known Mevlevi dervishes wear white robes, Sudanese dervishes are often dressed in green and red

Sufism started in Baghdad, and spread to Persia, India, north Africa, and Spain.

Children enjoying evening taking it all in

Another feature of the Sudanese dervish is the wearing of beads. The dervish elder pictured here has 1,000 beads wrapped around his neck — quite a weight to carry

Thousands turn out to see this each Friday evening

This mausoleum in Omdurman belongs to one of 19th century Qadiriyyah leaders, Hamad Al Nil.

Growing hair is a common practice among the dervishes, some keep it in dreadlocks while others just let it loose.

The ceremony is not all about devotional chanting, it is also a social and communal gathering where food is served for the needy.

The throngs of men push in closer each time.

At the close of the ceremony, just before sunset, one of the dervishes walks round the gathered audience with frankincense - which is considered to be a type of blessing to the faithful.

Eye contact.. one on one

Although Sudan is in many ways a male-dominated society, women find themselves a place in the crowd. They gather in one corner wearing bright, colorful robes. See rear of photo.

Just outside the circle where the Whirling Dervishes are participating is a small market or souk

Men working come outside of the business to pray for the evening prayers

Our travel group having dinner in a local restaurant in Khartoum. We ate outside iin a garden i of a traditional Lebanese Restaurant named Assaha

Corinthia Hotel Khartoum was built by Mo Mar Gaddafi of Libya in 2008. The locals refer to it as Gadaffi's Egg. The hotel has 173 rooms, 57 suites, It is listed as a 5 star hotel. The hotel was designed to look like a ships sail. At night it is beautifully lighted.

The swimming pool at the Grand Holiday Villa we are staying at night

Driving out of Khartoum

Leaving the Nile behind

One of many mosques in the city

One of many sights in the city

Every corner has a story of life and times in Sudan

Furniture for sale along the highway

Life is very hard in Sudan

Everyone works

Bananas anyone?

You can find anything along the road

Auto parts shop

The temperature was over 100 degrees. Ladies how would you like to wear this every day of the year?

Taxi?

Try this on our local freeways

Leaving one part of Khartoum to the next area. You have check points across the country.

At the check point a young boy selling fruit.

Huge tanker trucks carrying petroleum across the country.

Sudanese truck stop

Lunch anyone?

After 30 miles of driving out of Khartoum we drive into the desert area covered with huge round granite boulders. These are the last offshoots of the rocky formations of the 6th Cataract.

We leave the asphalt road and we drive 20 miles on a desert track in r wheel drive land cruisers among many camel thorn acacia trees to visit two archaeological sites. We see a number of Bedouin children.

Young boy riding a donkey in the Saharan desert scrub

Musawwarat is the largest Meroitiv temple complex in Sudan. The enormous Great Enclosure consists of numerous tumbledown columns and wall carved with reliefs of wild animals that once inhabited this region. It was erected in the third century BC. The scheme of the site is, so far, without parallel in Nubia and ancient Egypt, and there is some debate about the purpose of the buildings, with suggestions including a college, a hospital, and an elephant-training camp.

Musawwarat Temple Complex. Its main characteristic, the "Great Enclosure" is made by many constructions and boundary walls which surround a temple built in the 1st Century A.D.

The settlement is located in a beautiful valley crossed by hills. Here the ruins of a very big temple are visible.

The large number of elephants represented on these walls and pilars makes you think that this animal used to have an important role in this area.

Carved items on the columns have survived the elements for centuries

The size of the temple is enormous

Trying to hide in some shade from the heat of the day

The earliest material on the site relates to the Small Enclosure and dates from the Kushite Period. The two main buildings that of the Lion Temple and the Great Enclosure are dated to the reign of Arnekhamani (c.235-218 BC).

These are the walls of another temple restored by a German Archaeological mission dedicated to the god Apedemak., The Lion Temple.

Apademak, was a lion-headed warrior god worshiped by the Meroitic peoples inhabiting Nubia

Locals passing on donkeys

Inside the temple dedicated to the god Apedemak.

Locals stopping to check out the tourists.. us

Talk about a hard life on the Sudanese desert

Picnic lunch under the shade of a tree in the mid day heat

We carried all the food provisions for daily lunch including tables, chairs and eating utensils

Locals waiting for food that we do not eat. We gladly give them all that is left over from the lunch. They are very grateful.

Traveling in style across the Sudanese desert

The truck breaks down and we all get out to jump start it by pushing. It worked.

Here comes another truck

Naqa is a ruined ancient city of the Kushitic Kingdom of Meroe in modern-day Sudan. It is one of the largest ruined sites in the country and indicates an important ancient city once stood in the location. The site has two notable temples, one devoted to Amun and the other to Apedemak which also has a Roman kiosk nearby. Amun temple of Naqa

The site of Naqa is one of the two centers that developed during the Meroitic period. In Naqa, in a typical Saharan environment with rocks and sand, we find a temple dedicated to Apedemak (1st Century A.D.).

A wonderful building with bas-relief decorations depicting the god with a lions head, the Pharaoh, nobleman and several ritual images.

Local guide. He was very interesting in describing this temple

The Temple of Amun is an archaeological site at Jebel Barkal in Northern State, Sudan. It is situated about 400 kilometres (250 mi) north of Khartoum near Karima.

Our land cruisers parked in the shade of a tree

The Temple of Amun, one of the larger temples at Jebel Barkal, is considered sacred to the local population. Not only was the Amun temple a main centre of what at one time was considered to be an almost universal religion, but, along with the other archaeological sites at Jebel Barkal, it was representative of the revival of Egyptian religious values.

The temple stands near a large bend of the Nile River, in the region that was called Nubia in ancient times.

Guide pointing out important hyroglifics

In the foreground is the Roman kiosk is a small temple near the main temple building, which has strong Hellenistic elements. The entrance to the kiosk is Egyptian and is topped by a lintel with a row of sacred ureaus (cobras) but the sides consists of columns with florid Corinthian capitals arched windows in the Roman style. The rear Temple is the Apedemak Temple.

Up to the middle of the 19th century, the temple was subjected to vandalism, destruction, and indiscriminate plundering, before it came under state protection

Apedemak was a lion-headed warrior god worshiped in Nubia. The god was used as a sacred guardian of the deceased hereditary chief, prince or king. Anyone who touched the chief's grave was said to be cursed by this Apedemak.The relief on the right pylon of the Apedemak Temple depicting Queen Amanitore smiting her enemies

All of these carvings into the sandstone have lasted through centuries. Amazing.

Additional ruins in the distance of the temples.

A local riding a camel added to the ambiance as he rode by.

Local transportation in the Saharan desert

Sunset outside of Meroe Camp.

First sightings of the Royal Necropolis of Meroe

Sunset and the Saharan Desert with power lines running through the area. The old and the new.

First light in the morning seeing the The Royal Necropolis of Meroe from a distance from our overnight camp. It is located 4 miles from the Nile on some hills covered by yellow sand dunes.

Monroe tented Camp overlooks the beautiful pyramids of Meroe.. This building is the restaurant run by an Italian manager.

Camel riders just behind where we were sleeping.

Accommodations are twin bedded tents each having a private bathroom and shower in a separate building behind the tents. The fronts face the Royal Necropolis and offers great views of the 40 pyramids in the distance. You have electricity until 11 p.m. by generator.

Inside the tent. The night time sky was incredible. No light pollution. You could see incredible galaxies and even several falling stars. It was awesome.

Young boys waiting to hopefully make a sale

Vehicles in the foreground waiting to take us over to visit The Royal Necropolis of Meroe

Nubian pyramids are pyramids that were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms. The area of the Nile valley known as Nubia, which lies within present day Sudan, was home to three Kushite kingdoms during antiquity. The first had its capital at Kerma (2600–1520 BC). The second was centered on Napata (1000–300 BC). Finally, the last kingdom was centered on Meroë (300 BC–AD 300).

On our drive to Royal Necropolis of Meroe we stopped at caves for a visit before walking into the Necropolis.

As you can see they were loaded with bats flying as we approached.

We attracted a group of camel riders hoping to give us a ride on the camels for a price.

Pyramids of the Kushite rulers at Meroë. Near the site are a group of villages called Bagrawiyah. This city was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush for several centuries. The Kushitic Kingdom of Meroë gave its name to the Island of Meroë

Approximately 255 pyramids were eventually constructed at three sites in Nubia, thus called Nubian pyramids, over a period of a few hundred years to serve as tombs for the kings and queens of Napata and Meroë

The most extensive Nubian pyramid site is at Meroë, which is located between the fifth and sixth cataracts of the Nile, approximately 62 miles north of Khartoum. During the Meroitic period, over forty queens and kings were buried there.

The physical proportions of Nubian pyramids differ markedly from the Egyptian edifices.

All of the pyramid tombs of Nubia were plundered in ancient times. Wall reliefs preserved in the tomb chapels reveal that their royal occupants were mummified, covered with jewellery and laid to rest in wooden mummy cases.

Several pyramids stand out with their sharp shapes against the clear sky. Each one has its own funerary chapel with the walls fully decorated with bas-reliefs that show the king's life and offers to the gods.

Only several of the pyramids have been rebuilt. The sands of the Sudan are reclaiming the temples as fast as they are unearthed.

This necropolis was the burial place of 21 kings and 52 queens and princes including Anlami and Aspelta. The bodies of these kings were placed in huge granite sarcophagi. Aspelta's weighed 15.5 tons, and its lid weighed four tons. The oldest and largest pyramid at Nuri is that of the Napatan king and Twenty-fifth Dynasty pharaoh Taharqa

The Meroe Camp where we are staying in the distance

Nubian Desert, Sudan, Nahr an Nil province. Meroe Necropolis listed as World Heritage by UNESCO

Camels in the foreground

Camel and riders waiting for potential customers to ride several blocks across the desert floor.

It is a hard life to live in the areas of the desert.

The Meroe Camp

Workers working to restore another pyramid

Your can see how the sands are reclaiming the discovered pyramids

Remanents of the Royal city

Break time taking refuge from the hot sun under a tree checking out the few tourists that may have come.

Kids are curious of the strangers walking by. Not many tourists in this part of the world.

Little one trying to sell replicas of the pyramids. I bought one.

One thing you do not see is children overweight. They are all thin built.

It was a hot afternoon visiting the ruins of the Royal City.

The sand and wind are buying these structures too.

One of my favorite photos of the trip with the wind in the sand and the sun setting.

This has to be a prize winner with the sun setting red on the sand with the lone bush in the desert scape.

Sun setting on top of a pyramid

Sunset on the Necropolis

The sand in the foreground looks like a carpet draped over the landscape.

Sun just about gone for the day

Early morning wake up at the tent with coffee in hand

Dining room and Kitchen

Hard working young guys

Breakfast

I introduced myself to the chef

He does a lot of cooking with limited equipment

Restaurant crew and the Italian General Manager, in the foreground.

Farmer plowing his fields as they have done for centuries

No machinery here. Everything is done by hand

Crossing the Nile with the ponton, the local ferry boat, to enter the Bayuda desert.

You wonder what keeps it a float.

Nile River

You cross from dirt road to dirt road on the otherside of the river.

During the quick crossing old friends catch up on what is happening.

A local woman crossing alone

Kids riding a donkey... 3 on a donkey that is. We find ourselves sharing space with people, donkeys, camels and goats.

Check out the local transportation

Local mosque

We stopped to buy some of the delicious bread made daily. Young boy checking out the strangers,, us.

The Bayuda Desert is an area bounded by the loop formed by the Nile between the 4th and the 6th Cataract and characterized by the sharp black basalt mountains. Most of them volcanic and typically cone shaped.

The area alternates with level pebble stretches and large valleys crossed by dry wadis, a valley, ravine, or channel that is dry except in the rainy season.

Little vegetation survives with dorcas gazelles can be seen.

Only isolated groups of Bisharin nomads, who live in familiar groups in small huts made of intertwined branches close to rare water wells, with their caravans and herds of camels and donkeys exist.

A well, rare in the area

The Bisharin speak the Beja language as a mother tongue but they also speak Egyptian Arabic

The Bisharin are traditionally nomadic people, working in husbandry of camels, sheep, and goats in the Southern part of the Eastern Desert

The temperatures in the area can reach into the 110 and higher.

It's an area that is off the beaten path- largely unexplored. Of the tribes in the area, this tribe lives in the more remote areas.

The Bishari and the Bishari Qamhat, believed to be ancient Bishari, have traded agricultural commodities with other people since ancient times

The women do so much of the hard work. Once they pull the water from the well hundred or more feet up from the water level they then carry the water on goats while walking along side for miles back to camps.

The young boys just stand to the side while the women work tirelessly

Young boy entering the well area on a camel.

Another camp we came across. We drove across sand dunes for hours on no roads at all.

The wife returning from a well across the desert

This family is lucky to have several donkeys

Living among the sand dunes, blowing wind and heat takes it toll on everyone.

Hameed our guide talks with the villager

Hamed gives our nomad friend an orange. A very nice gift.

After driving for some hours across the Bayuda Desert we come across a typical Bisharin nomad family camp.

After driving for some hours across the Bayuda Desert we come across a typical Bisharin nomad family camp

Inside of the hut with intertwined branches there is no stopping the endless wind, heat and dust.

Inside this is a luxury home for a nomad family

The only young boy we saw in camp during the visit.

It is not uncommon for a husband to have several wives and children from each wive all living together.

The kitchen in a separate area from the main living area

Young lady proud of her kitchen

Another living area of the camp

The inside. Imagine the wind and sand constantly blowing with extreme heat, no bathroom facilities anywhere in sight.

Beautiful young woman

Outside of what we have been looking into

The opposite end of the stick mud home.

Inside of the main home. The matriarch of the family is over 95 we are told. She has never known an airplane ride, visit to large cities. Lived her entire life in the Bayuda Desert with the groups of Bisharin nomads.

The average life span is in the early 50's. She has lived among generations of this family. Countless wives of family members.

The toll of living in this forboding land is shown in the lines on her face.

New mother with her infant only days old. When she marries she goes to live with the husbands family. When giving first birth she returns to her family for the first month.

Marriages are arranged marriage usually with first cousins.

Young girl. We saw no men in camp during the day time hours. They were out with livestock

After driving another hour we came across another family of women and children. I am sure some of the wives were with one husbad.

Notice the beauty marks tattooed on each side of the face.

The men in the photo with women and children were our 5 drivers of vehicles.

Some of the children we saw on this journey among the Bisharin nomads had a lost look on their faces. Unfortunately I believe this could have been caused by marrying within the families.

No matter where you are in the world it is a delight to interact with the children. The opportunities in this part of the world are almost at zero for these children. Yet they have wonderful smiles on their faces and a great curiosity of these visitors.

Notice the home of sticks to the rear. This was the only structure at this location for all these children, women and family to live.

These Bisharin nomads have no means to the outside world. Only survival to the next day.

We are so lucky to live where we do in the western world. These families live with the winds blowing constatnly from sand dunes. The heat is oppressive. They travel miles on foot with donkeys to obtain water from wells that are 200 feet deep. Who knows where they obtain their food to eat. There are no bathrooms as we know it. Yet they are happy. When we depart we leave fruit and food gifts for them for permitting us to stop for s short visit and photograph them. We are so lucky.

A group of eight well preserved pyramids of the Meroitic Kingdo, 3rd century BCE, in front of the Gebel Barkal mountain.

Back side of the Jebel Barkal which I slide down from the top along the loose sand to the bottom to exit the hill.

Karima is a small town located on the right bank of the Nile, close to the famous archaeological site at the foot of Jebel Bakal, south of the 4th Cataract on the Nile river. The town is a small, dusty and calm village, where a big market takes place in the morning.

Our stay in Karima is The Nubian Rest House.

The Nubian Rest House is a charming small hotel built in the typical Nubian style just at the foot of Jebel Barkal, the holy mountain of the old Egyptian and Nubian Pharaohs.

It is surrounded by a large private enclosure, with a nice garden and leisure area.

View from the restaurant.

Decor inside the hotel and restaurant came mainly from Italy with a rustic and elegant charm. Totally differnent from the rest of Sudan. An oasis.

All buildings were made of brick covered by hand spread clay plaster as used in the Nubian era.

Front entrance from the town

The detail and age of the doors was very unique

Map indicating where Karima,Old Dodngola are located in relation to the Egyptian Border

Closer look at the location in northern Sudan

One of the only lions you will find chiseled turning its head to its left

Local shop keeper with colorful clothing

Security guard sleeps in a bed up in the tree in the evening.

Our trip tour guide explaining the large pots under the trees

Jebel Barkal, the table-topped mountain hanging on the town’s south side, was sacred ground for the Egyptians at the time of the 18th-dynasty Pharaohs. Both they and the Kushites believed that the mountain was home to the god Amun

Hameed in front of Jebel Barkal

Statue of Ram. Also note the fingernails of Hameed. He is a newly weed less than a month. As part of the ceremony in Sudan the men have theire fingere nails and toe nails painted red. The brides have Henna painted on their hands and arms.

Naga's Temple of Amun. Naga consists of a large and well preserved Temple of Amun dating from the 1st century and the Lion Temple dedicated to the lion-headed god Apedemak. The exact purpose of the site remains unclear as it’s located in an area that has never really been inhabited.

Jebel means mountain in Arabic. At the foot of the red sandstone mountain, considered holy since the ancient times, there is a big temple, dedicated to the Pharaohs of the New Reign and to their patron, Amon.

At the base of the mountain are some well-preserved pyramids (pictured), the Temple of Amun and the fresco-decorated Temple of Mut dedicated to the Egyptian sky goddess.

Amon's ancient "Pure Mountain", the Olympus of the Nubians, was the religious Nubian heart for more than 1,000 years.

Inside the mountain wall there is a big room decorated with bas-relief

Incredible still so bright from several thousand years underground with no light

The reliefs are seen only with a phone light or flash light

Incredible they have survived the elements underground all these years.

Jebel alBarkal Pramids and temples

Very few travelers make it to Sudan, but those who do normally come away raving about the wealth of ancient temples, monuments and tombs, which includes more pyramids than Egypt itself.

Petrified rocks

Locals checkout the Americans, A rare sight these days.

Making the large water pots by hand

Talk about a back breaking job.

El-Kurru was one of the royal cemeteries used by the Nubian royal family. Most of the pyramids date to the early part of the Kushite period, from Alara of Nubia (795–752 BC) to King Nastasen (335–315 BC). This is the entrance to one of the underground tombs.

The colors still vivid after centuries buried underground

Color Blue represented the sky

The ‎burial chamber of Pharaoh Tanwetamani is decorated in the classical ‎style we associate with ancient Egypt. The ceiling is painted as a sky full of stars, while the walls tell the life story of Tanwetamani. However, there is a distinctive Nubian twist on this art as evidenced by the cobras – an important Nubian symbol

As an interesting “oh by the way”, the Kushite rulers were well known for their love of horses. In the royal necropolis at El-Kurru, a large section of the cemetery was set aside specifically for horses, whose bodies were adorned with elaborate trappings of silver, gold, faience, and shells

Blue sky and stars

View from atop Jebel Barkal and The Nubian Rest House compound.

It is a steep climb to get to the top of the Jebel Barkal. A number of our group dropped out.

As you can see the desert goes on for hundreds of miles.

View of the Karima Pyramids seen from Jebel Barkal

View of the Nile River

View of Amun Temple below from Jebel Barkal

Backup 3 feet and it is straight down 3,000 feet

Hameed and Jim on Jebel Barkal

Our vehicles and drivers waiting down below

alBarka Pyramids and Temples below

Carole Ann waiting at the bottom of Jebel Barkal

Sun setting over the pyramids

A photographer caught me using the bathroom of the desert... a tree

The relentless sand of the desert.. always moving

The desert is really beautiful in its own way with shadows, colors of sand and the wind constantly changing it.

Talk about desolate. No humans around for miles

Many cemeteries in Sudan are characterized by the presence of some large conical-shaped tombs. They are called 'Qubba' and are used as a funerary monument for leading Muslim religious figures

The rocks tilted up in the foreground are actually markers of persons deceased.

Hameed explaining the Muslim burial and grave marker

View inside one of the conical-shaped tombs

Nile and another crossing in the distance

Nile River flowing towards the Egypt border

The medieval city of Old Dongola

More remnants of the medevil city of Old Dongola

We stopped to visit a local farmer and his family for tea

The local farmer

Local delivery truck 21st century. He gets good mileage from his donkey.

Muslim ladies in the middle of the hot day walking near their village. Ladies take note please.

Grandfather and grandson

It is difficult to determine ages of anyone due to intense heat and son on the body

We stopped at a local home for lunch. Beautiful women

Beautiful wardrobe clothing worn by the ladies. Notice the henna on the hand. She has been in a wedding very recently.

Young mother and son

Small villages in Sudan

Life in Sudan's small villages

Going to a well to get water for his family

Daily market

Shoes for sale.. most likely used too

Lots of local bananas for sale

Tuk Tuk local taxis - 3 wheeled charged battery transportation

One of few gas stations we saw on the trip within Sudan

Today we boarded a small launch on the Nile River near the 4th Cataract, which prevented the Nile from flowing slowly and formed many rapids that obstructed navigation in years past.

Snapped a photo of a local flower that I have never seen before

Cataracts

Large monitor lizard

At the end of the river trip we came upon a group of men making mud bricks and drying them in the dirt

Talk about hard work

Their living conditions. When someone complains to you about their job remind them of these workers in Sudan working for very little wages.

Group photo of our drivers back at the Nubian Guest House gate.

Hammed and our driver

Jim, driver, Carole, Hameed and Bill

Another group photo

Map showing where we have traveled the last week or more.

Map of downtown Karima

Hameed dressed in his finest for the evening

Young lady at the Nubian Rest House

Young lady that was painting henna on another guests hands and arms

Entertainment before dinner

He is playing an authentic old European Lyre or Harp

Drivers joining in on the fun and music

Group photo of Hameed, drivers and musican

The pyramids of Nuri together with other buildings in the region around GJbel Barkal have been placed on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites

The pyramids of Nuri are built on two separate plateaus. The highest point in the cemetery is taken up by Taharqa's pyramid on the western plateau

Hameed explaining what we are visiting at Nuri

A group of locals walking through the area we were visiting

The pyramids of the other kings are located on the eastern plateau. The pyramids of the royal women are placed closer to Taharqa's pyramid on the western plateau. These pyramids fall into three groups:

Twins

They were very curious about the camera that I had. I showed them how it works and then handed it to each of them to take some photos. They did very well.

Each brother took a photo of myslef and the other twin

They were intrigued. So much so they followed me for over an hour and more of their firneds joined us.

Most of the King's Wives were buried in the parallel rows just north of Taharqa's tomb. The tombs to the far north were much smaller and may have been built for wives of lesser rank.

The twins shot all these next photos

The father came over and asked to have a photo of us together. He had been watching hiis sons, the twins, interact with me and was very proud of them.

I always use the words... "Friendship moves the world". This was one of those moments with the sons taking the photos of us with my camera and the Dad with his hand on my shoulder. Two strangers.. now friends.

I found out that the Father was in charge of taking care of this UNESCO site.

The first, and most significant, ruler buried here was the Pharaoh Taharqa of the 25th Dynasty. Naturally, his tomb, along with all of the others, was looted thousands of years ago

There have been 82 tombs discovered at Nuri so far with most, but not all, incorporating a pyramid. The last burial here is thought to have taken place around 310 BC:

A closeup of the red sandstone bricks that make up the majority of the structure of the pyramids.

Having fun with new friends made at this stop

Hameed, Jim and Bill

Faces of young people in Sudan

To think that the kids in the US fight for clothes that have a name on it.

Some of the children here also have that lost look from the parents marrying their first cousins.

Sun rising over the The Nubian Rest House roof

Is there room for one more?

Bus stop for road to Khartoum

The following photos are everyday life in Sudan

Looks like a father and son

Some things do not change no matter where you are in the world. Cheking ycour phone constantly.

Notice the intricate entrance to the bus inside

Solitude

Hameed clowning around

How can any animal or human exist in this terrain? they do.

Camel crossing

Young camels

Lunch stop at a simple "chai house"

A few friends that I met at a truck stop for lunch.

Returning into Khartoum again

Who do you think won this race?

Welcome back to Khartoum

What do you think our environmentalists would say??? Do you think they are worried about global warming here?

Interesting sign

Returning to the Grand Villa Hotel in Khartoum we find a large wedding happening

Beautiful Bride and Handsome Groom. Notice the henna on the brides hands and fore arm

Notice the Muslim Brides Maids to the left and the Christian Brides Maids to the right

The Brides Maids also have the henna on their hands and fore arms. It takes several months for it to wear off too.

Oh yes, they invited me to join the reception. The wedding Crasher strikes again...

Congratulations to the Bride and Goom

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© 2025 Jim Schroder