Stand on the metal bridge between Khartoum and Omdurman in the late afternoon and you may see the two Niles arrive as separate colours, the White Nile and the Blue Nile running side by side before they mix. That meeting point, al-Mogran, is the single best introduction to how this city is put together: Khartoum proper on one bank, Omdurman to the west, Khartoum North across the water.
Khartoum suits travellers who are comfortable improvising, who care more about markets, museums and ceremonies than about polished tourist infrastructure, and who are willing to take a taxi to reach something worthwhile. The city rewards patience and a sense of humour about logistics.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material across Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions visitors ask most.
Top things to do in Khartoum
1. Confluence of the Blue and White Nile
Al-Mogran, the place where the two branches of the Nile meet, is the defining sight of the city. Continue walking west along Nile Street for about 3–4 km from the Presidential Palace if you have the stamina, or head straight there. The confluence is best seen from the metal bridge linking Khartoum and Omdurman, or from Al-Mogran Family Park.
It is said you can see the two different colours come together and flow separately for a distance downriver before mixing. There is a signboard on the bridge saying "no photos" — heed it, as people have been arrested for photographing the confluence.
2. Nile Street
Probably the prettiest street in Khartoum. With the Blue Nile on one side, it is lined with colonial buildings, most of them used as ministries, schools and a hotel, the Grand Holiday Villa Khartoum. You will also see the modern city here: the egg-shaped, Libyan-owned Al-Fateh Tower and the Chinese-built Friendship Hall.
The road is tree-lined most of the way, except towards the west, and has a sidewalk, so walking is pleasant. Many people sit on the concrete walls along the river. Note that the Presidential Palace fronts the Blue Nile but you will not be allowed to walk in front of it — guards will ask you to cross the road and proceed behind and around the building.
3. Souq Arabi
If you want crowds and action, this is the place. Souq Arabi, the Arabian Market, is the commercial heart of town and can provide everything you need. It is huge and spread over several squares in the centre of Khartoum proper, just south of the Great Mosque (Mesjid al-Kabir) and the minibus station.
Come here to see Khartoumites go about their daily lives. Pair it with a walk along Nile Street, which is nearby.
4. National Museum of Sudan
Located at 1 Nile Street, next to the Friendship Hall and just west of the Libyan-financed Burj el-Fatih sail-hotel. The large hall contains exhibits that rival those in the ancient Egypt sections of the British Museum or the New York Met, though if you have arrived fresh from temple gazing in Egypt things may look familiar. The gardens contain three temples relocated from Aswan.
The joy of the place is that you will have it pretty much to yourself. Visit in the mornings and give yourself two hours. It tends to close at 12:00 and not reopen at 15:00, contrary to the sign on the door. Open Monday to Friday.
5. Sudan Presidential Palace Museum
This museum is in the grounds of the Presidential Palace, housed in the century-old Palace Cathedral. It contains relics and pieces related to Sudan's administrative and modern political history, from paintings of Sir Gordon Pasha to the presidential cars of more recent rulers.
Combine it with a walk along Nile Street, since the palace fronts the Blue Nile there. Remember that you will not be permitted to walk directly in front of the palace.
6. The Changing of the Guard
A ceremony held on the first Friday of every month, when the Black Guard and the White Guard of the Presidential Palace swap over. It is performed near the South Gate of the palace.
Time your visit around the first Friday if you can, and pair the ceremony with the Presidential Palace Museum in the same grounds.
7. Sufi dancing at the Hamed al-Nil tomb
Also known as dhikr or whirling dervishes, this starts around 4–5PM and is rightly recommended as a must-do for visitors to Khartoum. Every Friday, except during Ramadan, tourists and visiting foreign aid workers flock to the Hamed al-Nil tomb with cameras in hand. It is a very colourful and noisy celebration, and it is free.
It is about 2 km south of the Omdurman souq — ask your taxi driver to go to Ghobba al-Hamed al-Nil. Pair it with a day in Omdurman rather than crossing back and forth.
8. Souq Omdurman
Said to be one of the largest markets in Africa, and you can get handicrafts here. The handicraft street is difficult to find: it is towards the northern end of the market, near the gold section, not on the western side as stated in the Bradt guide. The street is a covered lane between two buildings with gates at either end.
It is not very busy compared with the rest of the market, and traders can lock up and go home in the evenings, and sometimes on Fridays too. It is walking distance from the Khalifa's House and the Mahdi's tomb.
9. The Mahdi's tomb
The burial place of Muhammad Ahmad, the leader of an Islamic revolt against the Ottoman-Egyptian occupation of Sudan in the late 19th century. It sits next to the Khalifa's House and within walking distance of Souq Omdurman.
Combine all three in a single Omdurman outing rather than making separate trips across the river.
10. The Khalifa's House
Next to the Mahdi's tomb and walking distance from Souq Omdurman. Abdullah al-Taaisha, also known as "The Khalifa", succeeded as leader of the Mahdists on the death of the Mahdi, and his house is now a museum. It is worth a visit if you want a flavour of Omdurman's history. Exhibits include remnants from old battles and interesting old British newspaper clippings reporting the British efforts in Sudan.
The museum shuts early, somewhere between 13:00 and 14:00 is usual, so go before lunch. Entry costs SDG 1.
11. Nuba Wrestling
Every Friday at 16:00, two teams of wrestlers battle it out in front of several hundred spectators. It is quite a spectacle and well worth the trip, finishing around 18:00. Entry costs SDG 2.
It is about 12 km from central Khartoum, next to souq Sita Al Haj Yousef. Best to get a taxi there, though you can easily find a bus back to al-Arabi in central Khartoum for SDG 3–5.
12. Bombed Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory
A fascinating place to explore and well off the Khartoum tourist trail. Tomahawked in 1998, the remains are an eerie reminder of Sudan's precarious relationship with the West. It is quite easy to reach: get a minibus to Bahri, then a taxi.
The guards are quite friendly and will let you in for a wander; a contribution would be gratefully received. Pair it with a Bahri day rather than adding it to a Khartoum proper itinerary.
13. Tuti island
A wander around Tuti island is highly recommended if you want to see green rather than the brown of Khartoum. If you are heading to Omdurman, a good way of unwinding after the chaos of the souq is to catch the ferry across to Tuti from Omdurman, except on Fridays, or take the Tuti Suspension Bridge.
Aim for around 17:00–18:00 to enjoy Tuti in the early evening. Several boats moored by Tuti Bridge are available for Nile cruises, and a cruise on some of the smaller boats can cost as little as SDG 15.
14. Sudan Ethnographic Museum
A fascinating little museum on the corner of Al Gamaa street and Mak Nemir Avenue. It explores the various cultures and traditions of Sudan's numerous ethnic groups, with displays ranging from intricate handicrafts to models of traditional homes.
It is certainly worth a visit if you have the time. Pair it with the National Museum of Sudan, since both are indoor stops best done in the morning.
15. Umm Marrahi fort
A ruined fortress on the top of Umm Marrahi hill, 30 km north of the city. Its defences were built in the second half of the 6th century AD by the kingdom of Alwa.
This is a half-day trip out of the city, so set aside the time rather than trying to squeeze it between central sights.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start on Nile Street while it is still cool, walking the tree-lined stretch and noting the colonial buildings, the Al-Fateh Tower and the Friendship Hall. Continue to the National Museum of Sudan at 1 Nile Street and give it two hours, remembering that it tends to close at 12:00 and not reopen at 15:00. If the first Friday of the month falls on your visit, watch the Changing of the Guard near the South Gate of the Presidential Palace and step into the Sudan Presidential Palace Museum in the same grounds.
Afternoon. Cross to Omdurman and work through Souq Omdurman, hunting out the covered handicraft lane near the gold section at the northern end. From there walk to the Mahdi's tomb and the Khalifa's House next door, but do the Khalifa's House before lunch if you can, since it shuts between 13:00 and 14:00. If it is a Friday, head to Nuba Wrestling at 16:00 instead.
Evening. Finish at the Confluence of the Blue and White Nile, best seen from the metal bridge between Khartoum and Omdurman or from Al-Mogran Family Park. On a Friday, time it after the Sufi dancing at the Hamed al-Nil tomb, which starts around 4–5PM. If you still have energy, catch the ferry or the Tuti Suspension Bridge to Tuti island around 17:00–18:00 for green space and an early-evening wander.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the Sufi dancing?
It takes place every Friday except during Ramadan, starting around 4–5PM at the Hamed al-Nil tomb in Omdurman. Ask your taxi driver for Ghobba al-Hamed al-Nil. It is free.
Can I photograph the confluence of the two Niles?
Not from the metal bridge. There is a signboard saying "no photos" and people have been arrested for taking photos of the confluence, so heed the sign. View it from the bridge or from Al-Mogran Family Park instead.
What should I know about visiting the National Museum of Sudan?
It is open Monday to Friday and is best visited in the mornings, allowing about two hours. It tends to close at 12:00 and not reopen at 15:00, contrary to the sign on the door.
Is the Khalifa's House open in the afternoon?
No. The museum shuts early, usually somewhere between 13:00 and 14:00. Plan to visit it in the morning, alongside the Mahdi's tomb next door and Souq Omdurman within walking distance.
Decide which Friday you can be in the city, since the Changing of the Guard, the Sufi dancing and Nuba Wrestling all depend on it, and start building your days around that.