I recently went on a solo trip to Sudan.
Leaving things until the last minute, I applied for my visa in the UK only two days before my flight was booked. The Sudanese embassy in London made the process very straightforward and issued me a visa in 24 hours for only £55. The application was simple. Apart from completing my personal details, they required only a hotel booking or email confirmation for the duration of my stay.
Here is a video of my time spent in Sudan.
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Once I arrived in Khartoum, I was faced with a stressful first day. Sudan is not yet fully relaxed with the idea of tourists travelling freely around the country so plenty of time is spent completing registration (Mandatory within 3 days of arrival for approx $50USD) and obtaining travel and photography permits (Free). Sudan does not support an international roaming agreement with my mobile phone provider which made me uncontactable but wi-fi was provided in hotels and some restaurants. ATM’s are not available in Sudan which means you need to bring enough money for your trip. I stuffed bank notes down my trousers, socks and various other hiding places. The black market for changing money is widely used, even in hotels. You could end up saving half of your money by exchanging on the black market rather than using the exchange companies that use the bank rate.
Once you have sorted out all of your paperwork, travelling around Sudan was relatively stress free. I avoided the steep cost of having a private car to take me around the historical sites costing at least $150 USD per day. Using the local transport system such as public buses and local taxis/rickshaws to avoid the prebooked tours organised from London, saved me hundreds of pounds. Saving money was not the only reason I chose to travel this way- absorbing myself in the culture of Sudan was so much easier by travelling with the locals.
I arrived in towns with no place to stay, walked around lost in the pitch dark night and sat at bus stations not knowing if or when my bus would arrive. This should not discourage you. I encourage you to visit Sudan and experience the friendliness and helpfulness of the locals that will help make your journey a memorable one.