Karima and Meroe

If you don’t have much time to visit Sudan, take the opportunity to visit the wonderful Pyramids of Meroe and the rich area of Karima to have a taste of the old Kush empire. Spend two nights in both our well situated accomodations in Karima and Meroe.

3 days
Oct-Apr
all accommodated

Possible departures every day

 

Services included:
–    1 overnight at Meroe Camp in half board + 1 overnight at Karima Rest House in half board
–    transport with Toyota Land Cruisers (4 pax per car) OR Toyota   Hilux double cabin (3 pax per car) with drivers outside Khartoum
–    meals as per itinerary (B.L.D.)
–    mineral water while on tour
–    English speaking guide (quoted separately and upon availability)

Optional: Khartoum - city tour
Day 1: Khartoum – El Kurru – Nuri - Karima

Pick up from your accommodation in Khartoum and then departure northward. After around six hours’ drive across the Nubian Region we catch the sight of the Jebel Barkal, (“Jebel” means mountain in Arabic) an improbable landmark in the desert. We stop in the ancient village of El Kurru, where there is one of the necropolises of the ancient capital, Napata.  Here we can visit one tomb, which are excavated in the rock under pyramids – partially collapsed – and are totally decorated with images of the Pharaoh, of the gods and multicolour hieroglyphic inscriptions.  Later on we reach the necropolis of Nuri. Little walk among these ancient ruins where the pyramid of Pharaoh Taharqa dominates among the others. After the visit we reach our beautiful Nubian Rest-House, located just at the foot of the Jebel Barkal, and the small town of Karima is situated nearby. Check-in at the Rest-House, dinner and overnight stay.

Meal plan
  • Optional lunch
  • Dinner at Nubian Rest House
Accommodation
Karima Nubian Rest House
Day 2: Karima - Jebel Barkal – Meroe

After breakfast at the Rest-House, visit of the Jebel Barkal area.  Landmark in the Nubian Desert, the Jebel Barkal can be seen from a few dozen kilometres whilst still in the open desert. At the foot of this wonderful and isolated 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.  Besides the ruins of the big temple there are still several sculptured granite rams that were supposed to border a long avenue that probably led to the pier on the Nile. The Jebel Barkal archaeological sites are on the World Heritage list. Optional lunch-box and journey to Meroe (around 4 hours). All of a sudden, we can glance at more than 40 pyramids, located on top of a hill, some of them perfectly preserved that belong to the Royal Necropolis of Meroe. Sunset at the pyramids. Arrival at the Permanent Tented Camp of Meroe with a beautiful view into the pyramids. Accommodation in comfortable and fully furnished tents, dinner and overnight stay.

Meal plan
  • Optional lunch
  • Dinner at Meroe Camp
Accommodation
Meroe Camp
Highlights
Day 3: Meroe – Mussawarat and Naga – Khartoum

After breakfast at the camp, departure through Naga and Mussawaratt, archaeological jewels of the Meroitic Empire. Visit to to Mussawarat, a settlement located in a beautiful valley crowned by hills.  Here the ruins of a very big temple are visible; it once played an exceptional important role.  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 large number of elephants represented on these walls makes you think that this animal used to have an important role in this area. Half an hour far from Mussawaratt, there is the amazing site of Naga. In Naga, 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 lion’s head, the Pharaoh, noblemen and several ritual images. A few metres away there is a small and odd construction with arches and columns, named “kiosk”, in which we can notice Egyptian, Roman and Greek styles, all at the same time. Optional lunch box from Meroe Camp. Journey back to Khartoum and drop off at your accommodation.

Meal plan
  • Optional lunch
  • Dinner NOT included
Highlights
error: Content is protected !!