Abd El Karim Merghani Cultural Center
The center was opened on the 15th of May 1998. Its objectives are the dissemination of culture, knowledge and scientific information, by means of the holding of fairs, symposiums and lectures on the arts, folklore and culture in general. The center is equipped with a big, bilingual (Arabic – English) library with a child’s section, and also an audio-visual library.
Work hours: Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., 6:O0p.m. – 8:00 p m.
Address: Omdurman, Wad Nubawi- Elu’mda- Intersection of Wadi Saydna St. with Al Doma St. P.O. box 168
Telephone: 552638 Fax:775435
Basheir El Rayah Public Library
The library offers literary and various cultural services, as well as book fares, exhibitions and cultural forums.
Daily working hours: 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Friday is a weekly holiday.
Location: Mowrada, near the Municipality Omdurman. P.O. Box 447.
Tel: 555273
Beit El Thaqafa
The ‘Cultural House’ was established in 1991. It houses a book and film club and a theatre, and hosts cultural forums and festivals.
Daily working hours: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Friday is a weekly holiday
Location: Khartoum East, near the Army Headquarters.
British Cultural Center
The Center was established in 1948. It offers English language courses and houses a library, a conference auditorium and film shows.
Daily working hours: Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday a weekly holiday.
Location: No. 40, Sharia Abu Sin, Khartoum. PO. Box 1253.
Tel: 780817 Fax: 774935
French Cultural Center
The Center offers French language study courses, a library, a video club, film shows, seminars, art exhibitions and various cultural activities.
Daily working hours: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Friday is a weekly holiday
Location: Off Mek Nimir Ave.
Tel: 772837
German Cultural Association
EstablIshed In 1997. the AssocIatIon offers German language courses, a library, film shows and cultural forums. The Association is open throughout the week, except Fridays
Location: El Mek Nimir Avenue, Khartoum. PO. Box 1866.
Tel: 777833 Fax: 779377
Iranian Cultural Center
Established in 1989. It offers the foltowing activities:
Iranian language courses, computer courses, and Arabic penmanship courses. There are a general and an audio-visual library. It has another branch in Omdurman providing the same activities.
The center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Address: The headquarter Mek Nimir and Africa road junction, Khartoum
Tel: 472275 – 471224 Fax: 472274
Omdurman: Sharia Al’arda, Near El Merikh stadium, Omdurman
Libyan Arab Cultural Center
Established in December 1988. It offers the following facilities: a public and general library, a child library, and an audiovisual library. Also it gives courses in the following: typing, secretarial courses, Arabic penmanship, photographing, video filming, film editing, press and public relations, accounting, teaching of Arabic as a second language, and sewing. It holds other cultural activities and forums.
The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed on Fridays and public holidays.
Address: St. 15, New Extension, Khartoum.
Tetephone: 464726 Fax: 472044
The Iraqi Center
The Center was established in 1944 and offers the following facilities: libraries, a theatre, computers, video room and art exhibition gallery. A cultural forum is organized every Wednesday.
Daily working hours: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Friday is a weekly holiday.
Location: Sharia El Azhari, Khartoum North.
Sudan National Museum
Built in 1965, this museum lies on the Nile Avenue in Khartoum overlooking the confluence of the White Nile and the Blue Nile at Al-Mugran area. Visitors to the museum find the relics of the various civilizations of Sudan from the First Stone Age to the era of the Al Saltana Al-Zarqa’ “black sultanate.”
The National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums
The musem undertook the re-construction of temples that had been transferred during the process of saving relics of the Sudanese Nubia area from being covered by waters of the High Dam. These temples have been reconstructed in the yard of the museum and an artificial lake was dug to symbolize the original site of the temples.
The Ethnography Museum
This museum is located on Al-Gama’a Street in Khartoum. In 1955 the buildings of the British army club were affiliated to the antiquities department at that time. The department then started the organization and presentation of the ethnographical groups, which had remained in warehouses since 1945, in this museum. The museum was opened in December 1956. The exhibits of the museum have been organized and arranged in such a way that gives a vivid live history of the various Sudanese tribes and their customs and traditions.
Al-Khalifa House Museum
This museum is located in Omdurman near Al-Mahdi’s Tomb. It derived its name from the Khalifa Abdellah Al-Ta’aishi, the successor of Imam Mohamed Ahmed Al-Mahdi, who was officially residing at the very same place. This museum was established in 1928 and contains relics of the Mahdist period, Sultan Ali Dinar and Gordon Pasha when he was governor of Sudan.
Sheikan Museum
This museum was built in Al-Obeid town in Kordofan and was opened in November 1965. It was given the name from Sheikan Valley, the site of a battle between Al-Mahdi’s forces and hicks Pasha army in 1883. Mahdi forces won the battle and the museum took on the name in memory of the battle. The museum reflects relics dating back to the Mahdist era, besides other archaeological works of art representing all the successive eras of Sudan. The museum further contains some ethnographical collections.
Sultan Ali Dinar Palace Museum in Al-Fashir
This museum was once a place of residence for the sultan as well as a government office for him. When the sultan died, the palace went into the hands of Al-Fashir governor and was next made a house for the commissioner of the province till 1971. After that, its ownership was transferred to the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museum which transformed it into a museum.
The museum exhibits antiquities collections, which represent the various historical periods of Sudan from the time of the Stone Age to the era of Christianity. The museum also shows some of the materials used by the sultan and members of his family. There are also some relics that represent the civilization of Darfur area.
Airplanes, buses, trains, and ship are various means of transportation to travel from and to Sudan. There are also several land entrances linking Sudan with its neighboring countries.
AIR TRAVEL: Sudan Airways
Sudan Airways is one of the earliest aviation companies in Africa and the Middle East. It was established originally as a unit of Sudan Railways Department to provide transport to the inaccessible areas in Sudan. Domestic flights commenced in July 1947. The company flew its first international flight in 1954 to Cairo. Sudan Airways is a member of the international Aviation Transport Association (IATA), Arabic Association for Air Transport and Africa Airlines Companies Association. There are several foreign airlines companies serving in Sudan to different parts of the World.
MARINE LINES & RIVER TRANSPORT
Traveling by sea and river are cost effective and convenient means of transportation.
LAND ENTRANCES TO SUDAN
Traveling by land is one other major means of transport especially for traffic between Sudan and its neighboring countries. Customs and immigration check points on the borders of Sudan and neighboring countries facilitate the passage of travelers and goods. The main land routes are:
- Sudan, Central Africa:
Um Dafoug: in the extreme south of Darfour is the main border checkpoint for passage between Sudan and Central Africa. From Um Dafoug a land track leads to Nyala, the largest town in the region. - Sudan, Chad:
El Geneina: on the Sudanese side and Adri on the Chadian side represent the main passage between the two countries. They are linked together by a land track. A Sudanese customs checkpoint is located in El Geneina. - Sudan Eritrea:
There are several lands entrances between Sudan and Eritrea:
1. Kassala is bordered the Eritreain Town of Tasanay. There is a customs checkpoint at Kassala.
2. Garroara is a town on the northern frontier divided by two sides though having the same name. - Sudan, Libya:
Mount Ouwainaat: It represents the borderline between Sudan and Libya, and it’s connected to two major Sudanese towns by land tracks; first through the desert to Dongola and secondly to Kutum in north Darfour. A Sudanese customs checkpoint is located at 50 km from Ouwainaat. - Sudan-Egypt:
Halayiib: It’s a Sudanese customs checkpoint with a land road leading to the Elsuez via Shalateen and Abu ramad. Halayiib is connected to Port Sudan by means of a land track.
TRAVELING IN SUDAN
While in Sudan, all means of transportation are available though traveling by land is easier because of the construction of thousands of km of highways, in addition to Sudan Airways network of domestic flights covering large area of Sudan. There are trains with a network of railway lines extended to most parts of the country.
SUDAN RAIL WAYS
The reason for the construction of railways from Wadi-Halfa in the north to the interior of Sudan at the turn of the century was to facilitate the advance of the Anglo-Egyptian army, led by lord Kitchener and in establishing its supply lines. The railway road to Khartoum was completed before the year of 1930 and it was the first mechanical means of transport introduced in Sudan. After fulfilling its military missions, Sudan railways was turned in to a civil Government Department commuting passengers and the freight. The town of Atbara, located at the confluence of the Atbara River and the Nile north Sudan, was made a home base and headquarters of Sudan railways. Travelers may make their reservations at Khartoum, Atbara and Wadi Halfa Rail Stations. In addition to passengers transport, Sudan rail ways is substantially contributing in promoting income and out come trade via Port Sudan and the river berth of Wadi Halfa, where as the cost of freight transport by rail way in the minimum.
REGULAR RAILWAY LINES AND TOWN COVERED:
- Nyala, Eddaein, Abuzabad, Kosti, Sennar, Medani, Khartoum.
- Al obeid, Kosti, Sennar-Medani-Khartoum (travels duration 24 hours).
- Karima-Abu hamed-Atbara-Shendi, Khartoum (travels duration 30 hours).
- Port Sudan Atbara Shendi Khartoum (travels duration 24 hours).
- Wadi Halfa Abu hamed Atbara Shendi Khartoum (travel duration 24 hours).
MOTOR WAYS
The first motor way connecting Khartoum to Wadi Medani was constructed after Sudan gained independence from the 1957 to 1964.
- Khartoum Atbara: It spans 306 km and is the first asphalt motor way to be constructed on the east of the Nile, north ward direction from Khartoum. The archeological sites of the ancient kingdom of Meroe are located along its path, south of Shendi, at Elbagrawiya, Elnaqa”a and Musawarat.
- Khartoum-Damazeen: the motor way is approximately 550 km and runs through the major agricultural production areas of Gezira, Sinaar, Sindga and Damazeen.
- Khartoum Elobeid: This motor way is 719 km heading southwards through the western side of Gezira along the White Nile. The motor way links several towns of the White Nile and the Kurdufan State.
- Khartoum Kadugli: This motor way is 900 km and connects Khartoum to the capital of south Kurdufan state. Kadugli. Located along its pass are the towns Um Ruwaba, Rahad, Eldebeibat, dillin and lastly, Kadugli.
- Khartoum Port Sudan: the stretch of this motor way, including the Khartoum-Wadi Medani section is 1190 km. It traverses in Aselimi, circle through Gazera, Gedarif, Kassala and Port Sudan state, passing by many major towns and terminating at Port Sudan.
- Nyala-Kass-Zalingei: This motor way connects Nyala town, the capital of south Darfour state to the towns Kass and Zalingei in the highland region of Jebel Marra through distance of 210 km.
Other tracks
Umdurman-Dongola-Karma Elnuzul-Abri-Wadi Halfa Karima-Karma ElnuzulUmdurman-Dongola-Elowainaat on the Sudanese-Libyan border these track traverses the northern desert plains and its use has significantly increased in resent years with the increase in commercial and the passenger traffic between the two countries. They’re also seasonal tracks, which become impassible from June through September during the rainy season. All are located below 14 degrees latitude.
Khartoum- New Halfa, which cross the Butana Region umdurman Elobied El fasher Umkaddada, Elgeneina- across the desert territories of Kurdufan and Darfour state Damazeen-Kurnuk-geissan in the Blue Nile State.
Kosti-Gabalein-Rank-Malakal-Juba that can be used provided good security conditions during the southern dry season from November to February.