Not to miss

Khartoum

Built where the two Niles meet, Khartoum is one of Central Africa's modern cities, with paved roads, high-rise buildings and wide boulevards. Its people are hospitable, the riverside setting is gorgeous, Internet access is dirt cheap and it's safe for travellers. Most people end up liking it here.

Port Sudan

Sudan's only major industrial port, this is an undeniably sprawling but surprisingly laid-back city. It also happens to be an excellent base for some of the Red Sea's best diving. The dive centre at the new Hilton Hotel is the best place to go.

Meroe Sites

The ancient royal cemetery of Meroe is one of Sudan's most spectacular sights. The Meroitic pharaohs thrived from 592 BC until overrun by the Abyssinians in AD 350. Although nothing here compares with better-known sites in Egypt, the clusters of narrow pyramids blanketing the sand-swept hills are quite a sight, and there's not a tout pushing camel rides within 100km.

Some well-preserved hieroglyphics can still be seen in the tombs' antechambers, and even the graffiti here dates back centuries!

You can also visit the remains of the Royal City itself, but it's for archaeological buffs only.

If you want to catch the sunset over the pyramids you can sleep in the desert (head toward the mountains) or splash out for some luxury lodgings about 4km (2.5mi) away.

National Museum

The National Museum in Khartoum is dwarfed by the modern buildings nearby but has some fine exhibits in its dusty halls, most notably the pharaonic stone carvings and the stunning Nubian Christian frescoes. Located not far from the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, the museum gardens also house several Kushite and Egyptian temples saved during the creation of the Aswan Dam.

Omdurman

The traditional Muslim city of Omdurman, founded by the Mahdi in the 1880s, and forming one third of Khartoum, is one of Sudan's big attractions. Its famous souq - the largest in the country - has an amazing variety of wares, and the camel market (Souq Moowaileh) is equally spectacular.