- Call us: +249 183 215 000
- SAT
Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, where the two Niles meet; is a confluence of Arab and African culture. The main language spoken in Khartoum is Arabic, although other dialects and tribal languages are spoken.
Khartoum is situated in the Northern part of the country and its weather can be characterized as very hot and dry. There is a rainy season during the summer, when the humidity increases slightly. Winter – if we can call it that – is during the months of November – March, during which time the weather can be very pleasant. You will need to bring lightweight jackets for early morning and late evenings when the weather can be cooler. Khartoum is also famous for its sandstorms or “haboubs”, which can be frequent particularly during the summer months.
Khartoum has some cultural entertainment, such as the Nuba wrestling and whirling dervishes dancing and is a friendly and safe city, where lasting friendships can be formed with locals and expatriates alike.
If you are the adventurous type and enjoy camping and deep sea diving, Sudan has a lot to offer; vast expanse of deserts and a comparatively virgin coral reef off the Red Sea coast. Nile boat trips are particularly pleasing around sunset time.
Khartoum is also only a few hours flight away to Nairobi, Dubai, Cairo and Addis.
"Bringing a tween to Khartoum was one of the worries we mulled upon, what was there for him to do? There are no cinemas or play arenas. There aren’t much options, but surprisingly Thor has adjusted very well. He has enjoyed the play-dates and birthday parties he has attended, where he has actually PLAYED outdoors and had conversations with friends. My family enjoys exploring whatever country we are in. Annette has always been interested in Egyptian and Nubian history, seeing the Nubian pyramids was a thrill I had to grant her. We look forward to more road trips in this fascinating country."
Living in Khartoum and being at KICS with my infant daughter has been one of the best decisions I could have made. Faculty and staff children under the age of three are welcomed into a caring and engaging nursery, called the creche, on campus. As a new mother, and a single parent, ensuring that my baby would be safe and happy while I worked was one of my biggest priorities when choosing a new post. Having my baby well cared for at school with me is a benefit of working at KICS that I know would be nearly impossible to find anywhere else, and I have loved watching her relationships blossom with her creche teachers as well as the other infants in her class.
Having lived in Sudan for four years now, my experience is that there are many positives that come with being in this country. While much of what is found in the news can paint a negative picture of Sudan, one does not have to wait too long to encounter a warm and friendly country. The aspirations of the people of Sudan are inspiring. For our daily lives, general access to goods is readily available which helps day to day living. The school is very supportive on many fronts which helps make day to day life less stressful. As a whole, there is generally little that we do not have the availability to purchase. For those specific things that make life nicer, the yearly baggage allowance permits us to bring these extras with us to Sudan. It is understandable how some may feel this is not a safe country to live and it is without a doubt that the country of Sudan is not without its challenges, however I personally do not feel unsafe working and living here. Overall, with a positive attitude, living in Sudan can be quite enjoyable.
"Most of every basic necessity is available in Khartoum, even if they are relatively pricey. But like most international workers know, we should bring what we might not need, but must have, when we do need it. Basic medicines, fill out your prescriptions (if any) abroad, preferred toiletry brands and the like. You may want to consider bringing what you deem as a basic appliance in your home country, being Asians, we brought a rice cooker and a bread maker."
TIDE PODS! This has been a lifesaver for me. It makes doing laundry super easy. It's not always easy to find good laundry detergent in Sudan so it's better to bring something from outside of the country.