Best Time to Visit Khartoum

Winter: the season that works

December and January are the best months, and it's not close. Days reach the low 30s°C and feel warm rather than harsh. Nights drop to the mid-teens, so you'll want a jumper on the Nile bank after dark. There's no rain and the sky is clear.

This is the time for walking. Stroll the Nile Street corniche in the evening, or cross to Omdurman for the Souq (market) and the Hamed al-Nil tomb. On Fridays near sunset, you can watch the Sufi dancing there, where followers spin and chant. Go in the cooler months and standing outside for an hour is a pleasure.

February and November are still fair. Days are a bit hotter, but mornings stay comfortable. The National Museum, with its rescued Nubian temples in the garden, is easy to enjoy in either month.

March to June: the long heat

Don't underestimate this stretch. May and June are the hottest months, tied at 42°C. April isn't far behind at 40°C. The air is very dry in spring, so the heat feels like an oven rather than a sauna. Midday is for staying indoors.

Nights stay warm too, especially in June. If you must come now, plan around early mornings and after sunset. The place where the Blue and White Nile meet, at Al-Mogran, is better at dusk anyway. Haboob season also begins. A haboob is a huge dust storm that can turn the sky orange within minutes.

July to October: the rainy season

July to September brings the rain. August is the wettest month, with 76 mm over 16 days. Humidity climbs, the sky is often grey, and the heat feels sticky. Downpours are short, but dirt roads and side streets can flood. Getting around Khartoum may be slow, and travel outside the city can be tougher still.

September is a turning point, with fewer wet days. October is drier again, but it's still hot at 39°C. It isn't a comfortable month, though it's better than August.

Crowds and timing

Khartoum doesn't have a classic tourist high season, so you won't fight crowds at the sights. Winter is simply the busiest time for visitors, business trips and trips to Sudan's pyramids at Meroë. Pick December or January if you can. Check current travel advice for Sudan before you plan anything, since the security situation can change quickly.