Wadi Halfa to Khartoum
 

Hi,
Why is Wadi Halfa to Khartoum preferred route being this?
1) Wadi Halfa -> Akasha -> Dongola -> Karami -> Atbara -> Shendi -> Khartoum.

When :
2) Wadi Halfa -> Abu Hamad -> Dagash -> Berber -> Shendi -> Khartoum is much shorter?


Has anyone here done the second route? I've been googling been can't find someone doing the 2nd route. Is there something I should know?

Thank you for your kind input.

norman
http://www.sjcyfl.com/wadi_haifa-khartoum.htmhttp://www.sjcyfl.com/wadi_haifa-khartoum.htmlink to map:
http://www.sjcyfl.com/wadi_haifa-khartoum.htm

Well another common route which we will be taking is as your "1" but at Abu Dom we just keep heading south across to Khartoum; so not sticking all along the Nile the whole way. This is then pretty much the same distance as the eastern route along the railway.

Yes, that's quite sensible, Bossies. About 2/3 the distance of (1) from Abu Dom to Khartoum. Maybe I should do that too even it means missing out Atbara, point where the 2 rivers (Nile and river Atbara) meet.

But Abu Dom to Khartoum is +/- 350km though; and no towns in between? Quite a no man's land. :cool4:

Your route No 1 follows the Nile, which was more villages, water and some fuel, whereas route no 2 follows the train tracks, which has no fuel and limited water (although is shorter). There are a number of posts on this in the last few years in the sub saharan section.

Cant really comment on route 2 as haven't done it, but route 1 was one of my highlights of North Africa and is definately worth doing.

The 350kms from Abu Dom to Khartoum is tar and can be done in a morning.

cheers

thanks
 

Thanks Matt!:thumbup1:

Really interesting set of posts! If you took route 2 and so took the 350km off the route south what is the time saving on the journey? Is either route an easier ride in terms of ground conditions? Just looking at the coment re fuel, or more to the point, no fuel on route 2 this could well be a limiting factor I guess?
Simon

This is exactly my contention. 350km and no fuel/towns in between means one would have to carry extra fuel and lots of water.

But as Matt mentioned "The 350kms from Abu Dom to Khartoum is tar and can be done in a morning."; I guess it doesn't look as grueling as it seems. (err.. or is it doesn't seem grueling as it looks?) :blushing:

norman

http://www.sjcyfl.com/2007/205_wadi-khartoum.jpg

New Roads
 

The road from Abu Dom to Khartoum is newly built and good condition.

there is also a new road from Dongola to Karima. This is the route we took, then drove to Abu Dom and down to Khartoum. Good quality roads all the way.

The road up from Dongola is still being built. Some sections of tarmac are open and being used. The poor sections of this road are still abysmal, but the road is under construction and this will improve things immeasurably (assuming you want to whip along the roads at high speed).

From Wadi Halfo to Khartoum
 

so guys
can any one explain the road condition, how long ,about fuel from wadi Halfa to Khartoum?and again which route is the best regarding to keep the loaded heavy bike in one piece
my last info's about it was from Sandi Langton , she did it like 2 years ago and she wrote in her book (a girl , a bike , a dream ) that the 400 km from Halfa to Khartoum was awful and took 4 days ,like 100 km per day , and no fuel ,
cheers

The part from Abu Dom to Kartoum wasn't paved two years ago, so it was slower. I just learned it was paved by watching "Long Way Down". I haven't done route 2, but route one was a highlight for me as well. I spoke to a driver for one of the overland truck companies who said they did route 2 once and it was a huge mistake. The road conditions were awful and all they did was dig the truck out of the sand all day. Even though it is shorter, it took them soemething like five times as long.

All my info is three years old.

Hi Omar,

I believe that we met last year in Cairo. Hope all is well.

In regards to your questions, to summarize:

1. The much prefered route south from Wadi is along the Nile to Dongola. The other route roughly follows the train tracks and is very soft and sandy.

2. From Dongola, you head south through Adu Dom to Khartoum. This road was paved all the way as of last year and was in great condition.

3. As mentioned, the road from Wadi to Dongola is being worked on so is being improved. It's about 400 km, there is more and more improved road all the time, the unimproved roads are still pretty fair, there are a few spots where it is a bit soft and sandy but in general it is pretty decent.

4. Depends on your speed but if you are taking your time, 4 days is a pretty easy pace. You can do it in less if you want to ride more or stop less. This length will also decrease as the road continues to be improved.

5. There is no formal fuel station until you get to Kerma, where you can cross on the ferry to the east side of the Nile. But there is fuel available at many of the villages along the way from unofficial fuel re-sellers. Ask around the villages, usually in each one there is someone that sells it out of 45 gallon drums. A bit expensive but usually available.

Hope that helps. If there is anything else we can assist with, let us know, happy to help anyone in the Cairo bike community who have been so helpful to many a foreign biker passing through.

Hi Mountainman
how are you?
did we met with Farida ,?? as i cant remember from your name here!!!
thanks a lot for your useful information ,so can you just clear it to me in the last leg ,i head south from Abu Dom to Wadi Seina and like that wont pass by Karami ,Atbara ,Shendi ?
and how long it is from abu dom to khartoum like that? (its 400 km from Wadi Halfa to abu Dom and from Abu Dom to Khartoum??)
thanks a lot
and happy to hear that you had sort of help while you were doing Egypt
cheers
Omar
www.sandnsea.net

Hi Omar,

To confirm, the last leg is straight south from Abu Dom to Khartoum (you are correct, you do NOT need to go east to Atbara and then Shendi, that is the old road).

The new road (the one straight down) looks like it has only be there a couple of years and was in new condition when we rode it last year. It doesn't really pass through any villages so it looks to be a bypass route that they built in the shortest and straightest way possible to the capital. It's probably about 300 kms from Abu Dom to Khartoum and perfect highway so if you want to ride at 100 km and hour it's about 3 hours. Last fuel is in Adu Dom.

Distances are roughly:

Wadi Halfa to Dongola ~ 400 km (mostly gravel/sand and rough road as mentioned)
Dongola to Abu Dom ~ 100 km (highway)
Adu Dom to Khartoum ~ 300 km (new highway)

Enjoy the ride. The fun part is really from Wadi Halfa south. Once you get to Dongola, you are back in civilization and it's all highway to Khartoum.

2 Up on an XT
 

The thread's very useful for us as we're planning a two up trip on our XT600. We're concerned about the sandy conditions from Wadi Halfa to Dongola, ie falling off the bike in 50 degrees heat and trying to get it going 2 up could be a sweaty experience.

I see the road from Wadi to Dongola is described by someone on this thread as "fair". How about for 2 up?

Many thanks

Mike

Riding two up is possible but it’s not an ideal solution.
You have to allow more time because of the sand and the corrugations. I would not have done it in summertime.
I could easily have used a week on the trip, lots of small villages.

It might be smart to team up with a 4wd if possible. The final solution is to send your passenger with train to Khartoum/Atbara.

I hadn't thought about the train to Khartoum for my fiancee. Great idea. Thanks.

Can anyone comment on how often the train runs from Wadi Halfa to Khartoum please? And will it be safe for a white female?

I'll post on the "Travellers seeking Travellers" about her joining a 4WD crew.

Thanks Ali Baba

Mike:thumbup1:

NNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Don't even consider shipping her off on the train. The trip along the Nile was one of the great highlights of our trip.

The road is not that bad. Yes there are sections were you might struggle a bit in sand and corrugations and were your Fiancee might need to walk for say a 100m across really nasty powdery bulldust but most of the way is not that bad so long as you take it easy and enjoy the view. Anyway most of the road will be tarred by the time you get there.

A couple we were travelling with did it two up on a 1954 triumph with ZERO suspension and traction (feel free to drop a comment guys) and we did Wadi-Dongola in 3 days. In hindsight we would do it much slower.

The tar road starts 16km north of Dongola (when we were there Dec 07) and is tarred all the way via Khartoum to Gallabat. Brand spanking new and smooth as a well worn tyre...

Wadi Halfa -Khartoum
 

Hi Mike
sure you can do it to on ,with the xt ,just make sure to have enough water and some food ,so far i didnt make it there ,but hopefully next November ,or bit earlier (for more than 3 years im planning Africa ,but still on papers only ,errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)
the most awful track i rode on is from Siwa to BAhariya oasis in Egpyt 400 km too ,specially if you are loaded and have a heavy bike (Africa twin ) any one you guys made that route?and if you compare it to Halfa -Dongola ,is it the same or harder
cheers

I agree. She may have to do some walking, but go slow and you will love it. It is unspoiled by tourism and the people are just fantastic. A true highlight of my RTW ride. I would have done it slower too, looking back.

A '54 Triumph? Really?

The thing is we'll be in Wadi Halfa in May, and some people have said it's going to be as hot as a camel's fart. If my fiancee has to walk 100 metres in 50 celsius, I reckon my donut's cooked.
I've travelled in 50 plus before but i was fully acclimatised. I'm seriously thinking to put her in someone's 4WD...anyone out there with a Toyota and A/C for the lady?

Mike

Hey Mike,

I don't know about May specifically but more likely than not you'll be hard pressed to find a 4X4 heading south, unless there happens to be some other foreigner taking the same ferry that week.

If not, you'll have to wait an entire week to see if someone else wanders along. And as you can imagine, the boredom of an entire week in Wadi Halfa greatly exceeds the pain of a few 100 meter walks.

You can arrange for a ride in Wadi though if you are absolutely desperate. They will charge you an arm and a leg though, they greatly understand the rules of demand and supply.

The bus also runs south, but in my opinion, being squashed into an ancient bus with no shocks and sitting in that tin can in the hot sun is the exact reason that I choose to ride a bike.

You'll understand when you get to northern Sudan, but the long and the short of it is, there are not any easy solutions, it is the middle of nowhere. You and her will already be used to the 50 degree heat from your time in Egypt and the fact of it is, that the remoteness is what will make this part of the trip exceedingly memorable for the both of you. I've put my girlfriend on buses before to escape long boring sections in other countries, but I would not want anyone to miss the Wadi Halfa ride, it is tough but it is an absolute highlight, as a few people have mentioned.

If you are really worried, about the heat, the most realistic solution is to go to desert riding mode. Get up pre-dawn, no faffing around and head off before the sun has even risen. You'll get in a few hours of riding until the heat builds up. Pick an interesting village when it does, stop for the day and sit beside the Nile, it's not a real hardship.

In short, ride it. Take your time, be careful and you'll look fondly look back on it for the rest of your life. If you want, there are a couple of campsites that we found that were amazing and I can track down the co-ordinates and send them to you.

Yes it will help if you only travel in the morning and spend the rest of the day in villages. There is no shade beside the road so it gets hot.

I was not able to spend a long time because I had only three days to reach the ferry from Khartoum and I overslept in Dongola the second day (started 1200). The third day I had some problems finding petrol and didn’t start before 1300.

Thanks for your contribution, MountainMan:rockon:Top report and we've now decided to follow your insane advice and take the ferry :boat: from Aswan and head into the cauldron of the Sudanese desert:hang:

Will take you up on the offer of camping sites' co-ordinates please

Thanks, Mike and Tina

hello,
iwill go the trip next year.
i've heared, that there are some difficulties with the residents at abu hamed because of the katarakt there. so it will be more dangerous to go this route.