Sudan Health And Safety Guide For Tourists

The major health hazards in Sudan are those resulting from high temperature conditions – heat stroke, dehydration and sunburn, so take the requisite precautions. The danger of bilharzia is present all over sub-Saharan Africa, so swimming in freshwater lakes is strictly prohibited. Malaria precautions should also be taken. Proof of yellow fever and cholera vaccination will be demanded by authorities upon entering the country, even if arriving from a non-infected region. The threat of tropical diseases increases as one goes further south, so make sure no strange-looking insects get too familiar!

The main safety precautions apply to areas that have continuing war-like conditions due to the civil war – Upper Nile, Blue Nile, Bahr al-Ghazal and Equatoria. Large parts of Sudan’s border with Ethiopia and Eritrea have instances of sporadic fighting and tribal warfare, while banditry and looting have been reported from the western provinces, especially Darfur. Authorities in Khartoum will generally not allow travel south of Kosti. In Khartoum and the bigger cities, locals are generally friendly and helpful, but the usual precautions against theft and travelling after dark apply.