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|hitch = ? <rating country='sd' />}}'''Sudan''' (Arabic: السودان‎, as-Sūdān), officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in [[Northern Africa]]. It is was the largest country in state of Africa before [[AfricaSouth Sudan]]became independent in 2011.  It is bordered by [[Egypt]] to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, [[Eritrea]] and [[Ethiopia]] to the east, [[Kenya]] and [[UgandaSouth Sudan]] to the southeastsouth, the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] and the [[Central African Republic]] to the southwest, [[Chad]] to the west and [[Libya]] to the northwest. The famous river Nile divides the country into eastern and western halves. The majority of the Sudanese people are Muslim.

It seems that Hitchhiking is very common in Sudan , especially outside [[Khartoum]], where public transport tends to be scarce. Often a symbolic payment is typically expected, except from for the region around [[Khartoum]]. You need permissions a travel permit from the Ministry of Tourism (which will be issued for free) to travel outside the capital. You will be asked to show a copy of the permit at every police checkpoint you pass. Some sources claim that the permit is not required anymore for some tourists travelling in the North, but this information did not arrive at the police at the checkpoints, so it's best to have a permit to show. Make copies of your travel permit to hand them to police, so that you don't need to give the original away. [[File:292771 3792629380742 753177269 n.jpg|right|thumb|266px|Hitchhiking is very common in northern Sudan. This man is on his way to his family to celebrate Eid al-Adha.]] Hitching is generally easy, although many of the citizens do not understand the concept of hitching, so it is best to say you are having money problems. On roads with trade and freight, you should easily be able to pick up a lorry. On minor roads, such as those heading north, often the only traffic will be with minibuses. These are modern, air conditioned and pretty reasonable.  Police checkpoints are very common in Sudan. Every town and city has a police check-point on the outskirts and they are especially around Khartoum and in the border regions if . These checkpoints act as road blocks and can cause problems to the plucky hitcher. It was often the case that the police would just put you want on a passing bus for no charge. The police are very helpful and warm, so long as all your permits are in order. == Experiences == TheLoneBaker: I hitchhiked through Sudan in 2018 and found it extremely easy. Most of the time the police didn't pay any attention and most of the rest of the time they just wanted to see my visa and didn't even bother to check the identification. Most nights I was invited to peoples homes to sleep on outside beds. I didn't encounter a single driver who expected payment even in the Khartoum area. Also, permits are no longer needed to travel (in Sudan though you do still need to) thereregister with the police for a fee within 72 hours.

* The border to [[Eritrea]] is closed (July 13th, 2009)except for Sudanese citizens.

* The border to [[Egypt]] is open, but only on one single checkpoint ([[Wadi Halfa border crossing]]) or by boat via the Assuan Aswan Lake.* The border to [[Ethiopia]] is open at the checkpoint near [[Al-QadarifGedaref]]

There are a lot of unsolved conlficts conflicts in Sudan, also there are landmines in almost every border region. Due to high crime rates and escalating conflicts hitchhiking in Sudan can be dangerous, especially in the Region western region of [[DafurDarfur]].Don't cross borders illegally because of landmines and the risk of being imprisoned for a long time. Be careful when taking photos of official buildings you may be arrested as a spy. Getting arrested in Sudan is relatively commonplace, so don't be alarmed if it happens to you. They will take your details and release you shortly with matters such as photographs. The rest of the country, especially the north, is much safer and the biggest danger here will be the extraordinary midday heat. Stay sheltered and well hydrated. Always carry plenty of water and snacks on you.  Almost everywhere in Sudan you will find terracotta water vessels in the cool shade of big trees, with a communal cup. These are great in emergency situations or, if your stomach is hardy, for general drinking water.  A lot of coffee stands or shops will have threadbare beds which you will be invited to rest on during the heat of the day.

Be careful when taking photos of official buildings == Visa ==It is possible to get a Sudanese visa in only one day at the Sudanese Embassy in [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]], for 100 US-$, or from [[Aswan]], for 50 US Dollar. The visa will take one day in Cairo and between four days and a week in Aswan.  Update 2018: It seems the Sudan visa in Cairo is now 150 USD. Still available in one day though. It is also possible to attain a Transit Visa in Kampala, Uganda from the Sudanese Embassy. It is valid for 2 weeks (in three months), is about 60 US-$, takes 3 days and is surprisingly straightforward to apply for. When in Khartoum, is is possible to get a visa for Ethiopia in one day. However, they only issue 70 visas a day so you need to get in line by around 6 am. However, if you may do get there a bit too late, you will be arrested as given a spypaper with a number and will be prioritized the next day.

* [[OmdurmanGedaref]]* [[Wad Madani]]    == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{nomadwiki}}