It’s amazing but true: Sudan has more than twice as many pyramids as Egypt.

Most travellers would consider Sudan as a war-torn stretch of bland desert, plagued by the ongoing civil war in the new Republic of South Sudan following a north-south split in 2011. However, most of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) map of the country shows it as a (safe) shade of green. So it’s up to travellers to take the initiative and, with Egypt still recovering from a huge slump in visitors following a series of troubles, Sudan makes the ideal alternative. Plus, there’s the added bonus of zero crowds or touts.

Drive north from Khartoum, the capital, and you will come to Soleb – an ancient town of tombs and pyramids that is home to the Temple of Soleb, one of the best-preserved temples left in Sudan. Here, you will find towering columns, arches and walls all carved with cartouches. Built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC and dedicated to Egyptian Supreme God Amun, it was visited by none other than sickly child-king Tutankhamun. He inscribed his name on one of the Prudhoe Lions that once guarded the entrance. It now sits in the British Museum.

Follow the processional path leading from the Nile into the belly of the temple and there, high above your head (which indicates the sand level when it was rediscovered in 1844), are the names of those first Victorian archaeologists to explore the site, chiselled into the walls.

Why is the temple here? Well, from 3,100 to 2,890 BC, Egyptian pharaohs sent their army south along the Nile in search of gold, granite for statues, ostrich feathers and slaves. Reaching as far south as Jebel Barkal – a small mountain north of Khartoum – they built forts and temples along the route to demonstrate their dominance of the Nubians.

The conquered region came to be known as the Kush and the Kushites adopted all aspects of Egyptian culture, from gods to glyphs. However, with the collapse of the Egyptian empire in 1,070 BC, the Nubians were free. Three hundred years later Alara, King of the Kush, spearheaded a renaissance of Egyptian culture, including the construction of pyramids.

Now believing themselves the true sons of the God Amun, Alara’s grandson Piye invaded the north to rebuild the great temples and, for nearly a century, Egypt was ruled by the “Black Pharaohs”. At the peak of their reign, under the command of famous Kushite King Taharqa, their territories stretched all the way to Libya and Palestine. The crown of the king bore two cobras: one for Nubia, the other for Egypt.

The last great burial site of these royal Black Pharaohs was at Meroë, an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile. It’s a nine-hour drive from Soleb, but well worth it: here, there are more than 200 pyramids, grouped across three sites.

At the northern site there are 43 Unesco-listed pyramids scattered along a ridge. Around the bases of the structures, you’ll notice images of elephants, gazelle and giraffe chiselled into the rock. This is proof that this area was once covered with lush grasslands. The fertile alluvial soil allowed the Kushites to grow barley and sorghum.

Other pyramids bear scrawls made by General “Your country needs you” Kitchener’s soldiers. They passed by en route to the bloody Battle of Omdurman, fought to avenge the death of General Gordon, who was killed fighting a Sudanese revolt against the British in 1898.

By 300 AD the Kush Empire was in decline. Dwindling agriculture and increasing raids from Ethiopia and Rome brought about the end of their rule. Christianity and Islam followed, and prayers to Egyptian God Amun faded from memory.

Despite that, the legends of the kings and queens live on - and their wish of immortality will be granted if tourists continue to support travel to Sudan.

How to get there

Explore offers a 12-day Ancient Nubia Explorer trip from £3,349 per person, including return flights, accommodation, most meals, transport and the services of a guide, driver and cook.

British nationals require a visa to enter Sudan, costing £55. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be requested. Your tour operator or hotel will register you on your behalf with the Aliens Department at the Ministry of the Interior within three days of arrival but you’ll need to take two spare passport photographs for processing.

Spending money

ATMs are rare, so take US dollars and change them into Sudanese pounds at the airport in Khartoum.

Title Image Credit: Valerian Guillot (Image Cropped)