El Kurru

Sudan


The royal cemetery of El Kurru, 20km south of Karima, contains the remains of dozens of tombs. Most have either faded away to virtually nothing, or the entrances have been buried under tonnes of sand. However, two tombs containing wonderfully preserved paintings, can still be entered down a flight of stairs cut out of the rock. Dating to the 7th century BC, they were the final resting place of King Tanwetamani and his mother, Queen Qalhata.

The tombs are kept locked and you might have to ask about the village for the guardian to come and open up – he'll expect a tip. You must buy an entry ticket from the museum in Karima in advance. To get here take a minibus (S£20, 30 minutes) from Karima.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Sudan attractions

1. Jebel Barkal

9.53 MILES

Jebel Barkal, the tabletopped mountain hanging on the town's south side, was sacred ground for the Egyptians at the time of the 18th-dynasty pharaohs. At…

2. Karima Museum

9.71 MILES

This small museum near the Temple of Amun contains finds from around Jebel Barkal, including statues. There are panels in English. It also sells tickets…

3. Nuri

14.25 MILES

At Nuri, across the river from Jebel Barkal, there are some delightfully dilapidated pyramids – among the largest in Sudan – lost among a stormy sea of…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "sudan/karima/attractions/el-kurru/a/poi-sig/1315353/1331612",
      "destination": "Sudan",
      "continent": "Africa",
      "country": "Sudan",
      "position": "superzone"
    }