Over the years, we’ve explored some iconic attractions, from the Great Wall of China and Uluru in Australia to Newgrange in Ireland. In 2023, we had the incredible opportunity to visit one of the greatest historic sites in the world, the Meroe Pyramids in Sudan, during our Cairo-to-Cape Town overland adventure.
Some journeys leave a lasting imprint on your memory, while others feel almost surreal, as if you’ve stepped into a place that time forgot. Experiencing the Sudan pyramids, particularly the Meroe pyramids, was both unforgettable and otherworldly.
We visited the Meroe Pyramids on April 12, 2022, just three days before the latest civil war broke out in Sudan and had the “Luck of the Irish” to get out hours before the conflict started. At the time, Sudan was safe to visit. Today, sadly, it’s NOT SAFE TO VISIT SUDAN, and the Meroe pyramids remain off-limits for travellers looking to visit one of the best hidden gems in the world.
What Are The Meroe Pyramids in Sudan?
The Meroe pyramids in Sudan are part of a vast ancient burial site, constructed by the Kingdom of Kush, one of Africa’s greatest civilisations that rivaled ancient Egypt.
Unlike the gigantic pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Sudan pyramids are smaller, steeper, and more numerous, each built as a tomb for kings, queens, and elite members of Kushite society.
The numbers are staggering, and I bet you didn’t know that Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt. Over 150 at Meroe alone, and around 255 Pyramids across Sudan, making it the largest concentration of pyramids on Earth. Yet they remain largely unknown to the wider world and are a truly less-explored archaeological treasure, not destroyed by tourism.
These pyramids in Meroe were constructed along the Nile between roughly 300 BCE and 300 CE. A period when Meroe was a bustling capital city of the Kingdom of Kush, rich in trade, culture, and power.
Walking among these ancient structures, you don’t just see tombs. You feel like you’ve stepped into a city of the dead. And yet, despite their size and historical significance, few travellers know about the Meroe Pyramids.
Who Built The Meroe Pyramids?
The Kushites, rulers of the Kingdom of Kush, built the Meroe pyramids. This civilization was advanced, wealthy, and culturally rich, with a capital that eventually moved to Meroe. The city thrived for nearly a millennium and became a hub for trade and iron production.
What makes these pyramids in Sudan unique is their sheer number and architectural style. Each one marked a burial, often with a small chapel at the front where rituals and offerings were made. Unlike Egyptian pyramids, which were colossal, the Sudan pyramids are relatively modest in size, giving them a different, almost otherworldly feel.
It’s humbling to stand here and imagine the people who once walked these sands, the kings and queens whose resting places we now wander through.
What Happened To The Kingdom of Kush
Meroe wasn’t just a burial site, it was once a thriving city filled with palaces, temples, and people. The Kingdom of Kush controlled trade along the Nile and became powerful enough to rival Egypt itself.
However, the Kingdom of Kush began to decline around the 4th century AD, largely due to environmental damage, widespread deforestation from iron production, and changing trade routes that slowly cut it off from wealth and influence.
The final blow came when the neighbouring Kingdom of Axum invaded (an ancient kingdom in East Africa and South Arabia. Around 350 AD, King Ezana led an attack that sacked the capital, Meroë, bringing this once-powerful civilization to an end.
All that remains are these pyramids, standing silent amid the desert sands, a ghostly reminder of a once-great civilisation
Who Plundered The Sudan Pyramids
Part of what makes the Meroe pyramids feel so raw is their visible scars. In the 1830s, an Italian treasure hunter named Giuseppe Ferlini destroyed the tops of more than 40 pyramids in search of gold.
Walking among them, you can still see the damage. These structures survived thousands of years only to be partially destroyed in a matter of months. It adds a strange, poignant layer to the experience, the beauty of history, marred by human greed, yet still standing defiantly in the desert
How to Visit The Meroe Pyramids in Sudan
Visiting Sudan and the Meroe pyramids isn’t easy, and it’s definitely not for inexperienced travelers. We crossed the border from Egypt into Wadi Halfa, making our way down to Khartoum, stopping to explore Jebel Barkal along the way, another incredible site of pyramids in Sudan and another hidden gem of the best attractions in the world.
Tourism is virtually non-existent in Sudan, and there are no organised tours available to the Meroe Pyramids from Khartoum. After exploring the city for a few days, we took a taxi to a bus station about an hour north of Sudan’s capital, which is also the hottest capital in the world.
From there, we boarded a bus bound for Atbara, roughly five hours north of Khartoum. Then, about four hours in, Kevin, tracking our location on Google Maps, knew exactly where to ask the driver to stop, which was somewhere in the middle of nowhere!
We stepped off the bus into silence. There were no buildings, no people, no barriers, just a dusty road stretching across the endless Sudanese desert. We began walking into the desert towards what seemed like nothing. And then a shimmer on the horizon as if rising from the sands like a mirage, dozens of sharp, golden pyramids appeared.
For a moment, we just stood there, letting the quiet sink in. After seeing the famous pictures, we were actually looking at the famous Meroe pyramids covered in sand for ourselves.
We just began wandering (we are Happy Irish Wanderers after all) between the Meroe pyramids, climbing dunes, exploring every corner, feeling like the first explorers to have ever set foot here. At one point, we sat in the sand, staring at these mysterious pyramids in Sudan, completely alone. It felt almost unreal, like stepping into a world that time had forgotten.
This wasn’t sightseeing, it was pure exploration. Every step was a discovery, and every glance revealed secrets the desert had been keeping for centuries. And for those few hours, it was just the silent, magnificent Meroe Pyramids and us.
The Heat That Broke Our Phones
Sudan is one of the hottest countries on Earth, with temperatures peaking in July. But even in April, when we visited the Meroe Pyramids, the heat was relentless, pushing well into the high 40s °C (well over 100°F).
Then came the moment that perfectly captured just how unforgiving the desert can be. Both of our phones suddenly shut down. Simply because the heat was so intense that, after taking photo after photo, they couldn’t handle it anymore. The desert had quite literally cooked them.
At least we had managed to capture some incredible shots before the phones shut down… though standing there in that otherworldly landscape, we couldn’t help but wish we’d squeezed in just a few more.
Hitchhiking Back from Nowhere
After spending hours exploring and taking pictures of the Meroe Pyramids, we knew it was time to head back from where we were – the middle of nowhere!
We had agreed that our plan to return from the Meroe Pyramids to Khartoum would involve hitchhiking. So, we retraced our steps back to the road we had initially come from. We waited for about 5 minutes, and soon enough, a Toyota Hilux came into view.
We stuck our thumbs out, and although the car initially passed us, it stopped about 100 meters down the road and reversed back to us. The driver gestured for us to hop into the back of the truck because the cabin was full, and he took us to the nearest town, Shendi. There we spent the night at the only hotel available and caught a bus back to Khartoum the following day.
The journey from Khartoum to the Meroe Pyramids and back was a fun and adventurous experience. That’s what exploring the pyramids in Sudan is all about. Adventure isn’t just an option; it’s mandatory!
Is Sudan Worth Visiting
Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt, yet it’s almost invisible on the global tourism map. These pyramids tell a story often left out of history books: the story of a powerful African kingdom that flourished for centuries and contributed enormously to culture, trade, and architecture.
Standing there, surrounded by the Meroe Pyramids, it’s impossible not to feel awe and humility. You realise that history isn’t just about famous sites, it’s also about the hidden, unexplored corners of the world.
So, is Sudan worth visiting? Honestly, yes and no. If you’re taking on an overland adventure like our Cairo to Cape Town itinerary, there’s something incredibly rewarding about completing the journey without flights. It adds a real sense of achievement and adventure. But it’s far from easy, especially if you’re travelling independently. This is not a destination for the faint-hearted.
There are organised tours available, which make things more manageable, but they do come at a high cost.
At the same time, there’s something special about knowing that places like the Meroe Pyramids still exist, destinations that remain largely untouched by mass tourism. We feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have visited the Meroe Pyramids while it was still possible.
Practical Reflections From Our Visit
If you’re ever lucky enough to visit Sudan and the Meroe Pyramids (in the future, when it’s safe), here’s what we learned:
- The desert heat is intense. Phones, cameras, and electronics can fail.
- Bring sunscreen, lots of water, snacks, a hat, and a shemagh.
- Even though Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world, it is expensive to travel.
- Travel in Sudan is hard. We relied on local buses and hitchhiking.
FAQs About the Meroe Pyramids in Sudan
Is it safe to visit the Meroe Pyramids? No, it is currently not safe to visit Sudan due to ongoing political instability and conflict. Travel advisories strongly warn against visiting, so it’s best to wait until the situation improves before planning a trip.
When is the best time to visit the Meroe Pyramids? The best time to visit the Meroe Pyramids is during the cooler months between November and February. Temperatures in Sudan can easily exceed 40°C (104°F) for much of the year, especially from spring onwards.
Why does Sudan have more pyramids than Egypt? Sudan actually has more pyramids than Egypt, with over 200 across the country. The Kushite rulers built many smaller, steeper pyramids over centuries, which is why the total number is higher.
Where are the Meroe Pyramids located? The Meroe Pyramids are located in northeastern Sudan, around 200 km north of Khartoum, set in a remote desert landscape
Are the Meroe Pyramids a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Yes, the pyramids are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their cultural and historical importance.
The Meroe Pyramids: An Unexplored Wonder of the World
Unlike the Great Pyramids of Giza, which are teeming with tourists and vendors, the Meroe pyramids in Sudan remain untouched by mass tourism. That said, a trip to Egypt and seeing the Great Pyramids of Giza is still something every travel lover should have on their bucket list.
Looking back, the thing that sticks most isn’t the heat, the broken phones, or even the hitchhiking. It’s the feeling of being completely alone, surrounded by dozens of pyramids, in the middle of a desert, in a country that few have explored, just three days before war broke out.
Sadly, because of ongoing political instability, it’s currently not safe to visit Sudan. For now, travellers will have to wait patiently before they can experience what is truly one of the most incredible and underrated historical sites in the world.
We were there. We touched the sand. We saw the Meroe pyramids in silence. And we came away with a story that will stay with us forever. Even if most of the world will never visit, the pyramids in Sudan remind us that the world still holds secrets.
Save this guide for when Sudan reopens!
If you have any questions about the Meroe Pyramids in Sudan, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you, and don’t forget to check out our socials for our latest adventures!
Slán go fóil
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on the links to make a purchase, we will earn a small commission. This is at NO EXTRA COST to you. This is a free way to support us and allow us to continue to create inspiring adventure travel guides.
