Top Things to do in Northern State
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5 Historic Sites in Northern State That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Northern State, Sudan including Third Cataract of the Nile, Kerma's Archeological Site, Nuri Pyramids, Necropolis of Nuri, El Kurru Tombs.
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1. Third Cataract of the Nile
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
The third cataract of the Nile in Sudan is one of the most dramatic of the remaining cataracts which have not been submerged by the Aswan dam in Egypt and the Merowe dam in Sudan. The most dramatic view is from the ruins of the Ottoman fort which overlooks the third cataract and surrounding desert.
Reviewed By ethiodemet - Gerstetten, Germany
I love the atmosphere at the 3rd cataract, the view from the fortress down to the Nile is unforgettable!
2. Kerma's Archeological Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By Bielding
Kerma was the political centre of an ancient kingdom that existed in what is now northern Sudan from c. 2500 to 1500 BC (when it was eventually conquered by their rivals to the north, the Egyptians). The most impressive remains on site are the giant mud-brick platform known as the 'deffufa'. This was probably a platform for a religious structure of some kind. You can climb the deffufa - it's about 18m high and gives an impressive view over the rest of the site, which is mainly preserved only as mud-brick foundations. It's very noticeable that the ancient architecture was based around African-looking round houses, as opposed to the rectilinear traditions of Egypt to the north. There is also a very good on-site museum that contains a wealth of statuary and reliefs from slightly later periods - because the site retained its importance as a religious shrine into much later times, when it was known as Pnubs. The star attractions are the cache of statues from the early kings of Napata (c. 675-595 BC), but there are also lots of fragments of Egyptian temple relief dating from the New Kingdom too (c. 1500-1069 BC).
3. Nuri Pyramids
4. Necropolis of Nuri
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By Kerryn72 - Melbourne, Australia
The pyramids of Nuri are a sight to behold. Pyramids in various states of repair/ restoration spread over a vast site, surrounded by small sand dunes. Allow lots of time to sit and enjoy these beautiful structures that are not yet inundated by tourists desperate for the perfect photo. Just sit and ponder, soak in the atmosphere and admire the workmanship and skill involved in building these impressive structures. Much more enjoyable than Giza due to the lack of other tourists. There are no entry chambers or hieroglyphs here- just the impressive pyramids themselves.
5. El Kurru Tombs
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Bielding
For a specialist, this site is incredibly important as the ancestral cemetery of the kings of Napata, but for tourists the main point of interest is that you can go down into the underground burial chamber of King Tantamani (c. 664-650 BC), which is still vividly decorated with Egyptian-style paintings and hieroglyphs showing the king on his journey into the afterlife, and the spells from the Book of the Dead that he would need on his journey. King Tantamani, although he came from the Sudan, had a dream at his accession to kingship, where he was told he should conquer Egypt too - he duly went north with his army, but was eventually defeated by the Assyrian emperor Ashurbanipal, who established his own puppet rulers over Egypt. Having retreated to the south, there is some almost more-Egyptian-than-the-Egyptians about the decoration of the king's tomb - perhaps trying to make some kind of point?
