Wadi Halfa

The original Wadi Halfa lies under the water of Lake Nubia, drowned when the Aswan High Dam filled in the 1960s along with dozens of Nubian villages, and the town was rebuilt on higher ground nearby while much of its population was resettled hundreds of kilometres away. It is the Sudanese end of the ferry across the lake to Egypt and the border crossing, and the lake stretches north from it into Egyptian waters.

Background

The name Wadi Halfa translates as Esparto Valley. The city belongs to Sudan's Northern State and had 15,725 inhabitants in 2007. It is the end of a railway line from Khartoum, and freight moves here from the trains onto ferries that travel down the lake. Many ancient Nubian sites surround it, and archaeological teams worked in the area to rescue finds from the floodwaters of the Aswan Dam. Mean annual rainfall is 0.5 mm. Sunshine can reach 4,300 hours in a year, 97 to 98 percent of the possible total. Average highs stay above 40 °C from May to September, and the record high is 49.5 °C.

Source: Wikipedia, "Wadi Halfa"

Highlights

• Lake Nubia - the reservoir covering the old town and the drowned villages.
• The rebuilt town - the settlement moved to higher ground in the 1960s.
• The ferry terminal - the Sudanese end of the crossing to Aswan.
• The border position - the northern limit of Sudan on the river.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. March to May is extremely hot. Ferry schedules are irregular.

Before you go

The town is a transit point with very limited facilities. Ferry and border procedures are slow and unpredictable. Travel in Sudan requires arrangements made well in advance.

Nearby

Lake Nubia stretches north, and Abri is south.

Key facts