Storm over the Nile

The highlight of our 2011 touring season will undoubtedly be our trip to the Sudan. The tragic story of ‘Chinese Gordon’ and Khartoum is well known and was well documented in the film ‘Khartoum’, as have the events of the later 1898 campaign which resulted in the Battle of Omdurman. However, less is known about the Mahdi, the man who was destined to become so much a part of Sudanese history. Hopefully, this will change after our visit which takes in not only the military aspects of the Sudanese campaigns but also Sudanese history. Now, the first question I hear you all asking is, ‘Is the Sudan safe?’ Well, yes of course it is. The southern regions of the Darfur and the Kordofan have seen their share of troubles in recent years but Khartoum lies in the north, well away from any areas regarded as unsafe. Furthermore, we have the assistance and considerable experience on this tour of the same company (a European company) which made all the arrangements for the ITV/Joanna Lumley series to find the source of the Nile. So, fear thee not! Our tour is based out of two centres: the 5-star Grand Holiday Villa Hotel, situated on the banks of the Nile itself, complete with pool, etc, whose past guests include Queen Victoria, Thomas Cook and Winston Churchill, and the permanent camp at Meroe (more overleaf). The archaeological sites, many of which relate to the Nubian pharaohs in the north are absolutely stunning, as is the scenery in general, which is what you would expect of the desert anyway. The combination of travel, history, battlefields and stunning locations make this a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With only ten twin-bedded tents at Meroe, places will be very limited. Indeed, single supplements will only be available for the hotel in Khartoum, otherwise the tour capacity will be halved. Single places in tents will only be available if we do not get a full take up.