Less famous than their Egyptian neighbours, Sudan’s pyramids have been astonishingly preserved for thousands of years!!

Travel 200 kilometres out of Khartoum into the Sudanese desert and, appearing like a mirage, you’ll happen upon the ancient pyramids of Meroe. Far off the well-trodden tourist path of the Egyptian pyramids, this area of North Sudan was once part of the realm of pharaohs, which helps to explain why such a magnificent collection of pyramids and temples can be found here. More likely to be frequented by passing nomads and their herds of goats, the few visitors that do discover Sudan’s pyramids are free to explore the spectacular, ancient monuments undisturbed.

Thousands of years ago, Meroe served as the capital city of the Kingdom of Kush, the realm presided over by the Nubian dynasty. The pyramids here, which are almost 5,000 years old, are spread across three sites and are different from their more famous Egyptian counterparts on account of their smaller bases and steep sloping sides. Unknown to most visitors to North Africa, the site is home to around 200 pyramids and temples—more than there are in the whole of Egypt. Sudan’s pyramids were designed as tombs for the Nubian kings, such as the El Kurru necropolis, which once housed the tomb of the famous King Tanutamun. Step inside today and you’ll notice the elaborate paintings that adorn the walls and showcase the highlights of the reign of this celebrated king. The Nubians took inspiration from their Egyptians neighbours as well as the ancient Greeks and Romans in order to create their own distinctive structures. Given their age and isolated location, it’s a wonder that these structures have survived so intact. However, sharp-eyed visitors to the pyramids in Sudan might note that several of the monuments are missing their top points, which is due to Giuseppe Ferlini, an Italian explorer who blew up several of the pyramids in his search for treasure in the 1880s. Ferlini plundered the tombs of the likes of Amanishkheto, a Nubian warrior queen, in order to sell the spoils to European museums.