A few questions

1. The ferry doesn't stop anywhere between Aswan and Wadi Halfa. If you are lucky you may see Abu Simbel from the ferry. In my case we passed there at 6am, the ferry left Aswan the day before at 5pm.
   
   2. Sudan is very safe. I can speak for the northern and eastern part.
   
   3. You can visit a lot of historical sites between Abri and Khartoum. There is nothing but desert between Wadi Halfa and Abri.
   I recommend to spend some time in the Nubian villages along the Nile. I stayed at Wawa opposite the Temple of Sulb. The people
   there are fabulous. Further south there is Karima worth spending some days. The pyramids at Meroe are great and the Lion Temple at Naqa has beautifully preserved Kushite carvings. One week is a bit short for this but 2 weeks should be ok. Note that if you take the train from Wadi Halfa you will miss the best part of northern Sudan.
   
   4. You meet all the travellers heading south on the ferry as it leaves once a week only. Or ask around in Aswan.
   
   Enjoy Sudan and its wonderful people,
   Raphi

Many thanks Raphi. I think it is going to be 2 weeks actually!
I am only planning to take the train back to Egypt not on the way down to Khartoum. A shame the boat does not stop. I assume there is no other boat connection between Abu Simbel and Wadi Halfa?

Thanks
Marie

i fully endorse your comments raphi.
go along the nile marie. there is no boat connection between abu simbel and wadi halfa.
just one point, i loved the first part between wadi halfa and abri. yes it is desert, there is all the way to khartoum but you have some serious great viewing of those black mountains with white sand in there valleys. the mud houses and ornate doors and window shutters, all brightly coloured, you follow the nile most of the way and you have this fertile green ribbon of date palms and local crops snakeing its way through the desert. great!
try to spend a couple of days in karima as raphi said. you have jebel bakar with those fantstic intact pyramids which at sunset are superb. you can see the old nile river boats pulled up on the banks. you can wander around these and imagine there grandeur in their hey day.
nuri is just down the road and you will see this old pyramid complex being reclaimed by the encroaching desert.
you miss all this if you take the train. sorry to ramble on but i loved sudan and its people. it is special.
sweet travels!

One week will be very tough--two weeks will give you some more flexibility. I agree with #1 about Sulb/Soleb temple (across from Wawa), Meroe, Naqa and (less so Musawwarat es Sufra) (all reachable from Shendi or even Khartoum) and Nuri, El Kurru and Jebel Barkal (all near Karima). There are other sites as well such as Sai Island near Abri, Old Dongola (which I did not see) and Kerma. You will have a great time. The people are friendly, generous and respectful.

CK

What everybody else said.

Don't worry about finding fellow travellers on the ferry. There were 47 foreigners when I took it.

V

@5, 47 travellers!!! I even get the luxury to be picky then:)!!!
Thanks everyone for your answers. Very much appreciated.

Anyone has an indication on prices expected for accomodation (basic, clean) outside Khartoum?

Thanks
Marie

today here in Cairo ...I was told that there are 2 ferries a week from Aswan to Wadi Halfa ....Friday and Monday ....got a ticket for Friday...EGP 266,50 !...around 50 US...

It is a cabin for that price? I am planning to sleep on the deck.

it,s a 2nd class ticket ....so I suppose no Cabin .... this ticket involves port taxes and a voucher for a meal ....