The 1,276-kilometer border between Egypt and Sudan follows a line deep within the Nubian Desert, a region that has connected the two civilizations along the Nile for millennia. Your journey here is a passage through an ancient landscape, though one now profoundly impacted by the recent conflict in Sudan.
You have two main options for crossing. The classic route is the weekly passenger ferry that travels the length of Lake Nasser, the vast reservoir created by the Aswan High Dam, between Aswan in Egypt and Wadi Halfa in Sudan. The alternative is the more modern, but extremely remote, land crossing at Argeen.
The ferry is a slow, iconic journey, a throwback to an older era of travel that offers stunning desert-and-water vistas. The land crossing at Argeen is a long and arduous drive through an empty desert, requiring a well-prepared vehicle and supplies.
Due to the devastating conflict that began in Sudan in 2023, this border has become a primary route for refugees fleeing north into Egypt. The crossings are operational but are under immense strain, and the security situation, particularly upon entering Sudan, is extremely dangerous. You must consult the most urgent travel advisories, which will warn against all travel to Sudan.