Nuri Pyramids

About this place

The Nuri Pyramids are an ancient royal Nubian necropolis in northern Sudan, near the Fourth Cataract of the Nile, dating to the Napata period. More than 20 pyramids of Nubian kings and queens still stand here, part of the Gebel Barkal and Napatan Region site on the UNESCO list. Their worn stones look powerful against the sky, with little to see besides sand and distant palms. It is the second of three Napatan royal burial sites, begun when there was no longer enough room at El-Kurru. At its peak perhaps 80 or more pyramids stood here. Building lasted over three centuries, from about 670 BC, the date of the oldest, the pyramid of Taharqa, to about 310 BC. You see the great pyramid of Taharqa, the largest, with smaller ones around it, many of which have lost their pointed form to time and wind. There is little else built here, so the scene rests on the stone masses themselves and the pale sand. Do not climb the pyramids, as the stones are fragile and come away easily. The finest colours come early and late in the day. It is about 10 km from Jebel Barkal and about 8 km in a straight line from Karima. Getting there involves crossing the Nile, by bridge or otherwise, so ask your driver about the route. There is no shade here. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Sudan, and access may not be possible, so check official guidance before making any plans.