Which foreign currency in Sudan?
 

Which foreign currency should I bring to Sudan? Euro's or US Dollars? And what is the actual rate?
Thanks,
Gerbert

My info is twelve months old, but at that time the US$ was clearly preferred to €. The rate in Khartoum was about 245: US$1, however I suspect it has probably fluctuated since then.

Coming from Ethiopia, I found it virtually impossible to change at that rate, despite knowing what the true rate was. Instead as all the money changers at the border are aware that you need to pay for customs clearances etc in local currency, you will get a very poor rate. A true cartel if ever I have seen one (but good luck to them if that is their only income!)

cheers

Today's Rates
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by gvdaa And what is the actual rate?

The current official exchange rate for the dollar in Sudan is 203.20 (selling) and 204.5 (buying) and on the black market it is around 205-206 Sudanese Dinars.

The dollar has dropped from 260.6 in the past few months and is expected to fall further to between 200 and 190 SD. Due to this weakness, it is financially risky to hold dollars in Sudan at the moment so sometimes the official rate is better than the black market.

Stephan

Recent Experience
 

Hi Guys,

We just crossed from Wadi Halfa to Aswan yesterday after travelling Galabat-Khartoum-Wadi Halfa (via the train tracks).

US dollars are preferred over the euro. Stephano was right on the money with his rates, we got 203 for the USD. We carried euros also but the banks in Wadi Halfa only took US and we were able to get only 250 Dinars for the euros on the black market when it should have been closer to 260. Also had to hunt around for someone to change the euros in smaller towns.

Also in Aswan we had run out of USD and only had euros and the egyptian authorities wouldn't even take the euros for Visa fees. They demand USD dollars (can't pay in egyptian pounds either) so we had to change with some fellow travellors.

Happy travelling,

Phill

Exchange rate
 

Hi,

coming from Ethiopia (april this year) we were also offered a very poor exchange rate by the moneychangers at the border. However, when i mentioned this to the head of the customs office (i forgot his name but he's locally known as 'the commander') he looked up the official exchange rate for us, wrote it down on a paper and had someone guiding us to a local business man who paid us that rate without discussion. Arriving in Khartoum we noticed that this rate was correct.
So, in case of border trouble i suggest you ask for the commander (the guy even offered us a free military escort including Toyota Landcruiser with big machinegun in the back when we mentioned our initial plan to continue travelling late in the day). In the end we took up his offer to sleep in front of the customs office which turned out fine except for the noisy generator.

Greetings,

Koen

Glad to hear that. :)
If anyone in Sudan specifically is unsure about up-to-date currency rates just send me a PM or e-mail. Stephan

Thanks a lot everybody