Peter Langer & Vallerie
Sudan is a very welcoming country and worth a journey on account of its archaeological sites, two of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, located by the Nile River. The most notable aspect of the journey was the amount of respect and kindness we were shown as travelers, but far more noticeable was to observe the same respect and kindness the Sudanese showed to each other on a daily basis. In terms of Islam in Sudan, the overall impression was that we werein quite a tolerant country, similar to Indonesia. My female travel companion did not feel threatened, but she was also dressed quite conservatively. There no need for her to wear a hijab at all times, but for female travelers, a scarf is recommended, especially for visits to holy sites. We took an extensive and thorough journey through the Nubian region in the North of the country, organized by Lendi Tourism, an excellent company based in Khartoum.
By Canada
Rafał Sikorski
Dear Walled, I would like to thank you and your staff for great customer service, hospitality and professional handling my group! It was a great job: you, your drivers, guides and cook of course. Jacek and other client told me about the trip, no complains, just lack of water in the hotel upon arrival was an unpleasant experience but it had no impact. I hope your staff was pleasant as well form the trip. Next trip to Sudan with you.
By Poland
Paula Padou
Dear Waleed, I wanted to thank you for putting together such a fabulous trip! It truly was the highlight of all my travels and every day held amazing sights and discoveries. I think it was the best trip I've ever taken among the many countries visited. I really didn't expect such a high-level experience, where everything was so carefully thought out and planned, if only because travel in less-visited countries often involves logistical challenges. Sudan offers such diversity of people and landscapes and I was able to experience this with ease thanks to your and Nazar, Emad and Amin's efforts. Your attention to detail is outstanding and from day one, I could see all the planning and organization that went into the trip. I didn't expect a cook, nor such a comprehensive set of equipment, but glad for it all. Emad is one of the safest, most conscientious driver I've been in a car with. I told him all the driving examiners for licenses in the USA would love him as an applicant, because he is so careful. Seriously. The trip was fantastic and I appreciate all of your work, patience and responding to emails and questions. I hope Lendi Travels gets a prominent mention in the next guidebook, because you certainly deserve it. Thank you again, Waleed!
By American Based in Beirut.
Alex Kostcih
I was fortunate enough to travel to Sudan in December 2018 with Waleed Arafat and Lendi Travel. I am an American citizen who was interested in an archeology-and-adventure-oriented 12-day tour, with two friends (one from Canada and one from Dubai). The three of us were so happy with the tour that Waleed put together for us; we covered a lot of ground, driving by caravan north from Khartoum to Port Sudan, stopping to see archeological sites along the way. From there we spent 3 days yachting in the Red Sea with Captain Jacques Royer, a wonderful Frenchman with the only yacht in all of Sudan (catering mostly to diplomats and ambassadors based in Khartoum). After those days spent diving, sailing, fishing, waterskiing, swimming and snorkeling, we began our return to Khartoum, again stopping at various UNESCO heritage sites along the way. In all, we saw 6 total UNESCO world heritage sites and enjoyed countless adventures. Perhaps the most memorable exciting activity we did was to dive the Umbria shipwreck off the coast of Port Sudan; it's an Italian warship sunk on the eve of World War II and now an impressive landmark and considered the #1 dive site in the world by many. Our guide, drivers and cook were all terrific; Ayad Ibrahim, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable about the antiquities and ruins we were visiting, and he was always accommodating to our requests and questions along the way. One of us (the Canadian) forgot a necklace with sentimental value at one of the guest houses where we stayed, and Ayad miraculously was able to have someone find and deliver it to us several days later, long after we had moved on from that place. It was the type of willingness to do these gestures that really made the trip unique and memorable; it was not something that had to be done but he did it anyway. The drivers were great, driving long distances each day. Our cook also managed to find fresh produce and meat and supply us with freshly prepared meals three times daily. Also, important to note, we always felt safe and secure with our crew in light of some civil unrest that began to occur while we were visiting. I was aware that our guide was constantly in touch with Waleed in Khartoum to assess the situation as it unfolded and to make judgements about where we would go and sleep in the evenings if the climate seemed uncertain. While we were never seriously in any danger, it was comforting to know that they were evaluating our route and determining the best possible scenario for us. In sum, the trip offered us memories of a lifetime. We saw dozens of pyramids and tombs rarely seen by most people, and we enjoyed an astoundingly beautiful few days on the Red Sea with Captain Jacques. Best of all, we came away with new friends and a sense real appreciation for this beautiful country, one of the world's unsung secrets. I hope we are able to return to Sudan someday, and we will each continue to tell people about Waleed and Lendi travel, should they want to visit and experience the adventure we were so fortunate to enjoy for ourselves.
By Los Angeles, California, USA
Angela & David
Thank you for organizing such a great trip for us. We really enjoyed meeting you and appreciated all the heart, care and concern you put into organizing the best trips for your clients. It was a privilege to see and enjoy your beautiful country. We will do our very best to share positive stories and reflections on Sudan with everyone, but most particularly the Americans we meet. Thanks again Waleed your enthusiasm, generosity and hospitality was greatly appreciated.
By New York, USA
Maggie & David Bruno
Dear Waleed, Now I have returned home, I am writing to say thank you again for arranging a first-class holiday and tour for us in Sudan. This was an excellent holiday in every way, the details of the tour, the way all our needs were catered for, the sights and people we met during the time, and above all for Nazar and Emad who were a wonderful team together, brilliant chefs, and incredible people individually. We had an amazing time, and enjoyed every moment of our trip. We have no hesitation in recommending Lendi Travel and your service to everyone, and indeed have already been encouraging friends and people we meet to use Lendi if they are thinking of visiting Sudan. And if you are in the UK at any time, we would be happy to have you to visit us in North Yorkshire… we have plenty of spare bedrooms! Many thanks again for our excellent trip. With best wishes
By UK
Tiina Jokinen
Salaamu aleikom! All is well and we are still thinking of the fantastic trip to Sudan.
By Estonia
Luc Jones
We are both back in Moscow now; just wanted to say a big thank you for putting together such a wonderful trip for us; Sudan was very different from anywhere I have ever been before!!
By Moscow
Allan Akerstedt
Dear Waleed,<br>Safely back I just wish to thank you for your professional assistance with our recent trip in northern Sudan. The drivers were experienced and drove very comfortably and safely. Our guide Ayat was extremely knowledgeable and had the ability to tell us about Sudan and its history in a way that really caught our attention. He had an answer to every question we asked, and they were not just a few! And the cook surprised us every day with very tasty food which was served in a very clean way. Sudan made a big impression on us – so friendly people, impressive monuments and beautiful landscape. <br>I wish you luck with your tourism business and I have taken the liberty of giving you some praise on the Sudan forum of Lonely Planet.
By Sweden
Catherine Coulter
We travel each year to somewhere pretty special but our time in Sudan is going to stand out for a long time. In addition, we found Waleed and his team to be terrific. We had an amazing guide (Nazar) and driver (Emad) and can't say enough good things about all of them. The trip was extremely well planned, right down to the bottles of cold water waiting for us each time we got back in the car from a sight. I plan to go onto Trip Advisor and to give them all a 5-star review. I can honestly say that working with Waleed and his team was the best experience that we have ever had in working with a travel company. We had an amazing time and can't say enough good things about Nazar and Emad, and I'd like to be able to put it in writing for your website so that others know how great Sudan is and why they should use Lendi Travel.
By Canada
Paul Clammer
"I have used Waleed Arafat as a fixer whenever I am working in Sudan. He's extremely professional and a knowledgeable tour guide as well as being a warm and friendly guy. If I was ever lost and needed help from anything to arranging permits and visa extensions to where to find the best watermelon just in downtown Khartoum, then Waleed was always the first person I'd want to ask."
By Paul Clammer
Johnny Haglund
I am a Norwegian freelance photographer, shooting stories for various magazines in several countries. In April and May 2010, I had the pleasure of traveling in Sudan. Despite all the negative publicity this country has received during the last decade, I found Sudan to be one of the most exciting countries I have ever visited. During my journey in Sudan, I used Lendi Tourism. I traveled with a 4x4, a driver and one fixer/interpreter. We started out from Khartoum and headed north, on the west side of the Nile, visiting small villages in the desert. Then we headed back south on the east side of this famous river. After a visit on the Red Sea coast, we traveled back to Khartoum, to see the Nuba wrestlers, before we went further south to Demazzine and into the plains south of the Blue Nile. Most of what I have read about traveling in Sudan highlights the country’s archeological sites. Although Sudan has some great ruins, the real attractions in Sudan are its people. The diversity is magnificent, especially for a photographer. My fixer, Mr. Moez, helped me a great deal to achieve my job. He has a friendly approach, which opened up many doors, and he knew very well how to handle the police… which at times can be a little bit of a hassle. All in all, I am very satisfied with Lendi Tourism, and on my next trip to Sudan – which I look very much forward to – I will defiantly use Lendi Tourism again!
By Johnny Haglund
Jesper Bisablle
Input for your website before deciding on opening our company in Khartoum, Sudan we spent about 18 months going often to Sudan. We met Waleed from Lendi Tourism early in that process. His professional and friendly personality will undoubtedly help other initial business travelers into Sudan. Once you become more established in Sudan, you will in Waleed not only have a competent advisor for all things small and large. You also will have a good and friendly person to rely on outside business activities. Do you want to take a short break to the pyramids – call Waleed. Do you want to go to a particular restaurant and arrange a special meal – call Waleed. Do you need a car urgently – call Waleed. Do you need to get medicine or go to a medical clinic – call Waleed. He is trustworthy and in his business for the long term, as a local Sudanese with an international outlook. Feel free to add more to the content, as you like. Will be in touch later May, once I have my dates for June. Hot weather that time probably, but hopefully no sandstorms!
By Jesper Bisablle
Robert Dvorak
Before coming to Africa I read about Lendi Travel on the internet. As all the references were very positive, I tried to call the director, Waleed, during my stay in Khartoum. Right after the first meeting, I knew that this was the best contact I could possibly find but over the following weeks Waleed still managed to often exceed my expectations. His Lendi Travel combines the efficiency and politeness of a modern Western European/American company with the specific cordiality of Sudan. Lendi Travel organized for me the renting of a 4x4 vehicle to less accessible areas, helped with arranging all necessary permits and provided me with valuable up-to-date information which is often very difficult to find in Sudan. The services were always 100% reliable, their quality and choice excellent. Sudan proved to be as I had known it from books - a unique mosaic of cultures and countrysides. On one day the visitor can stroll in the shade of ancient pyramids, just a few days later he can watch monkeys on green plains of the south or dive among coral reefs in the Red Sea. The local people are one of the most friendly and hospitable I´ve ever met. This time my trip through Sudan lasted almost one and a half month but it was definitely not enough.
By Robert Dvorak