 Kassalā city center, view towards the Taka mountains | ||
| Kassalā · كسلا | ||
| State | Kassala | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 536.009 (2010) | |
| height | 505 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Kassala, Arabic:كسلا, Kassalā, is the capital of the state Kassalā in Sudan.
background
getting there
The buses run between Kassalā and al-Charṭūm (Driving time 7 hours), al-Qaḍārif (3 hours) as well Port Sudan (7 hours). Buses from the better bus companies are usually booked out early. It is advisable to book the tickets a few days in advance. Otherwise you have to use a simpler offer at the bus station.
Smaller buses and minibuses go to destinations around Kassalā such as Ḥalfā al-Jadīda, Khashm al-Qirba (خشم القربة) And Arūmā (أروما).
Permission is required to enter Kassalā. This will be checked thoroughly before arriving at the bus station. You can get a permit from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in al-Charūm (near Chartum University). The processing of the application can take a few hours or several days, depending on the mood of the officers. If you leave Kassalā on a day trip, you may not be able to return to the city. Since March 2010, the permit for Kassalā has also been easily obtained from the Permits Office opposite the Dandas Hotel (southeast corner of the intersection). You have to present three copies of your passport, the Sudanese visa, a passport photo and a form that can be filled out on site. The entire process is free and takes about 5 minutes.
The border crossing to Eritrea is open. The starting point is the Sūq Tesenei, a small bus stop in the ʿAmiriya district.
mobility
The Kassalā intercity bus station is located at Sūq al-Sha'abi, directly on the al-Charṭūm – Port Sudan motorway and some distance from the city center. Local buses and taxis are already waiting here for most bus arrivals.
The central bus station Al-Mawqif al-'Aam is located in a large square in the middle of the Sūqs. Bus routes a tourist might want to use include those to Chatmiya (for the old town of Chatmiya, Saiyid Ḥasan's tomb, and the cafes on Totil Mountain), Sūq al-Sha'abi (for the intercity bus station), and Banat (for the river and colonial railway district of Qash). You can get to Sawaqi Dschanubiya and Sawaqi Shamaliya, the two agricultural areas in the south and north, by truck.
There are few taxis and no rickshaws in Kassalā.
Tourist Attractions
Markets
The markets, Sūqs, are lively and colorful. Many people wear clothing that is unique to their tribe.
- 1 Sūq an-Niswān, سوق النسوان, Is the "woman sūq" on which baskets, mats, coffee accessories and incense are made and sold.
- On the Sūq ar-Raschaida The Raschaida tribes gather and sell their bright red and black robes for women and colored jallabiyas for men.
Old town
- Al-Chatmiya, الختمية, Is the old town of Kassalā, below the mountain slopes of Taka, Totil and Aweitila, which cannot be missed due to its size. The main attraction is that 1 Tomb of as-Saiyid al-Ḥasan al-Mīrghanī, ضريح سيدي الحسن الميرغني, A local saint who is buried in an open-topped dome tomb next to a half-destroyed mosque. Locals report that it is so sacred that when it rains not a drop falls through the hole in the roof. Next to the grave is a Koran school for boys.
- Behind the grave you can see the slopes of the Gebel Totil, جبل توتيل, Climb. On the lower slopes there are several cafes carved into the rock that serve the best coffee in Kassalā. This is also where the famous one is located Totil fountain. Legend has it that those who drink it will one day return to Kassalā.
Other districts
- The Qash-River,القاش, Crosses Kassalā, but is mostly dry, so that it is used for a football game in the evening. In the rainy season, the water falls from the Eritrean mountains and rushes through the city, making the river banks a popular spot for strollers in the evenings. However, the Qash is a dangerous river that overflowed its banks in 2003 and 2007, causing great damage to the entire city.
- The area is on the other bank of the Qasch Sikka Hadīd, the old railway district. The original train station is still impressive and influenced by the colonial era, but has now been abandoned. Nearby are prefabricated round brick huts in the UK, which used to serve as accommodation for the railway workers and are now a popular place to stay for students.
- In the south is the area of the Sawaqi Janubiya, southern gardens. This is a collection of villages along the Qash, surrounded by mango and guava plantations.
activities
- Climbing the Totil Mountainto enjoy a fantastic view of Kassalā and continue to the Wad Sherifei refugee camp and Eritrea. To reach the top, you will need special equipment. In half an hour you can easily reach half of the mountain.
- Drinking coffee in one of the hundreds of tea stalls in Kassalā or in a café on Totil Mountain.
- Walk through Sawaqi Janubiyah. Cross the Qash Bridge and turn left onto the road that will take you through the Sawaqi villages. One can walk about five kilometers along the Qash, and when the river bed has dried up, one can get to the mountains and Chatmiya.
shop
Kassalā is famous for its coffee, which is traditionally served in a clay coffee pot called jabbana. These are sold quite cheaply at the Sūq an-Niswan, the women's market, along with a wooden mortar and pestles for grinding beans and ginger, a vessel for roasting coffee, jabbana stands and small coffee cups.
kitchen
Food
As is elsewhere Ful, which are mashed boiled beans, is the main course in Kassalā. There are many liquid levels in and around the city. The best are between Sūq an-Niswaan and Hotel Hipton, where Sūq is mixed with ta'amiya (falafel), cheese, tuna, or egg, and topped with sesame oil, garlic, and a herb called shumaar.
The cafe at-Tabaq as-Sūri on the main square is a good place for sandwiches and shawarma (doner kebab). Baklawa and other sweets are also available here. It is one of the few cafes in Kassalā where local women also eat.
Typical local dishes like Taqaliya and Bamiya (both thick okra sauces) are served with Ghuraasa (a spongy flatbread) or with Kisra (a very thin, slightly sour bread) and various pieces of meat. This can also be offal. Ask about schiyya if you want to avoid it. You should definitely try several restaurants in the middle of the Sūq.
The bus passes you on the road to Chatmiya Cattle market across from a large cemetery. There are stalls here selling sheep that are slaughtered to order and cooked in the restaurant next door.
beverages
Kassalā is famous for its coffee (jabbana), which is seasoned with ginger (zinjabil) and cinnamon (girfa) and served in a clay coffee pot with incense and popcorn. The best place with full preparation is in one of the cafes on the slopes of Mount Totil. Otherwise, Kassalā is full of tea stalls, where coffee is served in smaller coffee pots made from recycled cans.
- Dschbbana - coffee.
- bi dawa thagīl - with a lot of ginger and cinnamon.
- bi dawa khafīf - with a little ginger.
- Salīqa - without ginger.
- Shai - tea.
- Shai Karkadē - red hibiscus tea.
- Schai bi laban - tea with hot milk.
- Fawqu Dschumaada - with lumpy pieces of milk (some people ask for it!).
- Shai faransi - literally "French tea", that is actually coffee with milk.
Fruit juices are excellent in Kassalā and are freshly squeezed at many stalls in the Sūq. They can also be ordered without added sugar. Mango and guava are the best, orange is often diluted with plenty of water and added sugar. Local juices include aradīb (a brown fizzy juice similar to tamarind) and sha'īr (made from white powder and a bit like cold malty milk).
accommodation
Two of the best hotels in Kassalā are Telal ash-Sharg and Hipton. There is also the Safa, Bashir, Totil and Medina. All hotels are in the streets behind the Mawqif al-'Aam bus stop. Some foreigners have no choice of where to stay overnight as the security police will take them to a specific location, usually one of the above. Cheaper hotels like Hotel Africa and the many simple Lakondas (courtyards filled with beds) sometimes don't accept foreigners.
- 1 Hipton Hotel (فندق هبتون). Tel.: 249 (0)41 182 2357. The main advantage of this old hotel is its close proximity to the Sūq.(15 ° 27 '7 "N.36 ° 24 ′ 4 ″ E)
- 2 Telal al-Sharg (فندق طلال الشرق) (15 ° 27 ′ 19 ″ N.36 ° 23 '54 "E.)
- 3 Almak Nimir Tower (فندق المك نمر). Tel.: 249 (0)91 449 9966. Room with Bathroom.(15 ° 27 ′ 5 ″ N.36 ° 23 '45 "E)
- Saray Timintay Tourist Resort. Tel.: 249 (0)15 488 2727, Email: [email protected]. Resort with 16 chalets and a restaurant.
- 4 Al Safa Hotel (فندق الصفا) (15 ° 27 '17 "N.36 ° 23 '57 "E.)
- 5 Totil Hotel (فندق توتيل) (15 ° 27 ′ 12 ″ N.36 ° 23 '59 "E)
- 6 Bashir Hotel (فندق بشير) (15 ° 27 '11 "N.36 ° 23 '59 "E)
- 7 Medina Hotel (فندق المدينة) (15 ° 27 ′ 10 ″ N.36 ° 23 '52 "E.)
