El-Obeid (الأبيض)

El-Obeid, also spelled as Al-Ubayyiḍ, was the capital of the Mahdi. It was founded by the Egyptians in 1821, but in 1882, the town was captured and largely destroyed by the Mahdist. It was rebuilt after Kordofan was federated with the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in 1899. The city's cathedral is one of the largest on the African continent. During services, distinctive African music is played and it is an extraordinary experience. In El-Obeid is a small museum and there are two souks where all sorts of goods are sold.

Accommodation, as well as restaurants are available in town. El-Obeid lies in a desert area, 350 km southwest of Khartoum.