There is essentially nothing to do in Shendi itself. The town exists for travellers as a base for three of the most important archaeological sites in Africa: the Pyramids of Meroë an hour to the north, and the temple complexes of Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa down in the western Butana. All three need a vehicle and most of a day; together they make Shendi one of the great unsung archaeological circuits in the world.