The first thing that a visitor to a Nubian village notices is the graceful style of the housing. The houses have thick walls made of mud mixed with straw and cow dung. The thick walls keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Each house is surrounded by high mud walls that enclose a large courtyard. One enters through a tall, majestic gateway which is usually decorated with colorful designs and symbols. The spacious courtyard has an earth floor. Children play there and adults sit on the ground on colorful mats, while they relax and socialize. During hot summer nights, the entire family sleeps under the stars in the fresh air of the courtyard.

The decorations on the walls and gateways are painted by girls and young women. The whitewash and paints are made from local limestone.

A typical house includes a living room for guests, bedrooms, a storage room, and a large kitchen. The courtyard also includes an outdoor living room for summer, an outdoor kitchen and baking area, and in a shady spot, the big clay jars for cooling drinking water.

While women work in the kitchen preparing food for guests, a few women tend the children in a room nearby. This room opens onto the courtyard, so it has plenty of light and fresh air.

Above is a summer living room, with lots of windows and openings for the wind to blow through. Every house in the village has two living rooms, one for the winter and one for the summer.

Pigeon soup is a favorite food.