Destination South Sudan

In terms of land cover, South Sudan spans 658,842 km². South Sudan has Juba as its capital city. The country has a lot of attractions waiting to be explored. These include national parks and game reserves, wetlands, rivers, mountains etc.

South Sudan has faced a series of conflicts and some extremely violent. After being governed in their distinct tribes and cultures for centuries, they became ruled and the British and Egyptian in the late nineteenth century. Sudan got its independence in 1956 and soon after Southern Sudan started fighting for its own. Two lengthy civil wars occurred, with one ending in 1972 after a peace agreement. The second civil war started in 1983, with conflict over religion, governance and resources. This went on for over two decades, with a comprehensive agreement being reached in 2005. This led to South Sudan’s independence in July 9, 2011.

Currently, South Sudan is composed of over 64 tribes, with each having there distinct or diverse cultures and languages spoken. These carry out a variety of economic activities in a unique way. There are pastoralists like the Dinker tribe and Mundari people. You will also encounter the Luo speaking tribes like Acholis. These are mostly crop farmers.

Climate of South Sudan?

The climate of South Sudan is tropical and marked by wet and dry weather conditions. This implies that South Sudan experiences a marked wet and dry season. During the dry season, the clouds are often clear, with relatively little cloud cover. This season is mostly windy. Generally, the temperatures on average experienced in South Sudan is 25^oC. December is the coolest month and experiencing between 21^oC to 30^oC. March is the warmest month and receives between 22^oC to 37^oC.

Rainfall in South Sudan is unimodal in the north and bimodal in the south, central and western regions. The rainfall patterns and frequency decrease as you move from the north to the south. In the north, rainfall is received from May to October. In the western and central regions of South Sudan, rainfall is received between April and June and August to November. The total amount of rainfall South Sudan receives is between 700 to 2,200 mm per annum. The rainfall is largely influenced by the movement of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone.

South Sudan has experienced numerous violent conflicts even after its creation. So, it is still not fully safe, especially if you are visiting the country without the services of a local reputable tour operator like us. We advice you to remain vigilant while on a tour in South Sudan. Do not visit areas that are not recommended for tourism. Take good caution while with your valuables including jewellery and ATM card. You can leave them at your booked accommodation while moving in the streets of Juba to avoid theft.

You must also avoid being scammed by criminals like in any other country, so be ware. Medical facilities are still not as many as in other countries like Kenya. Therefore, you should come with your prescribed medicine. Ensure that you are vaccinated for the diseases they have indicated where necessary. For more information on safety and security in South Sudan contact us. Also keep yourself up to date with news from South Sudan. This will help you plan your visit well.

South Sudan has six national parks and these include the following,

Bandingilo National Park

Spanning an approximate land area of around 10,000 km², Bandingilo National Park is South Sudan’s second largest. It was gazetted in 1986 and found in central Equatoria and eastern Equatoria in the southeast of South Sudan. Primarily covered by savannah grassland and woodland, Bandingilo National Park is home to numerous flora and fauna. This is an Important Bird Area with hundreds of bird species. You can see birds such as the village weaver, sedge warbler, mourning doves, tree pipit, Cape turtle dove and malachite kingfisher etc.

Bandingilo National Park is renowned to host the second greatest yearly mammal migration after the Great Migration of Tanzania and Kenya. This spectacle is composed of millions of antelopes moving from Bandingilo into Boma National Park and Gambella National Park in Ethiopia, and then back. These are white eared kobs, tiangs, Bohor reedbucks and Mongalla gazelles. Other mammals here include northern lions, wild dogs, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffes, Nubian giraffes, Grant’s gazelles, spotted hyenas, black-backed jackals and leopards.

Boma National Park

Boma National Park was established in the year 1977. With an impressive span of around 22,800 km², Boma is the largest national park in South Sudan. Boma National Park is situated in the southeastern part of South Sudan near the Ethiopian border. This vast protected area is covered by mainly savannah woodland, savannah grassland and riverine woodland etc. These vegetation house numerous flora and fauna. They include the Nubian giraffe, Kordofan giraffe, elephants, giant elands, African leopards, north-east African cheetahs, and oryx etc.

Being part of the Badingilo Jonglei landscape, Boma National Park is the perfect destination to witness for yourself one of the largest land mammal migrations ever. This involves millions of white eared kobs, the Mongalla gazelles, Bohor reedbucks and tiangs. These mammals move from the Bandingilo National Park through the Sudd wetland, Boma National Park and into Gambella National Park in western Ethiopia. This is also an Important Bird Area with key bird species like shoebill, golden pipit, Boran cisticola, rufous chatterer and Abyssinian scimitarbill.

Nimule National Park

Nimule National Park was established in 1954 and is situated in the Eastern Equatoria in the southern part of South Sudan. Nimule National Park borders Uganda, and spans 410 km². The park is primarily composed of wooded savannah and riverine vegetation. Nimule National Park is the most accessible if you are a visitor in Juba. You will see a variety of large mammals here. These include Uganda kobs, baboons, elephants, hippos, hyraxes, oribis, baboons, vervet monkeys, warthogs, leopards, zebras, common jackals and bushbucks.

Reptiles here include Nile crocodiles, savannah monitor lizards, African rock pythons, Nile monitor lizards. Birds that you can see in Nimule National Park include the great reed warbler, Goliath heron, barn owl, Alpine swift, African skimmer, pied kingfisher, African jacana, African fish eagle, black-billed turaco, black crowned crane, Egyptian goose, Ethiopian swallow, Jacobin cuckoo, laughing dove, Malachite kingfisher, long-tailed cormorant, Nubian woodpecker and scarlet chested sunbird etc.

Kidepo Game Reserve

Found in the Eastern Equatoria in the southeast of South Sudan, Kidepo Game Reserve spans an approximate land area of 1,200 km². Kidepo Game Reserve was established in 1975. It is endowed with the Kidepo valley, which is a feature that connects it with Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda. With vegetation dominated by woodland and wooded savannah, Kidepo Game Reserve houses numerous fauna species. Key animal species to see here include lions, ostriches, hartebeests, common elands, elephants, and striped hyenas.

Birds in Kidepo Game Reserve include the white-headed buffalo weaver and rufous chatterer. You can also explore the archaeological sites with significant rock paintings. This is an opportunity to gain insight into the previous generations who settled in the areas.

Sudd wetland

This is a Ramsar site in the north and central part of South Sudan. The Sudd is the world’s largest wetland with an approximate size of over 30,000 km² which varies from season to season. The size can reach 24,000 km² and up to 57,000 km². The White Nile’s Bahr al-Jabal section contributes significantly to balancing the waters in the Sudd. The Sudd is composed of a wide range of habitats, including scrubland, grasslands, marsh and woodland. Fauna in the Sudd include cheetahs, Gravy’s zebras, elephants, marsh mongoose and Nile lechwe.

Birds to see in the Sudd include the rare shoebill, great white pelican, black crowned crane, white stork and black tern etc. The waters have numerous fish species including the obscure snakehead, African brown knifefish, ocellated labyrinth fish, African arowana, gray bichir, marbled lungfish, tilapia, Nile perch and various species of catfish. The Sudd wetland is also part of the Great Nile Migration route taken by the antelopes (Mongalla gazelles, tinags, Bohor reedbucks and white eared kobs) from Bandingilo National Park to Boma National Park.

Kinyeti Mountain

Mount Kinyeti is the summit of the Imatong mountains with a height of 3,187 m. Mount Kinyeti is located in Eastern Equatoria and quite close to the Uganda border. The dominant vegetation is the tropical montane forest, montane grassland, scrubs, subshrubs and herbs. The mount Kinyeti chameleon is a threatened species that can be found here. Other highlights to see here include the Kinyeti River and the Imatong forest reserve.

Other destinations include the Wau Zoo and waterfalls such as the Fula falls and Aga Falls. South Sudan also provides various tribes that can be visited for interactions. There are over 64 tribes, with the Dinker as the largest. Other tribes are the Shiluk, Bari, Azande, Larim, Mundari, Aja, Madi, Acholi, Anuak, Otuho, Banda, Bongo, Jiye, Kakwa, Lulubo, Lango, Kuku, Mundu, Pojulu, Sere, Tennet, Toposa, Ngulgule, Nyangatom and Nuer among others. With their unique cultures and customs, they offer plenty of insight into South Sudanese way of life.

South Sudan is open to visitors all year around. But the dry season will offer you more favourable weather conditions to enjoy the outdoor activities. During this period, the skies are clearer, the atmosphere is less warm and the rains are not as frequent as during the rainy season. This causes the humidity to be manageable. This is the perfect opportunity to drive/walk on drier roads/tracks/trails. Your tour will also be continuous and not stopped due to rainfall, like in the rainy season.

For birders, you should highly consider visiting South Sudan during the wet season. This season causes heavy rains to fall in various parts of the country. The vegetation during this time is denser and water sources are quite numerous. Numerous bird species thrive under such factors. Therefore, you will see as many resident and migratory bird species. However, the roads or birding trails are muddy and slippery. This renders navigation practically challenging, but makes the adventure thrilling.

Wau Cathedral Tour

Visit South Sudan to witness firsthand this beautiful work of architecture. This Cathedral was established in 1913 by the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus. This Catholic Church in South Sudan is in Bahr El-Ghazal. You can also join the Roman Catholic believers here for mass on the specified time. A guided tour here will also offer deeper insight into the history of the site and how the church has played a significant role in the economic development of Juba.

John Garang Mausoleum

Visit the burial site of one of South Sudan’s founding fathers. Following his tragic passing at the age of 60, this tomb is where he was finally laid to rest. You can visit the site to pay your respect to a man who played a significant role in the independence of South Sudan. You will gain more knowledge about his life, education, death and how he led the People’s Liberation Movement/Army during the second Sudan War.

Watch Wrestling in Juba

You can attend wrestling matches over the weekend in Juba. These are intense competitions highly valued by South Sudanese as different individuals or clans challenge each other. The matches involve men and can be watched in freedom squares like Bor and Nyang. This is a very important moment of seeing the South Sudanese interact with each other and show case the strongest individuals in their land. You will hear their unique languages and see them dressed in their distinct clothes etc.

White water rafting adventure

This is one of the latest thrilling activities you will enjoy in South Sudan. You will enjoy it on the White Nile in Nimule National Park up to Juba. While enjoying yourself on the longest river in the world, you will also observe a variety of wildlife along the banks. These include birds and fish and large animals like hippos and Nile crocodiles. While you beat the grade 4,3 and 2 water rapids of the Nile River, you will feel the adrenaline of the adventure.

Safaris in national parks

Visit South Sudan’s key national parks like Nimule to see amazing wildlife species. You may want to go for a game drive, or a birding excursion here. Other activities you will enjoy here include boat ride, rock climbing and nature walk etc.

Cultural tours

Visit South Sudan and interact with the beautiful indigenous people. There are 3 main ethnic groups, each with distinct languages and cultures. These are the Bantu, Nilo-Hamites and Nilo-Sudanic. A guided cultural visit offers opportunities to see people from diverse backgrounds. For example, you will see the Dinka people, Mundari, Shiluk and others. You will learn more about their way of life and how they have sustained themselves in their lands for decades, if not centuries.