Our South Sudan holidays and tours take you about as far off the beaten track as it is possible to go, visiting tribal groups whose cultures have remained largely unchanged for centuries. For those of you who have seen everything, the chances are that you’ve not been to South Sudan. The world’s newest nation has only officially existed since 2011 and tourism here is a word that is met with blank stares.
South Sudan shares much in common with neighbours like Ethiopia and Kenya. The different groups that live here have similarities with those of the Omo Valley, and in the northern Kenyan deserts. Here though, the long war with the north means that the modern world has barely encroached. This is a very wild Africa, where tribal units have far more relevance than the modern nation-state, wealth is measured in cattle, and naked warriors roam the land.
This is not one of our easier destinations. On South Sudan holidays and tours you can expect some of the worst roads on the continent, basic (or non-existent) infrastructure, and obstructive bureaucracy. But journeying here holds an excitement that some of the better-travelled trails can no longer match. It feels like African travel was thirty or forty years ago.
South Sudan’s ‘wild east’ is home to the Toposa, one of the most traditional ethnic groups in all of Africa, and travelling this far feels rather like getting to the end of the earth. Many of the older women still wear skirts made from animal skins, and the men nothing much at all. Although virtually devoid of traditional ‘sights’ the country’s highlights are its myriad peoples. From the wrestling Mundari to the Boya in their picturesque villages, most of these groups will rarely have encountered outsiders before.
Top highlights on South Sudan holidays and tours
- Stay in a traditional Mundari camp, watching them care for their prized cattle
- Explore the lovely villages of the Lotuko people, in the hills around Torit
- Look for wildlife in Boma National Park – the annual migration here is larger than in the Serengeti
- Meet the Toposa people in their villages around Kapoeta
Our South Sudan holidays are exploration at another level from anything you may have experienced before.
Culture
South Sudan is home to an astonishing number of different ethnic groups, all of which hold their own belief systems and speak their own languages. But English is widely spoken in towns as a second language, and is the language of government. South Sudan has a sizeable Christian population – the result of colonial interference and efforts from missionaries – but there are also Muslim minorities in the larger towns.
The largest tribal groups are the Dinka and Nuer – both traditional cattle herders, who have longstanding grievances against each other. Throughout this part of Africa cattle represents wealth. They are used for dowries and as a financial resource, and rarely actually eaten. The Mundari are another cattle herding group, and have maintained their traditional lifestyles to a greater extent, generally living deep in the bush in cattle camps.
When to go on holiday to South Sudan
The best time to visit South Sudan is from November to April, which is the dry season. It is hot all year round and only slightly less so in the wet season, but the quality of roads outside of Juba can be challenging after heavy rain.
Start planning your South Sudan trip
Check out our scheduled small group tour to South Sudan, Africa’s Forgotten World. Although many of our trips are small group adventures with set departures, as a bespoke operator, we can design and create trips to suit any traveller, from solos to larger groups. If you would like to find out more about tailor-made South Sudan holidays or our group tours, call us on 01473 328546 or email us via our contact page. We’d love to hear from you.
