South Sudan

Understand

thumbnail|Cattle in South Sudan thumbnail|Soldiers in South Sudan

Get in

thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of South Sudan, with countries in green having visa-free access

Get around

thumb|There is always room on top! Travelling by train towards [[Wau (South Sudan)|Wau.|320px]] <!--

See

East African wildlife in Nimule National Park. Rumbec Freedom Square in Rumbek. White Nile. See the White Nile and the locals taking a drip from any of the restaurants located on its bank like Da Vinci and Afex. Afex. This restaurant has the best view of the iconic sinking ship that every humanitarian has on their Facebook page. Jebel Kujur. Hike up this 684m-high rock and get a good view of the city. However, it is crowded during the weekends. Check the security situation of the area before hiking up.

Do

Safaris to Boma National Park and Nimule National Park. See the parks by 4x4 vehicle or aircraft. See the greatest migration of mammals on the earth.

If you're feeling charitable, visit the Angels of East Africa orphanage (as featured in the film Machine Gun Preacher), also located in Nimule.

Eat

South Sudanese cuisine is mostly based on grains such as maize and sorghum.

The national dish of South Sudan is Kisra, a sorghum pancake.

It is heavily influenced by Arab cuisine.

The following are the most common dishes served:

Kisra. This is the main source of carbohydrate. It looks similar to Ethiopia's injeera but is more fermented, has a stronger sour smell, and has a rougher texture. It's color depends on what grain is used but most are made from sorghum, which gives its deeper brown color. Mandazi. Deep fried square donuts. Wala-wala, millet porridge. Aseeda, sorghum porridge Shaiyyah. Pan fried meat. Mahshi. Similar to the Middle Eastern dolma. Zucchini, tomatoes and bell peppers are stuffed with minced meat, rice, onions etc. in a bed of tomato sauce. Gurassa, yeasted pancake. Kajaik, fish stew. Ful sudani, peanut sweet. Molokhia. Made of Molokhia or Jews mallow leaves cooked in a meat based soup. Tamia, falafel.

Drink

South Sudan's first brewery closed in 2016. However a new brewery was opened in 2024. South Beer is one of their most popular products.

In the towns of South Sudan such as Rumbek and Juba, Kenyan and Ugandan beers are starting to appear in bars at inflated cross-border prices. In Renk, you can even buy Red Horse, a Filipino beer!

Fresh fruit juices are available throughout South Sudan. One of the local juices is "aradeab" (tamarind) and juice made from the baobab fruit.

The clove-flavoured tea (chai) is very good. Outside the capital, you'll pay usually 10 SSP for a cup. Also try the ginger-flavoured coffee. In Renk, one cup of this is 100SSP (2019). Both are very sweet, so if you don't want sugar or you want it separately, say "Sukar bara" (serve sugar separate) when you order.

Sleep

Radisson Blu Hotel Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba Grand Hotel Palm Africa Hotel Acacia Hotel

Stay safe

thumbnail|Village hut in South Sudan Although the level of violence has subsided since the establishment of the country and the end of the civil war, South Sudan remains dangerous for travel as ceasefire violations and boundary disputes have continued. Guns are freely and readily available to the populace, and it is not uncommon to hear gunshots being fired in broad daylight. Travel near the Sudan or Central African Republic borders is extremely dangerous. Western governments continue to advise against all travel to South Sudan and the adjacent regions in Sudan. Violent crime remains problematic; unexploded ordnance from years of civil war also poses hazards to civilians.

Stay healthy

It's a malarial area, so before arriving, visit a tropical vaccination center to get prophylactic treatment and the necessary vaccines, including yellow fever, polio and hepatitis A and B. Be sure to sleep under a mosquito net and use mosquito repellent. Most of the South Sudanese drink water from the rivers, which exposes them to diarrhea and cholera. If bottled water is not available, boil/chlorinate the river water before drinking it.

Ebola may occur from time to time.