Things to Do in South Sudan

About South Sudan

South Sudan doesn’t announce itself subtly. The air at Juba International Airport carries the dry, red-earth scent of the Sahel, mixed with woodsmoke from roadside tea stalls and the faint, sweet-sour aroma of fermenting sorghum. This is a capital city built on river time, where the White Nile’s brown current flows past the corrugated iron roofs of Konyo Konyo market and the modern glass of the Central Bank, all watched over by the stark, angular monument to independence at Dr. John Garang Mausoleum. You’ll find your rhythm on the cracked pavement of Airport Road, where boda-boda drivers in oversized football jerseys weave through traffic, and the evening call to prayer from Juba’s mosques competes with the thump of Congolese rumba from tinny phone speakers. A plate of kisra (sorghum flatbread) with stewed goat from a streetside dukan costs 500 SSP ($1.10), and a Nile perch grilled fresh at a riverbank camp near Terekeka will set you back 2,000 SSP ($4.40). Infrastructure is threadbare – expect power cuts, rough roads, and internet that comes and goes with the afternoon heat – but the welcome is deep. People here have fought hard for their home, and they share it with a quiet, earned pride you won’t find anywhere else.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Getting around Juba is an exercise in negotiation and cash. The boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) is king; a short trip across town from the airport to the city center will likely run you 1,500-2,000 SSP ($3.30-$4.40), but you must agree on the price before you get on. For longer trips – say, to the Nimule border or Bor – you’ll need a 4x4 and a driver. Renting one with a driver for a day costs around 150,000 SSP ($330), fuel not included. The real insider move? For inter-state travel, check with the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) for registered passenger flights on their small planes; it’s safer and faster than the roads, though bookings are complex and priority goes to aid workers. Avoid driving after dark at all costs – potholes become canyons, and checkpoints multiply.

Money: South Sudan uses the South Sudanese Pound (SSP), and cash is the only currency that matters. Credit cards are virtually useless outside of a few major hotels in Juba. Bring crisp, unmarked US dollars (post-2006 series) to exchange at forex bureaus along Airport Road – you’ll get a better rate than at banks. As of now, $1 gets you roughly 450 SSP, but that rate tends to fluctuate wildly with political news. Smaller denominations (SSP 50, 100, 200 notes) are crucial for daily spending; breaking a 500 SSP note for a bottle of water can be impossible. One major pitfall: never accept torn or heavily worn SSP notes – vendors and drivers will refuse them. Keep a separate, small stash of dollars for emergencies or unexpected hotel bills.

Cultural Respect: South Sudanese society is deeply communal and conservative. Dress modestly, especially for women – covered shoulders and knees are expected outside hotels. Greetings are essential; take a moment to ask “Ci yi?” (How are you? in Juba Arabic) before launching into business. Photography is a minefield. Never photograph military installations, checkpoints, soldiers, or government buildings – the consequences can be severe. For people, always ask permission, and a soft “no” is a firm no. If invited to share a meal, eat with your right hand only (the left is considered unclean). A small gift if visiting a local home – sugar, tea leaves, or soap – is a thoughtful gesture. Remember, this is a post-conflict society; avoid political debates and questions about personal wartime experiences unless someone offers the story freely.

Food Safety: Eat like the locals do: hot, cooked, and recently prepared. Stick to busy street stalls where food turns over quickly. The kisra and stew from a lady cooking over charcoal at sunset is almost certainly safer than a lukewarm buffet at a mid-range hotel. Peel all fruit yourself. Drink only bottled or properly filtered water – even for brushing teeth. The local staple is a sour, fermented sorghum porridge called asida, eaten with stews; it’s an acquired, tangy taste, but it’s the bedrock of the diet. For a surprisingly good meal, find a South Sudanese restaurant in Juba’s Hai Amarat neighborhood serving fresh Nile perch (fried or grilled) with peanut sauce; a whole fish with sides costs about 3,000 SSP ($6.60). Avoid raw salads and unpasteurized dairy. Carry rehydration salts – the heat alone warrants it.

When to Visit

Your trip hinges entirely on the rains. The dry season (December to April) is the only practical window for most visitors. From December to February, daytime temperatures in Juba are searing but manageable, hovering around 35-38°C (95-100°F), dropping to a pleasant 20°C (68°F) at night. Dust hangs in the air, turning the sunset a spectacular deep orange. This is peak season for NGOs and business travelers, so hotel prices in Juba are at their highest – expect to pay 80,000 SSP ($175) per night for a basic, secure hotel that might cost 50,000 SSP ($110) in the wet season. Road travel to places like Boma National Park (for the migrating antelope) is possible. March and April are brutally hot, pushing past 40°C (104°F) regularly, but the landscapes are still accessible. The rains arrive in May and don’t relent until November. From June to October, travel outside Juba becomes nearly impossible as dirt roads dissolve into impassable red mud, and many national parks close. Juba itself floods, with frequent, torrential downpours. This low season sees hotel prices drop by 30-40%, but you’re largely confined to the capital. For the intrepid, late November, just after the rains stop and before the dust fully sets in, offers a brief, green glimpse of the country, but road conditions are still tricky. If you’re coming for wildlife, target January-February. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind being city-bound, the rainy season offers cheaper flights and accommodation, but you’ll need serious patience.