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National Parks in South Sudan
Until the civil war in 1983, Southern Sudan was one of northern Africa’s best-kept wilderness areas. Many endangered species and dry weather species of both flora and fauna live in protected areas in modern-day South Sudan. The population of wildlife in this area is regarded as the second largest in the world with an important migratory route crossing through the park.
National parks in South Sudan include the Boma National Park and the Southern National Park. Others include Bandingilo National Park, Shambe Nature Reserve, Lantoto National Park, Radom National Park, and Gambella National Park.
The River Nile floodplain, wetlands, high plateau regions, open savannah grasslands, and escarpments are among the best wildlife zones in South Sudan.
National Parks in South Sudan
Boma National Park: National Parks in South Sudan
Boma National Park, located in the eastern part of South Sudan bordering Ethiopia, appears to be the largest of the national parks in South Sudan. The Park is one of the largest protected areas in the whole African continent, covering an area of 22,800 sq. km. The Park was established in 1977 and is mostly covered by grassland and flood plains. The main attraction of Boma National Park is undoubtedly the vast wildlife diversity that it contains, which is made up of a variety of animal species.
How to get to Boma National Park
Boma National Park is west of the town of Boma. A road connects this town to Raad on the Ethiopian border, and another road leads southwest from Boma through the park to the town of Kapoeta via Kassangor. The Boma Airstrip serves the town, which is about 340 kilometers from Juba International Airport. There is only one runway here, which is unpaved. There is no scheduled traffic, so if you want to fly in, you must arrange your transportation via charter plane or similar.
Best time to visit Boma National Park - South Sudan
The Boma National Park can be visited at any time of year, but the best time for wildlife viewing is during the dry season, which lasts from June to September. This is home to numerous animal species, particularly from March to June, when many animals migrate to Boma to avoid the wet seasons in the Sudd and Bandingilo National Parks. The animals will eventually arrive in Ethiopia until the weather turns too dry, at which point their journeys will be reversed.
Attractions in Boma National Park
Wildlife
Boma National Park has several attractions that have drawn visitors from all walks of life to simply enjoy the splendor that the park displays. Given the size of the park and its location on the South Sudan-Ethiopia border, the park is home to three of the big five animals, including elephants, buffaloes, and African leopards.
Apart from the three of the big five, the park also has other wildlife species such as maneless zebras, Nubian giraffes, oryx, waterbucks, grants gazelle, lesser kudu, bongo, level hartebeest, common elands, giant elands, and Nile lechwe, a rare species of antelope.
The national park is a popular destination for lions in South Sudan because it has been designated as a lion conservation unit since 2005, along with Ethiopia’s Gambela national park.
The white-eared Kob
This is the most visible species in Boma National Park. According to the study reports, it is primarily located in South Sudan’s wetlands and clay plains to the east of the Nile. The white-eared kob is mostly found outside of protected areas and migrates primarily during the summer and monsoon seasons. The white-eared kob’s migration route in the dry and wet seasons is determined by the variation in rainfall and flooding throughout the year, which spans over 1,600 kilometers.
Birds
The Boma National Park is home to a diverse population of bird species, both resident and migratory. Among these are the Ruppell’s vulture, the black-chested snake eagle, and numerous others. The species found in Boma National Park are the same as those found in Ethiopia’s Gambela National Park.
Animal Migration
In South Sudan, just as in the Serengeti, animal migration takes place all year. It is a slow movement dependent on the grass and the rain. During March, April, May, and June the animals are moving from North to South and West to East, from the Sudd flood plains and Bandigalo National Park, back into Boma National Park and Gambela Park in Ethiopia, because the rains will have started.
In these National Parks in South Sudan, the animals are moving from south to north and east to west in November, December, and January because the dry season has begun and the animals are looking for grass. The white-eared kob will be calving in November, December, and January as they migrate north into the Sudd flood plain and west into Badingilo National Park.
White-eared Kob antelope, Tiang Antelope, and Mongalla Gazelle are the main migrating species. Before the war with the north, there were vast herds of zebra, but their numbers were drastically reduced. According to a 2008 survey, there were 6,850 elephants in the park and the surrounding area. Elephants and zebras migrate along with the water and grass in these National Parks in South Sudan.
Badingilo National Park: National Parks in South Sudan
Badingilo National Park in South Sudan is part of a larger 200,000-square-kilometer ecosystem that stretches east through the Jonglei corridor to Boma National Park; and north to the Sudd, an inland delta bordering the White Nile, one of the Nile River’s two primary tributaries. This is another of the intriguing national parks in South Sudan
Covering a total surface area of 8,935 sq. km, the park was founded in 1986 to conserve black rhinos, which are now locally extinct. The Park was also once known for its abundance of large mammals. However, the continuous armed conflict has severely impacted the lives of communities in and around South Sudan’s protected areas, putting significant pressure on the country’s wildlife and habitats, including Badingilo.
To ensure the long-term ecological, social, and economic sustainability of this globally important park, the Government of the Republic of South Sudan signed a 10-year agreement with African Parks on 25 August 2022. Badingilo and Boma National Parks are the first to join the African Parks portfolio in South Sudan and bring the total number of parks under our management to 22 in 12 countries across Africa.
After the Serengeti, Bandingilo National Park is home to the world’s second-largest annual animal migration. This migration involves the movement of several antelope species, including things, reedbuck, and white-eared kob. The park is also home to iconic African megafaunas such as the Nubian giraffe, as well as predators such as lions, cheetahs, caracals, African wild dogs, and spotted hyenas.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of white-eared kob, Mongalla gazelle, tiang, and reedbuck congregate in Badingilo during the wet season to breed before migrating north and east to the Sudd and Boma National Parks, as well as across the border to Gambella Park in Ethiopia. These herds are the world’s largest concentrations of large mammals after the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem’s wildebeest migration.
Bandingilo National Park is made up of large marshlands that extend up to Jonglei state, and it is home to a diverse population of bird species.
Activities in the Park
Game Drives
During a guided game drive, you can drive through the park and see a variety of wildlife. This national park hosts the second-largest annual animal migration after Serengeti’s Great Migration. This migration includes a variety of antelope species such as reedbucks, white-eared kobs, and many others. Cheetahs, caracals, lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, African wild dogs, and other animals may also be seen during the drive.
Birding
In the park, you can see a variety of beautiful and colorful bird species. The River Nile runs through the park, providing habitat for a variety of bird species such as the African blue flycatcher, the Abyssinian Ground hornbill, the African cuckoo hawk, the African grey hornbill, the African palm swift, the African pygmy kingfisher, the African jacana, and many others.
Community tours
Visit the locals to learn more about their culture and traditions. These people will entertain you with traditional songs, dances, and poems. Listen to traditional stories and learn about their culture’s history. Get to know how the locals have been surviving with their primitive ways of living and get to support them to make their lives better.
When is the best time to visit the park?
Bandingilo National Park can be visited at any time of year, but the best time for game viewing is from June to September during the dry season. The dry season in South Sudan may shift to November and December due to climate change.
Southern National Park: National Parks in South Sudan
Southern National Park is another of the national park in South Sudan that was established in 1939. The Park covers an area of approximately 23,000 sq. km. The park is bordered by the Sue River in the west, the Gel River in the east, and the Ibba River in the center. The southern national park was established primarily to save white rhinos and elephants from extinction.
Other wild animals in the park include elephants, include the giant eland, waterbuck, African buffalo, hartebeest, northern white rhino, kob, lion, colobus monkey, Kordofan giraffe, oribi, korrigum, and various galagos such as the Senegal bush baby and the giant forest hog.
Aside from mammal species, Southern National Park is home to a variety of aquatic animals that can be seen in the rivers that run through it. The aba, tilapia, eel-like fish, lungfish, catfish, Nile bichir, and a few crocodiles are among the species.
When is the best time to visit Southern National Park?
Southern National Park can be visited at any time of year, but the best time for game viewing is during the dry season, which lasts from June to September.
Activities in Southern National Park
Game drives
Take advantage of the guided game drives through the park grounds. During the drive, look for lions, hartebeest, korrigum, African buffalo, Kordofan giraffe, giant eland, waterbuck, northern white rhino, colobus monkeys, and a variety of galagos such as the Senegal bush baby and giant forest hogs. Southern national park is one of the best places to see elephants and white rhinos because it was created primarily to protect these species.
Nature walks with a guide
Enjoy guided safari walks through the park’s trails and savannah. Hike different hills in the park while seeing different species such as birds along the Park Rivers, small mammals, plants, and insects. Waterbucks, giraffes, and other animals are among those to be seen.
Observing birds
Southern National Park is home to a variety of bird species, including pelicans and marabou storks, black-crowned cranes, pink-backed pelicans, cattle Egret, saddle-billed storks, and many more.
Boat ride
Several rivers flow through Southern National Park, and the habitat supports different reptile species, including fish species like tilapia, Nile bichir, catfish, lungfish, and a few crocodiles. All of these animals can be seen while taking a riverboat ride.
Where to stay while in Southern National Park
While in the park, it is always safer to travel back to the city for accommodation due to security reasons. Here are some of the few selected accommodation options to choose from.
- The Royal Palace Hotel in Juba
The Royal Palace Hotel in Juba in South Sudan, provides warm hospitality, world-class cuisine, and a wealth of elegance, all while providing first-rate service and attention to detail. The hotel is located about 250 meters from the White Nile River and a ten-minute drive from Juba International Airport, which places it in the heart of the market and business district.
It’s also an excellent base for exploring South Sudan’s amazing tribes, the stunning Boma-Jonglei Landscape, witnessing Africa’s second-largest animal migration, or taking a Nile cruise.
The Royal Palace Hotel provides the ultimate luxury for both leisure and business travelers. The ultimate Wild Safaris and hotel staff will go out of their way to make your stay memorable; whether you’re organizing a team-building exercise, the launch of a new product, or a conference, we have the facility to pull it all off with style.
- The Juba Landmark Hotel
The hotel is located in Juba, a 3-minute walk from Juba Stadium. The Juba Landmark Hotel features a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool, and a bar. This 4-star hotel has free WIFI, a 24-hour front desk, and room service. Guests can use the garden. Every room in the hotel has a closet. Every room has a desk and a flat-screen TV, and some have balconies. A continental breakfast is available to guests at the hotel. The hotel is safe and conveniently located near the Nile.
- The Aron International Hotel
The Aron International Hotel is located in Juba, 2.4 kilometers from the John Garang Memorial. The Aron International Hotel has budget and midrange accommodations, as well as a restaurant, free private parking, a bar, and a garden.
Aron International Hotel is approximately 2.9 kilometers from Konyo Konyo Market, and it is also 2.9 kilometers from Juba Stadium. For guests’ convenience, the Aron International Hotel has a 24-hour front desk, room service, and currency exchange. The hotel’s rooms all have a seating area and a TV.
Every morning, the Aron International Hotel serves a continental breakfast. While staying here, you can visit Juba Game Reserve, which is 7.1 kilometers away.
Nimule National Park: National Parks in South Sudan
South Sudan’s Nimule National Park was founded in 1954 and extends for a distance of 410 sq. km. The park’s undulating landscape of hills and low-lying areas is crisscrossed by perennial rivers and seasonal streams. The Nile River flows past the park’s eastern boundary. The park has a significant population of elephants but is threatened by human encroachment and poaching. However, due to its picturesque landscapes and diverse flora and fauna, the park has great potential to become a popular tourist destination.
The terrain within the park is hilly, with savanna woodland covering the majority of the land. Along permanent and seasonal watercourses, you can visit riverine woodlands where the dominating trees are Acacia sieberiana and Borassus aethiopium. It is possible to arrange a boat trip to experience the park from the water.
Getting there
The closest town is Nimule, which is 197 km by road from South Sudan’s capital Juba and 120 km by road from Gulu in Uganda. Gulu is the nearest large city.
Attractions in the Nimule National Park:
Olive Baboons, Vervet monkeys, and Chimpanzees are among the primates that can be seen during the wet season. The Nimule national park is one of the best places to film Hippos, which is found on the Nile River. It is also home to the Fula waterfalls, which are ideal for filming South Sudan’s rapids.
With that detailed information about the National parks in South Sudan, lets get you going. Explore the mysterious national parks in South Sudan for an incredible African experience.
