The youngest country in the world (founded in 2011) has been plagued by civil war until 2018. Fortunately, these times are over and the security situation is better than it used to be. Nevertheless, violence still breaks out regularly, which is why you cannot really call South Sudan a risk-free destination.

Juba

There is little interesting to tell about my stay in the capital Juba. Juba is a city that exists in this form probably hundreds of times on the African continent: It is a mixture of high-rise buildings and shack houses line up next to streets, some asphalted and some dirt roads.

One particular feature of Juba, however, is that photography is forbidden. There is hardly a law about this, but if the police catches you taking pictures, it means trouble. Big trouble. In the worst case, you could even be taken to jail. Juba is by the way not the only African city with this “rule”.

The Mundari

I visited only one tribe, the Mundari. The Mundari are a small ethnic group in South Sudan who live in harmony with their cattle. The cattle have a very high status for these people. They serve mainly as milk producers, rarely also as food, but they are also a currency used for example in marriages, where the groom-to-be offers a certain number of cattle to the family of his future bride.

The drive to the Mundari took only about an hour. Normally the Mundari are farther away from the capital, but in the rainy season part of the tribe migrates with the cattle 75km away from the main camp, because the animals can graze better there.

Most people would probably describe a trip to South Sudan as pretty crazy. The impressions I have of this country are difficult to discribe. The trip to the Mundari was definitely worth it. But when you consider all the hassles of entering or leaving the country, plus the capital with all its restrictions, it is at the same time a terrible country to visit. Fortunately, the positives clearly outweigh the negatives for me. South Sudan may be a difficult country to visit, but what you get there is unique. It is a pity that the country does not make more of its tourism opportunities.