The Nile and the other Rivers represent a major
attraction and provide a venue for other tourist
activities such as cruise launching, sport fishing,
white water rafting, birds watching and excellent
photography. The rivers have several waterfalls and
rapids, the most notable one being the Fulla Falls
at Nimule National park.
Characteristics of the sector
-
The sector is blessed with wildlife immigrations
to the country
-
Juba City is located on the banks of River Nile
making easy for visitors to enjoy the beauty of
the Nile.
-
The country is served by Juba and Malakal
International Airports.
Current situation in the tourism sector
-
South Sudan is in the process of developing a
tourism Act
-
Tourism policy has been drafted and submitted to
the Council of Ministers for approval
-
The country has no tourism training institution
-
There is urgent need to create awareness of
tourism potential through marketing
-
Wildlife Conservation Directorate of the
government of South Sudan and the Ministry of
Environment, Wildlife Conservation and Tourism
are responsible for the management of the
wildlife and the protected areas of South Sudan.
Transport in South Sudan
South Sudan has wide range of means of
transport including air, road and water. The Juba
and Malakal International Airports link the country
to other destinations in the world. The common means
of transport on the road include buses and taxis.
There is also railway transport and water transport
on the Nile
Investment opportunities in South Sudan’s tourism
sector
-
River boat services i.e. cruise boat on Nile
River
-
Tour operators/ Travel agents
-
Transport facilities
-
Private clinics and hospitals
-
Construction of hotels and restaurants i.e. 5
star hotels
-
Refurbishment and operation of lodge in Nimule
National Park
-
Tourism training college
-
Tourism and leisure facilities
-
Floating restaurant on River Nile
---------------
SOUTH SUDAN
CREATES MINISTRY FOR TOURISM AND WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION
19th
March 2014)
Information
was received from Juba, South Sudan’s
capital, that in a government reshuffle a
new stand alone Ministry of Tourism and
Wildlife Conservation was created by
presidential decree yesterday afternoon.
While no
ministerial appointments have been made as
yet, a total of 6 new ministries was
reportedly created.
South Sudan
in December last year descended into a near
civil war situation, with thousands killed
and hundreds of thousands displaced, and as
recently reported here were tourism
facilities in some of the parks, in
particular the Boma National Park, looted
and destroyed, literally killing off tourism
which at best was fledgling before the
outbreak of hostilities and at worst almost
nonexistent vis a vis real numbers.
South Sudan
has several national parks, the world’s
largest wetland known as the Sudd and the
White Nile, also known locally as Bahr el
Jebel, running through the entire country
from the border with Uganda to the border
with the Republic of the Sudan.
The migration
from Boma and the Sudd to Bandingilo
National Park where once a year the massive
herds of white eared kobs, Tiang and
Mongella gazelles congregate, can according
to Bahr-el-Jebel Safaris website number up
to two million animals (www.bahr-el-jebel-safaris.com)
and will be the country’s number one tourism
attraction once peace is restored, security
of visitors assured and the red tape still
in place when entering the country reduced
to make visits by high spending tourists ‘easy’.
For now
though, even granted that the political will
is there to make tourism a priority sector
for Africa’s youngest country, facilitate
investments, provide a state of the art
legal and regulatory framework, boost
conservation capacity and create parastatals
to market the country, regulate the sector
and manage the wildlife resources, it will
be some time to come before – unlike in the
rest of East Africa where tourism already is
a key economic cornerstone – the tourism,
hospitality and aviation industry will
mature enough to yield dividends, AFTER the
internal conflict has been resolved in a
lasting fashion.
SOUTH SUDAN EXPEDITIONS MAY START AGAIN
IN EARLY 2015
14JUL
Posted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H.
Thome(Posted
14th July 2014)
Bahr el Jebel Safaris, one of South
Sudan’s few professional safari and
expedition outfitters, has expressed
cautious optimism that they might be
able to resume their tours from early
2015 onwards.
When hostilities broke out in
mid-December last year and genocidal
killings swept across Africa’s youngest
country, were expeditions to Boma
National Park and to Bandingalo National
Park cancelled in the interest of
clients’ safety, though reports reached
that some of the semi-permanent camps
were looted by combatants.
Said Bahr el Jebel in a communication
received yesterday: ‘The
southern 3 states (Western, Central and
Eastern Equatoria of South Sudan are at
peace. The uprising by David Yau Yau
that affected us in 2013 has ended. We
plan to re-start safaris in January of
2015 staying to these states. We will be
operating from a mobile camp with
equipment brought up from South Africa.
There will be no permanent camps.
Bahr el Jebel has for a number of years
offered one of the few reliable options
to see the big migration of close to two
million White Eared Kobs, Tiang
Antelopes, Mongalla Gazelles and other
species which move from their two main
grazing grounds in Boma and the Sudd to
congregate at Bandigalo in search of
pastures, similar to the migration of
the wildebeest and zebras between the
Serengeti and the Masai Mara.
For
future updates on the resumption of
expeditions and safaris in South Sudan make
sure you watch this space or else
periodically click on www.bahr-el-jebel-safaris.com
..
