What to see in South Sudan: 10 must-sees

Discover Boma, one of the largest parks in South Sudan, where elephants, giraffes, and antelope roam the savanna in great seasonal migrations. Explore its plains on a guided safari, camp by the river, and watch wildlife from natural viewpoints at dawn. Follow foot trails to spot birds and herds of tiang and gazelles—one of the largest antelope concentrations in Africa. Bring a local guide and plenty of water, and plan your visit for the dry season, when animals gather near the water sources.

Stroll along the banks of the White Nile in Nimule, just a step from the Uganda border in Central Equatoria. Explore the savanna on a guided safari and look for elephants, lions, and hippos in the tall grass. Camp by the river and listen at night to animals moving near the water. Climb the natural viewpoints for birdwatching and walk the trails with a local guide. Bring plenty of water, repellent, and patience: wildlife is best spotted at dawn and dusk, when the heat subsides and animals come out to drink.

Take in Juba from the banks of the Nile, where fishermen work at dawn and barges load goods heading upstream. Wander the central market among stalls of fabrics, spices, and roasted peanuts, and visit the craft market to find basketry and carvings from local communities. Spend a morning at the National Museum and admire the colonial façades that still remain in the old town. End the day on riverside terraces, tasting kisra and asida while the world's youngest capital, independent since 2011, keeps writing its history around you.

Explore Wau at a leisurely pace: start at the large central market, where fabrics, spices, and mangoes are sold, then head to the red-brick Catholic cathedral, built in the early 20th century. Stroll the tree-lined streets of the colonial quarter, cross the bridge over the Jur River, and watch Dinka, Fur, and Arab traders share everyday life. End the afternoon by the main mosque, listening to the call to prayer as the city gets ready for the night.

Descend into the Sudd, the world's largest tropical wetland, with 30,000 km² of swamps in Jonglei, and paddle its channels by canoe among papyrus and water lilies. Watch hippos and crocodiles just meters from your boat, identify waterbirds over the flooded grasslands, and camp on the banks under the open sky. Here the Nile's water spreads into still sheets and floating vegetation that have survived for millennia—a territory that demands a local guide and patience to explore.

Cross Lake No by boat, in Unity State, where the waters of the Bahr el Ghazal open up among papyrus and lilies. Watch hippos surfacing alongside herons and pelicans as local fishermen cast their nets the way they have for centuries. Camp on the banks, walk the shores at dawn, and listen at night to the sounds of the water. Here you'll understand why this lake has been a source of life for South Sudan's communities, generation after generation.

Follow two million antelope—the largest land migration on the planet—as they cross the savanna between Boma and Bandingilo parks. Explore the plains on a guided safari, camp under the open sky, and watch white-eared kob, tiang, and gazelles from the viewpoints. Walk among geological formations that mark the rhythm of the rains, while elephants and giraffes share the horizon. Here the dry season traces age-old routes, and every sunrise brings fresh tracks across the tall grass.