Book Flights to Juba

Juba has a tropical climate as it is located near the equator, which means temperatures are hot and humidity is high year-round. From November to March is the dryer, but also hotter, season.

Juba is the capital of the newest country in the world, South-Sudan, which separated from Sudan in 2011. It is a fast growing city, located on the Nile River. Since July 2016 the security situation in South Sudan has become unstable and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all travel to South Sudan, including Juba.

Without the current security situation, Juba would be a great place to visit.

Most people have heard of the annual migration in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, but few have heard of the annual migration in South Sudan which some estimate to have even bigger numbers of animals migrating throughout the year. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of antelopes on the plains, as well as elephants, giraffe, buffalo and birds in search of water and grass as they follow the seasonal rains in the country.

Once Juba and South Sudan are safe to visit, this area has the potential to rival the migration in Tanzania and Kenya. One of the national parks where this takes place is only a 2-hour drive from Juba and can even be visited on a day-trip.

Use Tripindigo and be a pioneer to witness the huge numbers of antelopes in this annual migration once the security situation has become safe.

In Juba, there is an active cattle market where the horns of some animals are up to 2m (6 feet) long. This makes an impressive sight when they are walked through the streets of town.

The original location of Juba was on the island called Gondokoro and you can visit this site on a day-trip and wander around the giant trees that dot the island. Other day-trips possible are visits to some of the local tribes of South Sudan.

Visit Jebel Kujur if you enjoy rock climbing or simply enjoy a walk in nature. And don’t forget to look for birds when you are there.

Kisra is the local flat bread, which is spread over a metal tray, about 1m in diameter, before the meats, stews, vegetables or pulses are spread on top. It is made from a slightly fermented sorghum flour. Many meat and vegetable dishes are served with a thick peanut sauce, which is another local delicacy worth trying.

Tea is usually black and weak and coffee is widely available. If you want to try a local drink, try kerekede (a cold red hibiscus tea) or a White Bull (locally brewed beer).

Sugar cane and sweet sorghum stems are chewed as a snack.

Juba offers a range of food, from restaurants to street food for all budgets.

In South-Sudan the estimate is that around 60% of the population is Christian, 6% are Muslim and around 33% practice a traditional African religion, although some think about 85% adhere to indigenous beliefs.

When photographing people, always ask permission first and agree on payment if required.

Juba is currently not a holiday destination, but for those that must travel for work, there are facilities for all budgets. This is true for accommodation, transport, food, and excursions.

Local goods are cheap; imported is expensive.

Bargain for everything – you will pay more than you should if you do not.

The below prices are what you can expect to pay in Juba for:

• Domestic beer (0.5-litre bottle) in a supermarket – 4USD
• Imported beer in a supermarket (0.33-litre bottle) – 6USD
• Pack of cigarettes (Marlboro) – 5USD
• A bottle of coca cola / pepsi (0.33-litre bottle) – 2USD
• A small bottle of water (0.33-litre bottle) – 1USD