๐ Quick Facts About South Sudan ๐ธ๐ธ
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, making it the world's newest internationally recognized country. Its capital, Juba, sits on the White Nile.
The country is culturally fascinating, but travel requires preparation, local contacts, and caution. Infrastructure is limited, security conditions can change quickly, and photography and filming can create problems almost everywhere.
- ๐๏ธ CapitalJuba
- ๐ต CurrencySouth Sudanese pound (SSP)
- ๐ฃ๏ธ LanguageEnglish, Arabic, Juba Arabic, and many local languages
- ๐ก๏ธ ClimateHot, tropical, with wet and dry seasons
- ๐ Plug typeMostly Type C and D ยท *Anker Universal Travel Adapter
- ๐ RegionEast Africa
โ ๏ธ South Sudan Is Not an Easy Destination
Before talking about the Mundari, it is important to understand that South Sudan is not an easy destination to visit. Decades of conflict, limited infrastructure, and ongoing political instability mean that independent travel can be challenging.
For most visitors, I would strongly recommend organizing local contacts in advance and avoiding spontaneous travel plans. This is not the kind of country where you should arrive with no plan and simply figure everything out on the ground.
South Sudan is not a destination where you can completely switch your brain off. You need to understand the security situation and you need to be careful about where you go, who you travel with, and what you photograph.
๐จ Where I Stayed in Juba: Acacia Village
One thing that surprised me immediately when planning the trip was the cost of accommodation. There are not many hotels in Juba, and the hotels that do exist are often very expensive. Hotels often empploy security guards and there is not a big range of hotels to choose from anyway.
I stayed at Acacia Village, which cost me roughly $106 per night. While is expensive, I have to say it was excellent.
The rooms were comfortable, the food was great, security was taken seriously, and the mosquito nets were fantastic. Despite spending several nights in South Sudan, I did not get a single mosquito bite while sleeping.
I would absolutely stay there again.
๐ฌ Arriving in Juba From Dubai
I spent four days in South Sudan, arriving from Dubai with FlyDubai and later returning there.
When I landed in Juba, one of the first things I noticed was the large international presence. My flight included members of a Bangladeshi peacekeeping contingent travelling onward to Wau, one of South Sudan's largest cities.
At the airport and around the city, you constantly see aircraft belonging to humanitarian organizations, aid agencies, and the World Food Programme. South Sudan remains one of the least developed countries in the world by many human development indicators, and international organizations play a huge role in supporting the country.
Another thing I learned quickly is that filming can be difficult. Locals repeatedly advised me not to openly film government buildings, security forces, or sensitive locations.
You can almost nowhere take photos and videos openly, you need to be sensible and careful. Juba is not the kind of place where you walk around filming absolutely everything.
My first evening was fairly relaxed. I settled into the hotel and tried some local food. One meal I particularly enjoyed was ugali with sukuma wiki and kachumbari, a combination that is popular throughout East Africa and something I always enjoy whenever I travel in the region.
๐ The Road From Juba to the Mundari
The following morning was the big day. I woke up around five in the morning and met my guide for the journey north toward the Mundari cattle camps.
The drive takes around two hours from Juba. Finding the Mundari is not always straightforward because they are semi-nomadic. Their camps move depending on conditions, and local knowledge is essential if you want to visit them.
As we drove north, we eventually started seeing larger and larger groups of cattle. That was a good sign. The Mundari were nearby.
๐ Visiting the Mundari Cattle Camps
The Mundari are one of South Sudan's most famous ethnic groups and are known primarily for their enormous cattle camps. Cattle are at the center of almost everything in Mundari culture.
Their wealth, status, traditions, and daily life all revolve around their animals. Some camps contain more than a thousand cattle, representing significant wealth.
When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was that there were far more cows than people. The entire landscape seemed to be moving with cattle.
๐ฟ Showering in Cow Urine
I had come specifically to experience daily life with the Mundari, so I decided I wanted to participate in their morning routine. That led to one of the strangest experiences of my life.
I showered in cow urine. Yes, really.
The Mundari use cattle urine as part of their daily hygiene routine. Water can be scarce, and the practice has been part of their culture for generations.
The process is simple. You wait until a cow starts urinating, then position yourself underneath it. The cattle are completely accustomed to people and remain very calm.
I had mentally prepared myself beforehand and was determined to try it. Surprisingly, it was not nearly as unpleasant as most people imagine. It barely smelled at all initially. The smell only became noticeable much later once everything dried.
My *WHOOP fitness tracker, however, did not seem to appreciate the experience and temporarily stopped working. It started working again after a few hours and I haven't had problems since.
๐ฅ Daily Life With the Mundari
The Mundari then explained more about their relationship with cattle. One thing that I didn't know before was that they rarely slaughter cows.
Many cattle remain alive for decades, sometimes reaching thirty years of age. Instead, goats, fish, and smaller livestock make up a larger portion of their diet.
During my visit, several young boys were preparing fish caught from nearby waterways over open fires. Watching "a normal day" in the camp was fascinating.
The younger boys were responsible for cleaning. Part of that job involved collecting cow dung by hand. The dung is dried under the sun until it becomes almost powder-like.
Later that evening, I discovered the use for it. As the sun began setting, the Mundari taught me how they traditionally protect themselves from the intense sunlight: dried cow dung ash as sunscreen.
Naturally, I decided to try it. Soon I was walking around the cattle camp with cow dung spread across my face just like everyone else.
Apparently, I blended in well enough because shortly afterward a group of Mundari girls approached me.
One of the men translated for them and informed me that I was offered to marry one of the girls. The price? Thirty cows.
I politely declined the offer. But I was happy I was considered "Mundari enough"...
๐ Sunset at the Cattle Camp
The evening itself was unforgettable. As the sun set over the cattle camp, the entire landscape turned golden.
Smoke drifted through the air. Thousands of cattle chilling in the camp. I took a few portraits of the Mundari. They like being photographed.
To this day, it remains one of the most photogenic places I have ever visited anywhere in the world. I took hundreds of photos.
After sunset, we returned to Juba.
๐ Juba Markets, the White Nile and Local Food
The next days was dedicated to exploring the city itself. I visited local markets and spent time around the banks of the White Nile, the river that has shaped life throughout the region for thousands of years. The guide who took me to the Mundaris also took me to some spots in the city, like the church where Pope Francis visited in 2023.
Juba itself is chaotic, dusty, and constantly changing. It does not have many traditional tourist attractions, but simply observing daily life is fascinating.
On my third day, I was alone again. I wanted to visit one of the local markets near the hotel. When I mentioned my plans to Acacia Village, they expressed some concern.
Instead of simply warning me, they did something incredibly kind: they sent one of their staff members with me. They did not charge extra. It was not because I requested it. Simply because they wanted me to be safe.
Having him there turned out to be incredibly helpful. He explained where photos were acceptable, where they were not, and how to interact respectfully with people. Occasionally he would tell me to stop filming when sensitive situations arose.
Without him, I would have probably gotton myself in trouble.
The market itself was fantastic. I tried several local foods and spent hours simply wandering around. One thing that interested me was the presence of falafel. South Sudan is culturally very different from Sudan, but many foods from the north remain popular.
Despite gaining independence, culinary traditions did not suddenly disappear. And thankfully so, because I absolutely love falafel. I probably ate more falafel sandwiches than I should have.
Walking through the market was an intense experience. Everybody noticed me immediately. As a blond foreigner, I stood out enormously. But most reactions were curious and very positive.
People wanted to talk, ask questions, and ask where I was from. "Ana min Almania", I would reply in bad Arabic.
๐ญ Final Thoughts on Visiting South Sudan
The following morning, it was already time to leave. I returned to Juba Airport and flew back to Dubai.
Looking back, South Sudan is not a country I would recommend for casual tourism. It requires preparation. It requires caution. And you need to understand that security is not great there.
People repeatedly told me stories about individuals getting into serious trouble (arrested or even shot at) simply because they filmed or photographed something they should not have. Whether those stories were exaggerated or not, they underline an important point: South Sudan is not a destination where you can completely switch your brain off.
At the same time, I had a fantastic experience. The people were welcoming. The Mundari were unforgettable. The landscapes around the cattle camps were stunning.
For me, the country will always be remembered for one thing: standing in the middle of nowhere at sunset, surrounded by a thousand cows, with dried cow dung on my face and cow urine still in my hair, realizing that travel can still surprise me in ways I never imagined.
๐ Want the Same Mundari Trip Contact?
If you want to organize the same Mundari tribe cattle camp trip in South Sudan, I am preparing a short PDF with the guide contact for $4.99. The day trip itself will cost around 400 Euros, depending on what you do exactly. Thank you for supporting my blog!
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