Mountains in South Sudan

Among South Sudan’s abundant natural wonders, mountains create towering and lovely scenes wherever they exist in the country. Mountain climbers and travelers in general will be drawn to the beauty of these highlands that make South Sudan a special destination. The rich cultural diversity and deep history at any of these mountains tell unique stories that have shaped life in the region. The adjacent communities’ languages, traditions and customs reflect millennia of heritage passed down from generation to generation. Below are some of the mountains in South Sudan,

Imatong Mountain

This is situated in the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan, at the border with Uganda. The Imatong mountain is the biggest but second highest in the region, reaching 2,500 meters above sea level. Most of the vegetation found on the Imatong mountains in South Sudan are forest. The rest of the vegetation comprise savannah and shrubland among others. Such varied vegetation types serve as important homes to numerous fauna. Animals recorded at Imatong mountain include mountain reedbuck, blue duiker, greater kudu, cape buffalo, roan antelope, African wolf and African civet.

Birdlife found at Imatong Mountain includes sun lark, scares swift, yellow-billed barbet, mountain buzzard, Oriole finch and Sharpe’s starling. Other bird species at Imatong Mountain that captivate birders are brown warbler, dusky tit, piapiac, spotted ground thrush and Jackson’s hornbill. More attractions at the Imatong Mountain include the Kinyeti valley, granite rocks and other highland scenery.

The communities living around the Imatong Mountain are largely composed of Langi, Acholi and Lotuko among others. Meeting these distinctively unique tribes offers insight into rich history, traditions and modern lifestyles. They participate in a variety of activities at the Imatong Mountain. Among them is crop farming. Imatong Mountain also presents so many activities that can be done by visitors. These include hiking, climbing to the summit, birdwatching excursions and sightseeing etc.

Lotukei Mountain

Found in Eastern Equatoria, Lotukei Mountain is the second biggest mountain in the region after the Imotong Mountain. Lotukei stands at 2,795 meters above sea level right at the South Sudan/Uganda border, adjacent to Kidepo Valley National Park. Aditionally, the dominant tribe at the Lotukei Mountain is the Didinga. Visitors have a long list of activities that they can do while at the scenic Lotukei Mountain. Among them are hiking, cultural encounters with the Didinga, birdwatching, sightseeing and photography.

Kinyeti Mountain

The Kinyeti mountain is situated on Mount Imatong in the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan. In fact, the Kinyeti Mountain is the highest peak in South Sudan, rising up to 3,187 meters above sea level. The rocky summit of the Kinyeti Mountain is surrounded by dense forest and some bamboo thickets making it beautifully remote. Moreover, the Kinyeti Mountain is part of the Lomariti or Lolobai mountain group. An exploration of the Kinyeti Mountain guarantees everyone green river valleys, streams and lakes etc.

The Lotuko and Boya people living at the Kinyeti Mountain have continued revering the site and visit it for divine intervention. Among the diversity of wild animals to see on Kinyeti Mountain are leopards, colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, Mountain Kinyeti chameleons and mountain reedbucks are common. Next are the bird species counted in Kinyeti Mountain, which reach 88 including Stuhlmann’s starling. Other birds are green-throated sunbird and spotted ground thrush etc. Activities to do on Kinyeti mountain include climbing the rugged slopes to the summit, hiking, birdwatching and cultural encounters.

Mount Lomohidang

In the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan, Mount Lomohidang is a rocky or rugged mountain situated at the border of South Sudan and Uganda. This is surrounded by lush greenery that attract plenty of birds and insects. Bird species that fly around Mount Lomohidang include western banded snake eagle, dusky turtle dove, Diederik cuckoo and Abyssinian thrush. Over a dozen tribes live in the communities around Mount Lomohidang. These are Dongotono, Lango, Koko, Ogike, Sofia, Lokwa, Ketebo, Okorohore and Logir among others.

A visit to any of these tribes offers a chance to bear witness to unique cultures and lifestyles. Moreover the people will teach you some words in their respective local languages. Also, they will show you how they prepare their meals. Music and dancing is offered as a form of entertainment to make a visit to Mount Lomohidang memorable. Hiking and climbing tours can be done on Mount Lomohidang. Bird enthusiasts can explore Mount Lomohidang to see the plenty of bird species flying all over the destination.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.