About Bandingilo National Park

Knowledge about Bandingilo National Park seems like wisdom to one of the most beautiful places in South Sudan. The park is a large protected area that covers 9,000 square kilomters in the central and eastern Equatoria states, South Sudan. Bandingilo is the second largest national park in South Sudan after Boma. Lying within the Sudano-Guinean biome it is part of the Bandingilo-Boma Jonglei Landscape. In 1992, it existed as a national park, and now an Important Bird Area. The ecosystem is dominated by woodland, marshland, forest, grassland and close to the White Nile, to shelter various wildlife species.

Attractions in Bandingilo National Park

The Bandingilo-Boma Jonglei Landscape is renowned for the Great Nile Migration, where 6 million antelopes move across. This implies that the largest mammal migration on earth happens here. Antelopes that comprise white eared kobs, tiang, Mongalla gazelle and Bohor reedbucks take part. They gather in Bandingilo during the wet season for breeding. Afterwards, they move north and east into Boma National Park. Eventually, they reach the Sudd and Gambella National Park in Ethiopia and then back to complete this annual cyclical event.

Besides these antelopes, Bandingilo National Park is home to very many threatened wildlife species. These include the critically endangered Nubian giraffe and northern lion. While above, watch the north-east African cheetahs, elephants, caracals, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs etc. There are 400 species of birds that find the place as a suitable home. Some of the common birds comprise barn owl, village weaver, African jacana, tree pipit, Ruppell’s vultures, long-crested eagle and common quails. This is a cool thing about Bandingilo National Park.

What to do?

Wildlife viewing is the major activity done inside this pristine protected area. However, unlike ordinary wildlife viewing in game drives, here this is done in the comfort of a helicopter. The destination has no game tracks established yet. In the helicopter, birdwatching can also be done with your pair of binoculars. Capture wildlife on film to enhance the very great experience over here. On the ground, do a nature walk to get an intimate encounter with wildlife species that have thrived in this place for millennia. Contact us about Bandingilo National Park for more activities.

Is it safe to visit Bandingilo National Park?

The park is safe to visit, yet to travel there with a local tour operator offers the safest option. You need to plan all your trips with us since we understand the local issues. It is also important to know that South Sudan has been and continues to experience recurrent armed conflicts. This makes such a place quite dangerous unless you possess firsthand information about Bandingilo National Park’s status quo. We ensure to inform you on any security issues in South Sudan in general. Also, the country offers security to legitimate travelers.

When to go to Bandingilo National Park

Go to the destination on any day since it is open for exploration all year round. To witness the breeding season phase of the Great Nile Migration, the wet season is the best to explore the place. The wet season in the region occurs between May and October. For general wildlife viewing experiences, the dry season offers the most appropriate time to visit Bandingilo National Park. This season in Bandingilo National Park runs from November to April. In fact the dry season offers exceptional South Sudan tours.

How to travel to Bandingilo National Park?

Access Bandingilo National Park by road from Juba eastwards. On tarmacked road, this is a 3 hours.’ We recommend the hardcore 4-wheel safari land cruiser since you find it less challenging to traverse rugged roads in it. At Standard Safaris we offer all kinds of safari vehicles including 4-wheel safari land cruisers. Safari vans, SUVs, minibuses and sedans among others make up part our fleet. It is also much better to drive to your destination with a reputable tour operator. This is to ensure your safety throughout the trip because you drive with a guide with sufficient knowledge about Bandingilo National Park.

What to carry?

A planned trip to Bandingilo is really great and fun, however, you have an obligation to pack appropriately. This is for you to experience Bandingilo comfortably and safely. Ensure to bring your travel documents, wide brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, pair of trousers, camera, light rain jacket and sunglasses. You also need a reusable water bottle, sun cream, pair of binoculars, first aid kit, warm sweater and backpack.

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.