Where to do game drives in South Sudan includes Boma National Park, Bandingilo National Park and Nimule National Park etc. Game drives involve exploration in a wildlife protected area in 4X4 safari vehicles along established tracks to view wildlife up-close. Currently, South Sudan wildlife destinations do not offer traditional game drives, because they lack developed game tracks. Instead, wildlife viewing is done by helicopter to offer unique aerial perspectives of the wildlife destination as you view wild animals.
Wildlife destinations in South Sudan for game drives include.
Boma National Park
South Sudan presents its biggest national park of 22,000 square kilometers known as Boma National Park in the eastern region. Established in 1977, Boma National Park forms a transboundary migratory corridor with Gambella National Park in Ethiopia. Also, the area is part of the greater Badingilo-Boma Jonglei Landscape. A famous ecosystem for the spectacular Great Nile Migration, the largest mammal migration on the planet. A special annual event where millions of antelopes—white eared kobs, Bohor reedbucks, tiang and Mongalla gazelles—migrate to/from.
A part from those antelopes, Boma National Park shelters leopards, hyenas, lions, African wild dogs and elephants. They thrive in diverse habitats such as savanna woodland and grassland, riverine forests and wetlands etc. Other natural features in Boma National Park include rivers Pibor and Akobo and Maruwa hills. Wildlife viewing is enjoyed maximally in the dry season, from December to April. Meanwhile, also explore the cultures around Boma National Park, like Murle, Toposa, Luluba and Dinka. Therefore, Boma is an ecologically diverse destination where to do game drives in South Sudan.
Bandingilo National Park
Bandingilo National Park covers 8,935 square kilometers in both the Central and Eastern Equatoria states of South Sudan. Established in 1992 Bandingilo is now part of the famous Bandingilo-Boma Jonglei Landscape. The landscape specifically in Bandingilo features savannah woodland and grassland, wetland and riverine forest. Bandingilo National Park hosts plenty of wildlife especially the participants of the Great Nile Migration. This offers a magnificent annual event to view millions of white-eared kobs, Bohor reedbucks, Mongalla gazelles and tiang. They make Bandingilo an iconic place where to do game drives in South Sudan
During your wildlife viewing experience, spot the northern lion, cheetah, hyena, African wild dog and Nubian giraffes etc. For the best wildlife viewing experience visit Bandingilo from November to April, during the dry season. However, the participants of the Great Nile Migration breed in the wet season, from May to October. You might as well feel happy to encounter the beautiful people living around Bandingilo National Park. These comprise the Bor Dinka, Mundari, Murle, Bari and Nuer etc.
Nimule National Park
This is a small but beautiful conservation area situated in the Eastern Equatoria State of South Sudan, along the Uganda border. Gazetted in 1954, Nimule National Park actually occupies 256 square kilometers, with a continuous buffer zone of 154 square kilometers. Key features in Nimule National Park comprise open grassland, riverine vegetation and dense woodland. These shelter a lot of species that can be seen while you do wildlife viewing. Expected wild animals to spot include Uganda kobs, Nile crocodiles, baboons, leopards, hippos and elephants.
A part from aerial wildlife views over Nimule National Park, enjoy exploration of the White Nile. In the Bahr al-Jabal section, view the lovely Fula rapids. Also, the diversity among the adjacent communities makes for an unforgettable community walk. Tribes to find around Nimule National Park include Acholi and Madi. Encountering and interacting with them educates you lot about their cultures, history and way of life. Wildlife viewing in Nimule National Park is perfectly done in the dry season.
Southern National Park
Southern National Park is huge, covering 23,000 square kilometers in the Western Equatoria State of South Sudan. Established in 1939 Southern National Park is another captivating destination for wildlife viewing to spot unique wild animals living in it. Like the destinations above, Southern National Park has varied habitats including riverine vegetation and savannah woodland and grassland. The park is situated on a plateau and some ranges of undulating hills. This is among the best places where to do game drives in South Sudan.
A lot of the land is in wetland with a number of rivers watering the area. These include River Sue, River Gel, River Maridi and River Ibba. Plenty of wildlife have been thriving in Southern National Park to offer worthwhile wildlife viewing experiences. A safari in the helicopter offers views of northern white rhinos, buffaloes, Kordofan giraffes, zebras, elephants and wild dogs among others. Besides wildlife viewing meet different tribes living around Southern National Park. They comprise Mundu, Baka and Azande tribes.
Kidepo Game Reserve
The game reserve occupies 1,200 square kilometers in the Eastern Equatoria State of South Sudan. Kidepo Game Reserve, established in 1975, lies within the Charasika-Farasika imaginary line, Dongatona Mountains, Ugandan border and Didinga Hills. It boasts a scenic semiarid ecosystem composed of varied habitat types. It is predominantly semi-arid with a combination of sand river beds, mountains, inselbergs, open savannas, bamboo vegetation and thick woods.
Numerous wild mammals and birds live in the habitats of Kidepo Game Reserve. The list includes cheetahs, Nubian giraffes, common elands, ostriches, Lelwel hartebeests, warthogs and olive baboons. Kidepo Game Reserve is strategically linked to Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda to form the greater Kidepo Valley transboundary ecosystem. People around Kidepo Game Reserve comprise Logir, Lango, Buya, Didinga, and Lotuko. These tribes love pastoralism as a main source of livelihood. Kidepo is an ideal place where to do game drives in South Sudan.
