SUD SUDAN
Highlights
The architecture of the village of Ilieu
The customs and rituals of the Mundari tribes
The sunset return of the Mundari herds
The mountain villages and traditions of the Larim
Where we sleep
Hotels in Juba, local huts, tents
How we move around
Domestic flight, 4×4 jeep with private driver
TRAVEL TYPE
4×4 trip with local drivers in a territory unaccustomed to tourism, wilderness, and lacking infrastructure. It does not present particular physical difficulties but requires a great spirit of adaptation due to many nights in tents, without the possibility of washing with running water, and the distance from any kind of comfort.
For more information about our trips, please consult the FAQ section.
DAY 1: departure from Italy with a flight to Juba, the capital of South Sudan
DAY 2: arrival in Juba, meeting with the local guide, and hotel check-in. The first day in South Sudan will be dedicated to visiting the capital, overlooking the White Nile, and getting our first taste of South Sudan, including handling procedural obligations and visa registrations. Dinner and overnight stay in Juba
Morning: transfer to Juba airport for a domestic flight to Kapoeta, a village in the southeastern highlands of the country, at the heart of the Eastern Equatoria region and surrounded by Toposa tribal territory.
Afternoon: beginning of our 4×4 exploration of the savanna inhabited by the Toposa. This will be our first encounter with the people and tribal customs of South Sudan, which are completely resistant to modernity. The Toposa are an ethnic group mostly dedicated to cattle and goat herding, with a well-known reputation as warriors whose history is marked by ongoing conflict with the neighboring Larim tribes, raids, and cattle rustling. They live in simple villages made mostly of circular huts where they gather during the wet seasons, while during the dry season months, the herders migrate in search of suitable pastures for their herds.
Evening: dinner and overnight stay in a tent near the Toposa villages.
Morning: very early wake-up call to follow the morning activities of the Toposa tribes. After breakfast, travel toward the hilly territory of the Boya, a mountainous enclave within the savanna and home to the Larim tribe. Exploration of the picturesque Larim villages, consisting mostly of huts covered with sharp-pointed thatched roofs and protected by rudimentary boundary walls to defend against Toposa raids.
Afternoon: an afternoon in close contact with the Larim. The men are mostly away from the village tending to the livestock, while the women dedicate themselves to subsistence farming. Many widows of the Larim tribes wear woven palm fronds on their foreheads and legs, and all the women dress in traditional multicolored skirts, their skin curiously marked by self-inflicted scarifications for decorative purposes.
Evening: dinner and overnight stay in a tent near the Larim villages.
Morning and afternoon: travel from the Larim territories to the village of Ilieu, at the heart of the Lotuko mountain kingdom, ruled by a sorcerer-king. The village of Ilieu is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and interesting in South Sudan, thanks to its position among the mountains and its buildings, most notably the boundary walls dating back more than 600 years. This proves that, unlike other tribes in Eastern Equatoria, the Lotuko have a long history of being sedentary, and for centuries they have lived stably in villages practicing agriculture, farming, and fishing. The Lotuko do not have a concept of private property—all their lands belong to the community—and for centuries their lives have been dictated by the rhythms of nature, which form the basis of the local animistic religion.
Evening: dinner and overnigh
DAY 6: departure from Ilieu and return to Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Hotel check-in, and afternoon dedicated to free time after four days of “time travel” in contact with the ancestral myths and rituals of the local tribes of Eastern Equatoria. It will be the perfect opportunity to take a shower and recharge your batteries ahead of the adventure in the Mundari camps.
DAY 7: among the melting pot of tribes and ethnic groups that inhabit South Sudan, the encounter with the Mundari will likely be the most moving of our journey. Near Terekeka, in the cattle camps north of Juba, the Mundari live in symbiosis with their herds of long-horned Zebu, following life rhythms and rituals that have remained unchanged for centuries. The children are in charge of burning cattle dung and cover their bodies with the ash used as a mosquito repellent. At sunset, the spectacle of the tribal leaders returning with hundreds of Zebu in tow after a long day at pasture.
Morning: morning dedicated to daily activities in the Mundari cattle camps, to further learn about the tribe’s ancestral customs, which have remained unchanged for centuries. These customs are tied to animist rituals that have allowed these tribes to survive in inhospitable environments like the African savanna. Among the most unique customs is undoubtedly showering with cattle urine, considered an excellent disinfectant, but it will also be possible to observe other traditional behaviors, such as drinking milk directly from the udder of the Zebu, and the bleeding of the animal’s jugular to extract blood—a vital source of protein for the Mundari diet.
Afternoon: final hours spent with the Mundari tribe before returning to Juba in the afternoon, where it will be possible to organize a short excursion on the White Nile.
Evening: dinner in Juba and overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 9: free time in Juba while waiting for the connecting flight back to Italy. Depending on the departure time, it will be possible to explore the city and its markets. Transfer to the airport and flight to Italy
DAY 10: arrival in Italy… And on to the next adventure!
