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Could Southern Sudan Be The Next African Safari Trail
re you thinking of an granted that the real safari
Africa safari? You are resides in Kenya and probably in
probably looking towards Tanzania. This is largely true.
Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, In fact, the mere mention of word
Botswana or even South Africa? ‘safari’ brings forth images of
But have you ever thought about the two countries. These two
the possibility of doing your eastern Africa countries have
African Safari in the Southern over the years, developed a good
Sudan? May be you should! name, reputation and
infrastructure that has allowed
The original meaning of safari – them to exploit their respective
journey - from which we developed wildlife resources that come with
the modern-day commercial the African Safari experience.
version, was like taking an
odyssey into the unknown. One Most would-be travelers who seek
did not know what lay ahead. It adventure and have the desire to
was literally a walk into the bond with nature – especially
wilderness. There were no with wild animals - will
vehicles. It was inviting and undertake to visit a destination
adventurous, but dangerous as that will, by all means give them
well. The safari was bare, a chance to see plenty of wild
without the luxury and comfort of animals in the wilderness. The
lodges and 4x4 vehicles that we safari as we know it thrives on
have today. The Southern Sudan of abundance of wildlife in their
today, struggling to rise up from natural set up. Wildlife thrives
decades of civil wars, might well in extensive forests, grasslands,
be the place to get you back to lakes, rivers and the savannas.
the real safari feeling! And this is where our link back
to the original safari begins.
Many safari-seekers take it for The Southern Sudan rivals both
Kenya and Tanzania in terms of the Islamic-oriented, Arab
forests, grasslands, lakes, northerners, to dominate the
rivers and all that we might want country’s economic, political and
associate with big game and the social aspects at the expense of
safari. the southerners, who are mainly
non-Arab and non-Muslim.
After many years of fighting with Currently, the area which is
the northern Sudan, the signing considered Southern Sudan
of the peace deal in January 2005 consists of the 10 states, namely
was, in a sense, a new beginning
for the southern Sudanese people. - Central Equatoria
Many looked forward, and had - East Equatoria
great hopes, for a prosperous, - West Equatoria
peaceful and better future. Many - North Bahr al Ghazal
desire to take part in the - West Bahr al Ghazal
development activities of their - Lakes, and Warab
Southern Sudan. - Jonglei
- Unity
Here is a very short history of - Upper Nile.
the Sudan so as to put into
perspective, the quest for the Rough estimates put the
Safari in Southern Sudan. Sudan population of Southern Sudan at
got independence from the British 15 million people.
in 1956. But the country has
never known real peace ever During the period between 2002
since. A prolonged period of and 2004, efforts to find a
civil wars followed the peaceful resolution to the
independence almost immediately. conflict intensified. These talks
The conflicts are rooted in the finally lead to the signing of a
seemingly constant attempts by treaty in January 2005, with
Southern Sudan being led into the services that would allow the
deal by the late Col. John Garang opening up of southern Sudan’s
de Mabior. This treaty granted expansive parks to the safari.
the Southern Sudanese some sort
of autonomy until 2011 upon which The development of tourism which
a referendum to determine whether normally goes hand in hand with
Southern Sudan would remain as Safari may not have caught the
part of the southern Sudan or attention of most people,
have complete self rule. probably because of past
Unfortunately, the southern experiences both within the Sudan
Sudanese leader, John Garang lost and from other regions in Africa.
his life in a plane accident in For example, to the wildlife
August 2005. conservation experts, southern
Sudan was just another repeat of
Moving forward a sad story – replicating
The comprehensive peace agreement whatever had happened in
(CPA) generated a lot of interest Mozambique and Angola. And may be
from the business community worse, considering the length of
around the Great Lakes region. time the Sudanese wars had
Many saw new opportunities of lasted. The wars in Mozambique
making money. Many have since and Angola had left no wildlife
rushed in to provide services population to count.
like banking and related
services. Animal Migration in the
Southern Sudan!
However, besides the oil, not
much mention was being made of Surprise came though, last year
the other natural resources that 2007, with the ‘discovery’ that
abound in southern Sudan. I have there still could be large herds
in mind tourism and related of animals within Southern Sudan.
After the signing of the
comprehensive Peace agreement, But not so fast! We may have to
the Government of Southern Sudan wait a little longer to see that
allowed wildlife experts to happens. Andd a lot of work needs
conduct some survey to get an to be done. To conserve and
estimate of the number of wild preserve the wildlife and have
animals in Boma National park, the Sudan on the safari trail,
one of the parks in the region. the travel and hospitality
To their wonderful surprise, they sectors need to be developed.
counted more than 8,000 African This means building accommodation
elephants, plus over 1 million facilities around and within the
white-eared kob, tiang antelope national parks, creating road
and gazelle. Nobody had expected networks around and within the
this after years of war. Such parks, and work on getting
numbers are comparable with any Safari-seekers into and around
wildlife conservation area within southern Sudan. At the moment,
eastern and southern Africa. It one might say it is at ground
was assumed that the decades of zero, but certainly raring to go!
war together with the excessive
hunting the desertification During the civil strife, the only
process and the periodic droughts air travel that operated into and
and famine must have led to out of Southern Sudan was either
decline in the numbers of wild military or humanitarian support
animals in the region. planes that brought in suppliers.
However since the signing of the
The southern Sudan may as well peace deal in January 2005,
live the dream, of taking us back several private airlines, mostly
to the original Safari and become operating form Nairobi, Kenya,
the next frontier of the African have started operating flights to
safari! various locations within southern
Sudan. Juba - the seat of
Government of Southern Sudan and Of course, the other area of
also the capital of Equatoria concern will be security and
state - is turning out to be the safety of the traveler on safari.
hub of trade and commerce. Parts of southern Sudan still
have landmines that pose obvious
In comparison to the regional dangers. This is besides the fact
‘big boys’ of safari operation – that some individuals and groups
Kenya and Tanzania, the still have arms in their
accommodation standards are still possession.
very basic. In fact, within the
National parks, there is almost Ground handling agents in form of
nothing in terms of accommodation tour operators and Travel agents
facilities. The major towns are still very few and just
offer some basic accommodation. beginning to settle in. It will
At Juba, the Jogali House is take a while before they are
arguably the best ‘tourist established to provide services
standard’ hotel in the whole of to the level expected by the high
Equatoria state and probably in standards from the source tourist
the whole of southern Sudan. In markets, mainly the affluent
the other towns of Bor, Bentiu, western countries. Can the new
Wau, Yei Torit, Yambio and Sudan dare to dream of being the
Rumbek, you will find next safari destination? Only
accommodation mostly in form of time, and our collective efforts
tented complex. will tell.
Solomon Okila is the Editor of African Voyages Travel Journal, which is part of Africanvoyages Tours and Safaris. If you need more information on African Safaris or Hotels and Lodges please visit our website today!
Published At: www.Isnare.com
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