Eastern Highlands (Eastern Equatoria State)

⚠️ SAFETY WARNING: Due to ongoing armed conflict, banditry, and high risks of intercommunal violence, government agencies (including CA, USA, UK, AU, IE, and NZ) advise travelers to avoid all travel to this region. Border areas and roads are particularly dangerous, and emergency services are non-existent. Families are strongly urged to consult their own government's official travel advisory before considering a trip, as circumstances and risk assessments vary.

The Eastern Highlands presents some of South Sudan's most dramatic landscapes, contrasting sharply with the flat floodplains found elsewhere in the country. Dominated by the Imatong Mountains, which rise to the summit of Mount Kinyeti, the terrain shifts from dry savannah to lush montane forests. In a stable climate, these slopes would offer challenging hiking trails and opportunities to spot forest-dwelling bird species and primates that inhabit the dense vegetation.

Culturally, the region is defined by the resilience of its people, particularly around the town of Kapoeta. The Toposa people maintain a traditional pastoralist lifestyle, centering their daily rhythm on cattle herding. Their villages, comprised of mud and thatch tukuls, are historically significant to the area's identity. To the south, the Kidepo Valley connects ecologically with Uganda's Kidepo Valley National Park, forming a transboundary corridor for wildlife, although the infrastructure for viewing game on this side of the border remains undeveloped.

For families interested in geography, this state represents the ecological transition between the East African plateau and the Nile Basin. The weather tends to be cooler in the highlands compared to the sweltering heat of the plains. However, travel logistics are incredibly difficult; roads are often impassable during the rainy season, and accommodation options are limited to basic structures in main towns with no tourism-specific facilities currently operating.