national park in South Sudan
Boma National Park is in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan.
With an extraordinary abundance of wildlife, the 22,800-square-kilometre (8,800 sq mi) Boma National Park was created in 1977, but since that time has essentially existed as a park in name only. Decades of conflict have rendered the park with almost no tourist infrastructure. This may be about to change, however. After a period of relative peace, in 2022 the South Sudanese government signed a deal with the African Parks organisation to manage and develop the park along with Bandingilo National Park to the southwest.
Perhaps surprisingly, despite the war the park's wildlife ecosystem has remained mostly intact. Along with African staples such as lions, buffalos, elephants, giraffes, leopards and cheetahs, the park is famous for its vast herds of antelope, including the tiang, Mongalla gazelle, bohor reedbuc and most prominently, the white-eared kob. Together with Bandingilo National Park, Boma hosts one of the largest land mammal migrations in Africa – even larger than that of the Serengeti wildebeest – as the antelope move between the parks with the seasons.
For now, the park has absolutely zero tourist infrastructure – this is wild country. Safaris are launched from Nyat, a small village on the outskirts of the park. But before you get excited, read below.
You can visit, but it will cost you dearly. As of 2023, an eight-night safari tour costs US$90,000 (yes, you read that right), including a $15,000 donation to the African Parks organisation.
Given the lack of, well, everything, as of 2023 safaris are conducted by helicopter.