Review of the Trip to Juba, the Capital of South Sudan and to Cairo, the Capital of Egypt.

 

SOUTH SUDAN

 

Egypt Air airline flight from Malpensa to Juba (South Sudan), with a 16-hour stopover in Cairo (Egypt). Return ticket price, including taxes: USD 580.00.

 

Having checked in online and having only hand luggage, only at the Malpensa Gate, before boarding the plane I was asked to show my passport and visa for South Sudan.

 

Keep in mind that if you travel with Egypt Air and have a stopover longer than 6 hours, you are entitled to be supported by the aforementioned airline.

 

So once I reached Terminal 3 of Cairo International Airport, I went to the transit area at the Desk called "Transfers Customers Accommodation Services" Here I presented my passport and my plane ticket which were held at the airport and after about half an hour I was taken by free shuttle to the Hotel Le Passage, located about 1 km as the crow flies west of the airport.

 

So having a stopover of more than 16 hours I was able to stay for free for one night at the wonderful Hotel Le Passage, taking advantage of all these services: dinner and buffet breakfast, swimming pool, gigantic garden, Casino, live music, gym, bathroom, television and air conditioning in the room.

 

The next morning, 2 hours before my flight to Juba, I was taken back by the hotel shuttle to the International Airport where my plane ticket to Juba and my passport with affixed a very small round transit stamp.

 

Then I passed the security check specifically dedicated to those who, like me, slept in the hotel at the expense of the Egypt Air Company and I found myself in the Gate area.

 

Egypt Air's flight from Cairo to Juba (South Sudan) lasted about 4 hours.

 

South Sudan time zone: + 2 hours compared to Italy; + 1 hour when daylight saving time is in force in Italy

Entry visa: required, to be requested from the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Rome (Viale del Policlinico, 131 - 00161 Rome - tel. 06/83955977, e-mail: ssudemb.rome@protonmail.com. open from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 15.00

 

It should be borne in mind that the very kind and efficient employee of the Embassy always replies to email and telephone.

 

Keep in mind that the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Rome does not issue tourist visas but only an "Official" visa, which can be obtained in about 5 working days by submitting the following documentation also by post:

 

• 2 color passport photos taken recently;

• passport;

•          invitation letter;

• Identity document of the inviting party;

• Completed and signed entry visa application form that the embassy secretary sent me by e-mail;

• copy of the International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow fever);

• copy of the health card;

• copy of the identity card;

• 100 Euros in cash;

 

I obtained the invitation letter for free, in just 2 days, from the facility where I stayed in Juba, namely the Afex River Camp (e-mail: rivercamp.manager@afexgroup.com).

On the invitation letter, the reason for the trip was written: Businnes.

 

Before sending the documentation to the Embassy, ​​send the invitation letter via email, so that the secretary can check it.

 

Please note that the aforementioned visa is valid for 30 days from the date of issue of the South Sudan Embassy in Rome.

 

Please note that the South Sudan Visa can also be obtained at the South Sudan Consulate in Khartoum in Sudan, located in Al Sharif al Hindi Street, not far from the British Embassy. It is open from Monday to Friday and issues tourist visas on the same day without the need to present a letter of invitation, but a hotel booking on Booking.com and a flight booking is sufficient.

 

Same thing happens at the Sudan Embassy in Kampala in Uganda.

 

Keep in mind that the foreigner (holder of an ordinary passport) is required to declare his presence to the competent authority (Alien Registration Office located in Konyo Konyo in the center of Juba) within 72 hours of entering the country, at a cost of 10,000 SSP. Having stayed 66 hours in the country, I did not register even though the immigration officer turned up his nose a little when leaving the country, but then let me pass.

 

Language: English (official language), Arabic and various local languages

Religion: Animist, Christian (Catholic and Protestant)

 

Currency: South Sudanese Pound (SSP)

Once you arrive, at Juba International Airport, located just 3 km north of the center of the capital, after having experienced a fever, you must give the employee the form stating that you have no health problems and then go to the desk of the border staff, where they check your visa, ask you for the yellow fever booklet and without asking you the reason for your stay and where you are staying, they quickly affix the entry stamp.

 

You then have to go through the baggage check.

 

In the arrivals hall of the Airport there is a desk where I changed money at the following exchange rate: 1 USD = 300 SSP (with 50 and 100 USD bills), 1 USD = 270 SSP (with 5, 10 and 20 USD), which is a good exchange rate.

 

Once I exited the airport, I turned left and walked for about 200 meters, until I found a motorbike taxi which, at the price of 750 SSP, took me to the Afex River Camp, located 3 km abundantly to the south-east. of the Airport.

 

Keep in mind that if you want to take pictures in South Sudan, where there is a lot of police even in civilian clothes, you need to have a permit from the Ministry, otherwise if you are caught by the police taking pictures or even by the local population, you could get in trouble.

 

 In Juba there is an ocean of staff who work for NGOs and many of these stay at the Afex River Camp.

 

 

In Juba, I slept at Afex River Camp (booked through booking.com), located in Cemetery Road, Hai Malakal (E_mail: rivercamp.manager@afexgroup.com, Tel: +211922690511, for the price of 60 USB per night, for a room in a container, with air conditioning, ensuite bathroom, fully functional WIFI, television, paid laundry service, 2 bottles of water and swimming pool. The reception staff speaks English. The compound is heavily guarded and therefore it is safe to walk inside. inside the same at any time. Afex River Camp is located next to the White Nile River and right in front of the Stranded Ferry which is a bit the symbol of Juba. Right in front there is a restaurant and a bar, frequented by NGO staff Inside the compound it is forbidden to take photographs as confirmed by the numerous signs displayed.

 

In Juba I traveled on foot and by motorcycle taxi at a price ranging between 150 and 300 SSP, depending on the distance and my bargaining ability.

 

During my time in Juba, the locals were very friendly to me and the police never stopped me for any checks.

 

In Juba I visited the following places:

• All Saints Cathedral;

• At the Nyakuron Cultural Center;

• St. Joseph's Catholic Church;

• St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral;

• Da Vinci's Restaurant, which offers wonderful views of the White Nile River and is very popular with NGO staff;

• Holy Rosary Parish;

• Doctor John Garang's Memorial Park (here, don't even try to take out your camera if you don't want to get in trouble);

• Full Gospel Church;

• Nyakuron Cultural Center;

 

At Nyakuron Cultural Center, I attended the concert of the very famous Ugandan group called B2C at the cost of 2,000 SSP. The concert, however, ended at 22.00 and at that time returning to my hotel with a motorcycle taxi for the price of 500 SSP, crossing the whole city, in the middle of dark and deserted streets was a little reassuring experience.

 

From Afex River Camp I took a motorcycle taxi for the price of 450 SSP to reach the International Airport.

 

In the arrivals hall of the airport there is a desk that opens at 8.30 in the morning where I tried to change the South Sudanese currency I had with me. I got the following exchange rate: 5,600 SSP = 20 USD, even if the boy only owned these Dollars and therefore the other remaining Pounds I could not convert into USD.

Before entering the Airport Hall, you must go through a security check, then you must check in, then you must go to the desk where you get the exit stamp from the country, then there is the security check with the scanner and then you have to declare to the clerk how much money you have.

 

Egypt Air flight from Juba (South Sudan) to Cairo (Egypt). Return ticket price, including taxes: USD 580.00.

 

EGYPT

Time zone Egypt: + 1 hour compared to Italy (except in the months in which summer time is in effect).

 

If you come from South Sudan, as in my case as soon as you arrive at the airport, you must hand over to the attendant the form stating that you have no health problems

 

Entry visa: mandatory, to be requested at the Consulates and the Embassy of Egypt or, only in the case of tourism, directly at the airports upon payment of 25 US dollars or equivalent amount in euros. Payment must be made at the Bank inside the Airport, located near the Immigration Desk. The visa is thus obtained to be presented at the aforementioned desk. The staff will paste it onto your passport and stamp your entry. Another opportunity is to obtain an E-visa, before leaving, by connecting to the website: https://egyptian-visa.com, and paying 25 USD, by credit card. In this way you get the actual E-visa to be printed and presented to the immigration office of the airport, thus obtaining the entry stamp in the country.

In the case of entry into Egypt with an identity card, the visa will be affixed to a special coupon to be filled in upon arrival, upon delivery of two passport photos (which must be brought with you from Italy).

Tourists who spend their entire holiday in the South Sinai coast resort area for periods of less than 14 days do not need an ordinary tourist visa. If the stay exceeds 14 days or if you want to travel outside the resort area of ​​the south coast of Sinai, it is necessary to apply for an ordinary tourist visa.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the Egyptian authorities do not allow exceptions, and those who do not hold an ordinary tourist visa will in no way be able to access other areas of the country, even in case of need. In certain circumstances, this could limit the possibilities of assistance to fellow countrymen.

 

At Cairo International Airport, once I passed the Egyptian Immigration, to reach the Gate to Luxor I had to undergo a double security check.

 

Languages ​​spoken in Egypt: Arabic. The most common vehicular language is English, followed by French. Italian is widely spoken in the Sharm-el-Sheikh area.

 

Religion in Egypt: Sunni Islamic (public holiday Friday) with a Coptic Christian minority of 10 to 15%.

 

Egyptian currency: Egyptian pound.

In the arrivals hall of the airport there is a desk where I changed money at the following exchange rate: 1 EURO = 18.10 EGP, which is a good exchange rate.

 

From Terminal n. 3 of Cairo International Airport, if you want to reach the center of Cairo by bus, first of all you have to take the free blue shuttle that runs every half hour in the second lane in front of the Arrivals Hall. I asked different people for information and each one told me a different thing.

 

The aforementioned shuttle ends its journey at the Bus Station, located near Terminal 1 of Cairo International Airport.

 

From there you need to ask to find the direct bus to the center. The same ends the race in Midan Abdel Moniem Riad a few tens of meters from the Egyptian Museum. The cost of the ticket that is obtained inside the bus is 4 EGP. The ride takes 1 to 2 hours depending on traffic.

 

From there I walked only a few tens of meters to reach the Wake Up Hostel.

 

In Cairo, I slept at the Wake Up Hostel, located at 33, Ramsis Street, on the 7th floor of the Marof Tower, 200 meters away. from the Egyptian Museum, at the price of 135 EGP, for a bed in a dormitory, with air conditioning, shared bathroom, fully functional WIFI, fantastic view over the center of Cairo. The reception staff speaks English.

 

From the Wake Up Hostel on foot I visited the center of the capital of Egypt on foot, which appears very safe and precisely the following places:

• Midan Tahrir;

• Gezira Island;

• Midan Ataba;

• Midan Opera;

• Midan Mustafa Kamel;

• Midan Talaat Harb;

I only took the metro once, from Gezira to Ataba (with a train change in Sadat), for the price of 5 EGP. Please note that there are carriages dedicated only to women on the Cairo Metro.

 

The next day, at 5.30, I took the metro, from Sadat to Bab El Shaariya (with a train change in Ataba), for the price of 5 EGP. Please note that there are carriages dedicated only to women on the Cairo Metro.

 

On foot I visited the beautiful Islamic quarter of Cairo, with its numerous Mosques and Madresses.

 

To enter the courtyard of the Al Hakim Mosque, they asked me 20 EGP as a tip.

 

To climb above Bab Zuwayla, I paid 40 EGP. There are a lot of steps but the view from above is incomparable.

 

From there I took a tuc tuc which at the price of 20 EGP, took me to the Citadel.

 

I paid 180 EGP for admission to the Citadel, which allows you to enter the museums and mosques contained therein.

 

From the main road in front of the Citadel, I took a taxi for the price of 140 EGP, to reach Terminal 2 of Cairo International Airport (18 km - 50 minutes).

 

Before entering the Airport Check-in Area, you must undergo a security check with the scanner, then you must check in, then you must fill out the form to leave the country, then at the desk get the exit stamp from the country , then there is another security check with the scanner.

 

Flight of the Egypt Air Company from Cairo (Egypt) to Malpensa.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

https://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2019/12/travel-in-juba-la-capitale-del-sud.html