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South Sudan🇸🇸 | festivalsYei Agricultural ShowYei coffee, crop pyramids, livestock judging, seed cooperatives | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Yei Agricultural Show
👍 Recommendedfestival ranked #9
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Sorghum stalks bundled by the armful, a farmer haggling over a hand hoe, and the smell of roasted maize drifting from a cooking fire: that is the scene at the Yei Agricultural Show. Yei sits in the far south of South Sudan, in Central Equatoria, close to the borders with Uganda and the DRC. This is a farming fair, not a music festival, so expect produce, livestock, seed stalls, cooperatives, and local officials giving speeches. The crowd is mostly farmers, traders, and NGO staff, with few foreign backpackers. It is worth your time if you want to see the region's food economy up close. Skip it if you need nightlife or organized tourist services. The fair lasts a few days, and the best stalls show off Yei's coffee and pineapples.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 South Sudan Travel Guide.
Safety warning

The current risk level for South Sudan is high. Check the advice before going.


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✨ Why go?
Ranked #9 festival in South SudanWhy Yei Agricultural Show should be on your travel list

Yei Agricultural Show gives you a reason to be in one of the greenest corners of South Sudan, where almost nobody arrives as a tourist. Walking the grounds, you meet growers who will happily explain how they raise cassava, groundnuts, and coffee, and you get a direct window into Yei River County’s farming recovery that no museum offers. The social side is easy: people are curious about a foreigner who came for the crops, and a conversation usually ends with a shared plate or a bag of fruit pressed into your hands. It also fits a longer overland loop, since Yei sits on the road corridor toward Uganda, so you can slot it between border crossings and a slow trip through the southern highlands. Entry is cheap, and the food is local, fresh, and good.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Crop and Produce Displays: The main draw. Growers stack maize, sorghum, cassava, sesame, and groundnuts in neat pyramids, and you can taste and compare varieties while farmers explain how they grew them.
  2. Yei Coffee and Tea Stands: The Yei area is known for coffee, and producers pour small cups and sell beans by the bag. It is a rare chance to meet the people who grow it.
  3. Tropical Fruit Stalls: Pineapples, mangoes, papayas, and avocados arrive from surrounding villages. Buy whatever is ripest, and expect sweetness you will not find in imported fruit.
  4. Livestock Section: Goats, chickens, and cattle are paraded and judged. Even if you know nothing about animals, the pride of the owners is entertaining to watch.
  5. Tools and Seed Cooperatives: Cooperatives and agricultural groups show off ox-ploughs,
… read more 👉
  1. Crop and Produce Displays: The main draw. Growers stack maize, sorghum, cassava, sesame, and groundnuts in neat pyramids, and you can taste and compare varieties while farmers explain how they grew them.
  2. Yei Coffee and Tea Stands: The Yei area is known for coffee, and producers pour small cups and sell beans by the bag. It is a rare chance to meet the people who grow it.
  3. Tropical Fruit Stalls: Pineapples, mangoes, papayas, and avocados arrive from surrounding villages. Buy whatever is ripest, and expect sweetness you will not find in imported fruit.
  4. Livestock Section: Goats, chickens, and cattle are paraded and judged. Even if you know nothing about animals, the pride of the owners is entertaining to watch.
  5. Tools and Seed Cooperatives: Cooperatives and agricultural groups show off ox-ploughs, hand tools, and improved seed. Chatting here explains how smallholder farming works in the region.
The produce displays and the coffee stands combine well in one morning, with the fruit stalls as a snack on your way out.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of Yei Agricultural Show?

Yei Agricultural Show is usually held in the dry months around the end of the year or early in the year, runs for a few days, and takes place in Yei town, in Central Equatoria, at the local showground. Exact dates are announced locally and can shift.
  • Best day: The main day with the crop and livestock judging and the speeches is the liveliest. Quieter days are better for talking to farmers.
  • Weather: Expect around 28 to 32°C (82 to 90°F) by day, cooler evenings, and a chance of a short shower. Bring a hat, sunscreen, a light rain jacket and closed shoes for dusty or muddy ground.
  • Booking: Yei has limited beds, so reserve a room a few weeks ahead. Prices can rise by 20 to 50 percent.
  • Roads: Travel from Juba in daylight and arrive the day before, since roads are slow and busy at show time.
Confirm … read more 👉
Yei Agricultural Show is usually held in the dry months around the end of the year or early in the year, runs for a few days, and takes place in Yei town, in Central Equatoria, at the local showground. Exact dates are announced locally and can shift.
  • Best day: The main day with the crop and livestock judging and the speeches is the liveliest. Quieter days are better for talking to farmers.
  • Weather: Expect around 28 to 32°C (82 to 90°F) by day, cooler evenings, and a chance of a short shower. Bring a hat, sunscreen, a light rain jacket and closed shoes for dusty or muddy ground.
  • Booking: Yei has limited beds, so reserve a room a few weeks ahead. Prices can rise by 20 to 50 percent.
  • Roads: Travel from Juba in daylight and arrive the day before, since roads are slow and busy at show time.
Confirm dates with a Yei contact before you book transport.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: excellent for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: not recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: not recommended for travelingOCTOctober: not recommended for travelingNOVNovember: not recommended for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

Yei town center is the practical choice, because the market, transport stands, money changers and most guesthouses sit within walking distance of one another. Staying here means you can reach the showground on a short boda-boda ride (motorbike taxi) of US$1 to 2 and get home easily afterward.
For a social atmosphere, look at the guesthouses and small compounds run by NGOs and churches around the central neighborhoods. Aid workers and visiting agronomists often stay there, so you meet people who know the farming scene and can explain what you are seeing at the show.
Solo travelers should choose a … read more 👉
Yei town center is the practical choice, because the market, transport stands, money changers and most guesthouses sit within walking distance of one another. Staying here means you can reach the showground on a short boda-boda ride (motorbike taxi) of US$1 to 2 and get home easily afterward.
For a social atmosphere, look at the guesthouses and small compounds run by NGOs and churches around the central neighborhoods. Aid workers and visiting agronomists often stay there, so you meet people who know the farming scene and can explain what you are seeing at the show.
Solo travelers should choose a place with a walled compound and a night guard, and stay close to the main roads. Quieter residential areas on the edge of town are calmer, but the walk back after dark is harder, so you depend on a motorbike driver you trust.
Book early, since rooms fill when the show is on. Having a local host or contact in Yei makes finding a safe bed much simpler.


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👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Travel costs and budget guide for Yei Agricultural Show

Yei Agricultural Show costs most independent travelers about US$0 to 5 a day, with a total daily budget of US$60 for the days you attend.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 5Entry is often free or a small gate fee, with extra charges for some exhibits.
AccommodationUS$20 to 45Basic guesthouse rooms cost more during the show. Higher-end rooms with a generator run US$60 or more.
Local transportUS$3 to 8Boda-bodas run US$1 to 2 a ride. Juba to Yei by shared vehicle costs about US$15 to 30 each way.
Food & drinksUS$8 to 15Street snacks cost US$1 to 2 and a full meal US$3 to 6. Soft drinks and tea cost under US$2.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$3 to 10Covers phone credit, water, small purchases of produce and a tip for a guide or driver.
Total Daily BudgetUS$40 to 70Total about US$60 for one day, paid mostly in cash.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodLocal Flavors for Backpackers

Expect the food to come from the farmers themselves. Around the showground, women sell grilled maize, roasted groundnuts, boiled cassava and fried chapati with sweet tea. Yei is a fertile area, so look for fresh pineapple, mango, papaya and bananas sold from baskets at the edges of the crowd.
For a proper meal, try a plate of beans or stewed goat with kisra or ugali, or grilled tilapia if a stall has it. Yei is known for its coffee, so a cup of strong local coffee is worth seeking out. Soft drinks are sold warm or lightly chilled, and bottled water is easy to find.
Bring small cash. Cards are useless, and vendors rarely have change for large notes, so US$1 to 5 worth of small bills goes furthest. Portions are generous and are often shared from one plate. Ask before photographing a cook, wash … read more 👉
Expect the food to come from the farmers themselves. Around the showground, women sell grilled maize, roasted groundnuts, boiled cassava and fried chapati with sweet tea. Yei is a fertile area, so look for fresh pineapple, mango, papaya and bananas sold from baskets at the edges of the crowd.
For a proper meal, try a plate of beans or stewed goat with kisra or ugali, or grilled tilapia if a stall has it. Yei is known for its coffee, so a cup of strong local coffee is worth seeking out. Soft drinks are sold warm or lightly chilled, and bottled water is easy to find.
Bring small cash. Cards are useless, and vendors rarely have change for large notes, so US$1 to 5 worth of small bills goes furthest. Portions are generous and are often shared from one plate. Ask before photographing a cook, wash your hands before eating, and expect to wait while food is made fresh.

FAQFrequently asked questions about Yei Agricultural Show

Yei Agricultural Show is usually held in the dry months around the end or start of the year and lasts a few days. It takes place at the showground in Yei town, Central Equatoria, about 150 km southwest of Juba. Exact dates are announced locally each year, so confirm them a few weeks ahead.
Attending Yei Agricultural Show costs about US$40 to 70 a day for most independent travelers. Entry is often free or under US$5, a guesthouse room runs US$20 to 45, and meals cost US$3 to 6. Add US$15 to 30 each way if you travel from Juba by shared vehicle.
Yei Agricultural Show generally does not require advance tickets, since entry is usually free or paid at the gate with small cash. What you should book ahead is a bed, because Yei has limited rooms and prices rise by 20 to 50 percent during the show. Reserve two to three weeks early and carry small US dollar notes.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other South Sudanese festivals near Yei Agricultural Show

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We 💚 feedbackKey takeaways before you go

Yei Agricultural Show has a detail visitors tend to walk past: the cooperative tents at the edge of the grounds, where women’s groups sell processed goods like groundnut paste and dried cassava. That is where the best conversations happen. I would go hungry, bring small bills, and ask what is in season.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in South Sudan. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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