Chad has always been someplace where travelers wave goodbye to their comfort zone and say hello to adventure. Put simply, Chad is an experience that visitors will never forget. If Ghana and Gambia are ‘Africa for beginners’, Chad is ‘Africa for the hardcore’.
Why travel here if it is so difficult? Well, we could entice you with the sublime oases lost in the northern deserts, tell you about the stampeding herds of wildlife in the national parks or the deep blue lure of a boat trip on Lake Chad or the incredible sandstone Ennedi Massif (and surrounding rock art) that has been sculpted over time by water and wind erosion into a plateau featuring canyons and valleys that present a spectacular landscape marked by cliffs, natural arches and pitons. But let’s be honest about it, these things alone aren’t why people come to Chad. Chad offers an opportunity to break emphatically with a comfortable Western world and come to a place that promises experiences that you’ll be recalling forever.
The Republic of Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa, bordered by Libya to the north, south Sudan to the East, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the Southwest and Niger to the west. It is the fifth largest country in Africa in terms of area. Chad is divided into multiple regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the South.
Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the largest wetland in Chad and the second-largest in Africa. N’Djamena, (formerly known as Fort-Lamy) the capital, is the largest city. N’Djamena is home to a large and sprawling central market which is interesting to explore, and also contains the National Museum with a collection of prehistoric artefacts.
Places of Interest
Zakouma National Park
Zakouma National Park is located in the Salamat Region of south-eastern Chad. It has been described as one of the last strongholds for Central African wildlife, and is one of the most inspirational conservation success stories of our time. Zakouma National Park, proclaimed in 1963, covers an area of 3,054 km² and is one of the last remaining intact Sudano-Sahelian ecosystems in Africa. Due to its close proximity to the centre of the Chadian Basin, the terrain of the park is almost exclusively flat with the exception of the beautiful granite inselbergs found in the south-west near Ibir.
Zakouma has become a safe-haven for Central and West African wildlife and has become an incredibly productive ecosystem supporting phenomenal abundance and biodiversity. Some 66 mammal species are found here, of which 16 are large herbivores. Notable mammals include the Kordofan giraffe, elephant, red-fronted gazelle, Lelwel’s hartebeest, tiang, oribi, Bohor reedbuck and the ground pangolin. Lion, leopard cheetah, striped and spotted hyaena as well as many other smaller predators such as mongooses, serval, caracal, honey badger and wildcat occur in the park. Canids are represented by four species including pale fox and the wild dog. Three primates are found, namely the olive baboon, the patas monkey, and the tantalus monkey. By next year (2018) the park will be a “big 5” destination after they have reintroduced black rhino.
Bird watching in the park is an extremely rewarding experience. Not only in the number of species (currently 373) but also in the sheer abundance of water birds including ducks, geese, Black Crowned and Wattled Cranes. Seeing tens of thousands of these birds at a pan in the dry season is not uncommon. Zakouma has most of the Sahelian ‘specials’ such as Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle, Sahel Paradise Whydah, Black Scrub-Robin, Bearded Barbet, Little Grey Woodpecker, Western Bonelli’s Warbler and Rose-ringed Parakeet. The common birds seen during the dry season (mid-November to end-May) are Long-tailed and Greater Blue-eared Starling, Pygmy and Variable Sunbirds, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Black-headed Gonolek, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Namaqua Dove, Brown Parrot – all watched over by the ever present pair of African Fish Eagles and ubiquitous Black Kites. Raptors are well represented with 39 species having been recorded in the park.
As the dry season approaches, thousands of Red-billed Queleas move to the open pans of Zakouma National Park. As temperatures rise, the Quelea’s burst into action and become “sardines of the sky”, moving in a perfectly choreographed spectacle, skimming over the water with a susurration of wings. Even for “non-birders”, the flight display of millions of Quelea turning the sky black is truly awesome!
Here is a video link of the phenomenal Red-billed Quelea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfWmiIlfxns
The abundance of wildlife at Zakouma National Park makes this area one of the world’s top safari destinations. Never in your wildest dreams will you believe that anywhere in North Africa can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great wildlife and safari destinations of East and Southern Africa. Even the most ardent safari explorers and guides, who have spent many decades exploring the remotest corners of Africa, are overwhelmed by the entire experience.
Come and experience this wonderful wilderness destination and be a part of the Zakouma success story.
Herewith a link to a video on Zakouma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwHDA6w_Hrg#action=share
The Ennedi Plateau, Sahara
Rising from the sands of the great Sahara Desert, the Ennedi Plateau is a revelation. Situated in the north east of Chad and surrounded by sand on all sides, this extraordinary, other-worldly place presents vista after vista of stunning rock formations. Hidden over overhanging rocks are Neolithic paintings, depicting wild animals, cattle, horses and warriors – the oldest of which date back to the fifth millennium BC. Their shape and colour are preserved by the dry desert atmosphere. Chadian rock art is particularly well known for its variety of local styles and includes some of the richest examples of Saharan rock art.
Yet after trekking for several hours the rewards are manifold. The rock formations sweep towards the sky in a multitude of incredible shapes and sizes. It looks barren and devoid of life but nature always seems to find a way. Even in the middle of the harsh and dry desert, lush gueltas can be found. These are areas of wetland where subterranean water spills gloriously to the surface.
Unsurprisingly, the place is a magnet for the hardiest of the world’s rock-climbers who come here to ascend the sandstone rocks, many of which are over a hundred meters in height. One can only imagine the bemusement of the locals.
A video for you to watch is on this link: https://vimeo.com/156095507
The Guelta d’Archei
The Guelta d’Archei is an oasis, or rather a guelta, in the heart of the Sahara desert. A guelta is a particular type of wetland, formed when underground water in lowland depressions spills to the surface and creates permanent pools and reservoirs. Guelta d’Archei is located in the Ennedi Plateau, in north of eastern Chad, hidden behind a canyon. Its waters are sheltered by the towering sandstone cliffs.
This stunning part of the Ennedi is used by the Tubu nomads who come to water their camels. The sight of hundreds of camels drinking and bellowing at this isolated patch of water is one you are unlikely to forget.
Lurking in the black waters is a small group of the last surviving population of the Sahelian Crocodile. The number is reduced to around 8 or 10 crocodiles. No young crocodiles have been seen for many years, leading to the speculation that the population is entirely male or female and thus doomed to extinction in the near future. The crocodiles feed on fish that survive on the algae that thrive on the waters fertilized by camel droppings. Guelta d’Archei is indeed a zoological marvel.
The Mourdi Depression
The Mourdi Depression, an area of vast sand dunes that can be difficult to traverse but are incredibly beautiful. We follow the ancient caravan route that is still used by camel caravans taking salt from Demi and Teguedei to the Fada and beyond. At Kora, while crossing dunes and entering an area that saw fighting during the war with Libya; in some places the remnants of tanks and other military hardware can be found, slowly being reclaimed by the desert.
Lakes of Ounianga – Oasis in the Arid Sahara Desert
Emerging from the Sahara Desert is the spectacular Ounianga oasis. Listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, this spectacular part of the country consists of 18 lakes. The area looks like a fairy-tale oasis, surrounded with lush greenery and palm trees in the middle of a dry sandy landscape.
The lakes themselves vary in colour, size and depth, but that is not the only weird thing about them. The location is very arid and hot, receiving less than 2 millimeters of rainfall every year. Therefore the watery ponds here are a true natural wonder.
All of the lakes except Lake Teli are fresh. It is an unusual phenomenon, since most ponds in the deserts are saline. The underground aquifers, sand and thick reeds help to keep the water fresh. Wildlife around this region is good, and you can expect to see Dorcas gazelles as well as jackals, bustards and perhaps the pretty fennec fox.
Chad is one of the most exciting countries in all of Africa, an utterly wild and untamed land brimming with opportunities for adventure. Start pencilling in dates for next year! You will not be disappointed.
About Origins Safaris
At Origins Safaris we are passionate about wildlife, cultural heritage, adventure and exploration. We customize each and every safari to your personal requirements and expectations, ensuring an exclusive, unique and authentic experience every time.
Origins Safaris is a family business, founded in 1963 by Don and Margaret Turner. It is managed today by two subsequent generations of the family, and predominantly by Don’s son, Steve. We are so much more than just a travel broker – our years of experience, professionalism and reliability means that we go the all important extra mile, to make sure your dream safari is safe, memorable, educational and most of all great fun. We are renowned for our meticulous safari planning from start to finish, and the highest standards of natural history interpretation.
Origins Safaris provide that crucial “sound advice and impeccable service” so seldom found by other companies. We have 50+ years of authentic African safari experience and the know-how to make your trip run as smoothly as possible. Use our website (https://originsafaris.com/) to find the trips that inspire you and add them to your bucket list. As you use the arrows to browse through the various countries we do safaris to, bear in mind that the further you go into the website the more adventurous, specialized and remote the trips become. We are offering you a lifetime of travel, beginning with the easiest and ending with the hardest as you find your Africa feet and wish to do more exciting trips. Once you have browsed our website, send us your bucket list and we will link you directly to some relevant and extensive sources of information and pertinent itinerary advice. From there, we can then start your specific itinerary design.
For more information on trips to Chad, please contact us on https://originsafaris.com/sahara-chad/
Origins Safaris – Authentic African Experiences Since 1963
STEVE TURNER
SELEMPO EDWIN LESOINE
STANLEY KARITHI
ZACHARY METHU MBUTHIA
PETER LIECH ADEDE
FELIX WAMBUGU
JOSHUA SONKOYO
HENRY MIWANI
