Chad

Chad is a vast, landlocked country of deserts, mountains, and dry savannahs. N’Djamena, the capital, sits where the Chari and Logone rivers meet, offering lively markets and a glimpse of everyday life. In the north, the Sahara stretches endlessly, broken by the stunning peaks and canyons of the Ennedi Plateau. Lake Chad, once one of Africa’s largest lakes, has dramatically shrunk but remains vital for surrounding communities. Traditional cultures thrive, from nomadic herders to ancient trading towns. Harsh and remote, Chad rewards intrepid travelers with raw landscapes, rich traditions, and a deep sense of isolation.

Most travelers come for Zakouma National Park, one of Africa’s greatest conservation success stories, or for the dramatic scenery of the Sahara, especially around the Ennedi Plateau, where sandstone arches and prehistoric rock art create a surreal desert landscape. The capital, N’Djamena, sits on the banks of the Chari River but offers little to detain visitors beyond a few markets and embassies. Chad is remote, challenging, and still largely off the tourist map, but for adventure travelers and overlanders, it’s one of Africa’s last true frontiers.

Formerly part of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa, landlocked Chad has the largest mountain range in the Sahara Desert, giving it the sinister name ‘Dead Heart of Africa’. While you will find its citizens anything but dead-hearted, experiencing the country’s civil warfare, diet of only rice and plagues of locust may give its nickname greater meaning.

Traveling in Chad is very expensive due to the lack of infrastructure and the need for special permits, guides, and 4x4 vehicles for almost any trip outside the capital. Accommodations are basic: modest hotels in N’Djamena and tented camps or field camps near national parks or desert sites. Meals are simple: rice, grilled meat, millet porridge, and occasional fresh produce, depending on where you are. Western-style food is rare outside of a few restaurants in the capital.

Getting around Chad requires serious logistics. Independent travel is very difficult, most travelers organize private expeditions with operators who handle security, vehicles, permits, and supplies. Roads are rough or nonexistent outside major cities. French and Arabic are the main languages, with many local languages spoken in different regions. Chad has significant safety issues, including risks of armed conflict, banditry, and terrorism in some areas. Zakouma and the Ennedi, however, have been relatively stable and are visited cautiously under protection.

Why Go to Chad?

• Zakouma National Park: See elephants, giraffes, lions, and huge flocks of birds in one of Africa’s wildest and least-touristed parks.
• Ennedi Plateau’s Desert Wonders: Explore sandstone arches, hidden canyons, rock pools, and ancient petroglyphs in a landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth.
• Tibesti Mountains: For the truly adventurous, visit these volcanic highlands, home to the Toubou people and some of the Sahara’s highest peaks.
• Traditional Cultures: Meet nomadic groups like the Toubou and Fulani, whose ways of life are shaped by the desert and savannah.
• Wild Sahel Landscapes: Travel through zones of savannah, desert, and oasis, changing dramatically as you move across the country.
• Birdwatching & Remote Nature: Spot rare species at Zakouma, or see migratory birds gathering at seasonal wetlands in the south.
• True Off-the-Grid Adventure: Experience a place where few foreigners ever set foot, where travel is tough but the rewards are unforgettable.

Who Might Not Enjoy Chad?

• Safety-Conscious Travelers: Chad faces ongoing security concerns, especially in border regions and the Lake Chad area. Risks include armed conflict, banditry, and terrorism. Most governments advise against non-essential travel to large parts of the country.

• First-Time or Casual Tourists: Chad’s infrastructure is very limited. Roads are often poor, public services are basic, and independent travel requires a high degree of preparation, flexibility, and resilience.

• Luxury Travelers Expecting Comfort: There are few high-end accommodations outside of the capital, N’Djamena. Even in the city, luxury options are modest compared to international standards, and services can be inconsistent.

• Travelers Expecting Smooth Logistics: Flights are expensive and unreliable, roads can be impassable during the rainy season, and bureaucracy can cause delays. Travelers need patience and contingency plans.

• Vegetarians or Vegans: The local diet is meat- and fish-heavy, with limited access to fresh produce outside major towns. Plant-based diets are difficult to maintain without self-catering.

• Nightlife or Entertainment Seekers: Nightlife is virtually nonexistent outside N’Djamena, and even there it’s subdued. Entertainment options are very limited and mostly local in flavor.

• Those Sensitive to Heat and Harsh Environments: Chad’s climate is hot, dry, and harsh, especially in the north. Sandstorms, dehydration risks, and extreme heat are common.

• Travelers Needing Reliable Healthcare or Connectivity: Healthcare facilities are extremely basic outside the capital, and serious medical issues would require evacuation. Internet access is slow, expensive, and unreliable in much of the country.

• Tourists Looking for Polished Cultural or Natural Attractions: While Chad offers remarkable natural sites (like the Ennedi Plateau and Zakouma National Park), reaching them requires effort, time, and often extensive logistics with specialized operators.

Highlights

• N’Djaména: the capital city of Chad, it is slowly regaining its former reputation as a lively city with its upbeat atmosphere that is complemented by bustling markets and stores that sell colorful rugs and jewelry.
• National Museum: the National Museum in N’Djaména is a must-visit destination in Chad, featuring the country’s culture, traditions and many artifacts dating back to as early as the 9th century.
• Zakouma National Park: is located on a plain where the Bahr Salamat, including its tributaries, are settled. This national park is home to elephants, lions, giraffes and other wild wonders. Watch out for the poachers, who have already claimed a large percentage of the park’s animals.
• Lake Chad: once the center of the lucrative salt trade in Africa, Lake Chad is one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes. The lake is fast shrinking, and those who don’t visit soon might just miss it!

• Beer tasting: visit the Gala Brewery to smell the sweet aroma and taste the delicious flavor of Moundou’s beer, considered one of the finest beers in the country. Watch you don’t tip over as you back out.
• Sightseeing: at Abéché, the former capital of the Ouadaï sultanate. Explore its surrounding desert, old markets, mosques and cobbled narrow streets.
• Camel racing: haven’t seen camels racing before? Then catch the exciting camel races held in the Tibetsi Mountains, home of the Toubou tribe. Although they look rather cute, these furry friends can spit at any moment so give them a wide berth.

Serious outbreaks of cholera and malaria are common, while upper respiratory infections, diarrhea and AIDS are also rampant. Take necessary precautions, as if you do get sick, the medical facilities in Chad leave a lot to be desired. Common medicines are often unavailable or lacking in supply making it essential that you bring even simple first-air items with you.

The unrest caused by recent rebel attacks in Abeche and Biltine has lead to foreign embassies around the world advising against travel here and wisely so. In fact, the government declared a state of emergency in some of the eastern regions in November 2006 making these regions one of the last places you should go for a vacation even if you are a daredevil.