Fifteen Days Chad Adventure
The highlights of this adventure includes experiencing the large sandstone cathedrals and pinnacles of rocks at Ennedi, Experience the Massif one of the most breathtaking landscapes in Africa, Learn the way of life of Chadian people.
Day One: Arrival
On your arrival at the airport in N’djamena, you will be welcomed by the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris who will then transfer you to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Hotel La Residence.
Day Two, Three and Four: N’Djamena, Moussouro and Kalal
After breakfast, we will head eastwards through Massage and Massakory. The landscape starts as a mixture of savannah and Sahel, the vegetation becomes scarce and we traverse vast plains often covered in yellow grass. Wildlife around this region is good, and you can expect to see Dorcas gazelles as well as jackals. For much of the route, we follow the dried-up riverbed of the Bah el Ghazal where remains of the oldest known hominid have been found. We set up camp each night in the middle of the wilderness, away from anyone where you will spend the next three days.
Day Five: Kalait to Guela Bachikele, Aloba Arch, Oyo Labirint and Archel
The focus here in undoubtedly the Guetta d’Archei, the only permanent waterhole in the region situated amidst a dramatic and towering gorge, where one can often see hundreds of camels drinking, their bellowing echoing around the rock walls. The Vuelta is also home to one of the last populations of Saharan crocodiles, and with a bit of luck, we should be able to see them. The Ennedi Mountains In the northeast of Chad lie the stunning Ennedi Mountains, a red sandstone massif that has been sculpted into a multitude of fascinating rock formations by the wind and sand over the millennia.
Day Six: Archel to Abaike
Today you can participate in optional trekking to get to the crocodile observation point (medium difficult) return at noon for lunch at the camp before exploring, the landscape in this region is truly spectacular and we pick our campsites in the prettiest areas. , we will make our camp in Abaike ‘enjoying exceptional panorama views.
Day Seven and Eight: Abaike to Fada, Mourdi Depression, Demi Sallnes
On this day, we will drive down from the plateau to Fada, the only town in the Ennedi, where we need to complete formalities and stock up on supplies before heading northwards. From here we head back into the wilderness, climbing onto a plateau of red rocks before descending to the last rocks of the Ennedi. Rom, here we enter 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. We will spend the nights in a tented camp
Day Nine: Demi Sallnes to Taguedel, Lac Ounianga
This morning, we will visit the small village of Demi, located at the foot of a mountain and on the edge of a salt pan, where men and women dig the red earth for salt to be transported across the desert to market, exchanged for goods like millet, sorghum, and other foods – this is an incredibly isolated settlement and completely reliant on the trade. Nearby is the salt lake of Teguedei, situated amidst lush palm groves and seasonally inhabited for the date harvest – one can also see piles of salt drying on the shores of the lake. From here we head to the lakes of the Ounianga oasis. Emerging from the desert this is a spectacular site – lakes surrounded by dunes and palms with multihued mountains behind them. The later head back to the camp for overnight.
Day Ten: Lac Ounianga
The twin lakes are different in colors, a result of the minerals in the ground as well as algae. We explore the lakes, visit the village of Ounianga Serir. We also stop in the town of Ounianga Kebir for supplies and formalities. Until recently this was a critical hub on the trade route with Libya, but that country’s troubles have reduced traffic to a trickle. The Ounianga Lakes Recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ounianga Lakes have to rank amongst some of the Sahara’s finest scenery. All are fed by freshwater springs, but in all but one the salty soil that the water filters through means that they are saline. There are a number of lakes spread between the small settlement of Ounianga Serir and the larger ‘town’ of Ounianga Kebir, including twin lakes adjacent to each other with different colors. Overnight will be at the camp.
Day Eleven and Twelve: Ounianga to Kalait
After breakfast, we depart the Lake Ounianga and head south, 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.
The dune crossing can be tough in parts and we can expect to get out and push. Time permitting we may be able to stop at small oases en route, and we camp tonight on the outskirts of the Ennedi
Day Thirteen: Kalait to Abeche
For this day, we leave the Ennedi, stopping first at Kalait to again pick up supplies. We then head south on a different route, traveling through a more ‘African’ landscape, with settled villages and mud huts replacing the camel hair tents of the Tubu. We pass through the towns of Arada and Biltine before reaching Abeche. From here we head west – the lands here are more populated and we expect to see more people, and traffic, on our journey back. Abeche is the capital of Ouaddai province, the seat of an ancient sultanate that once played an important part in Saharan trade, linking tropical Africa to the slave markets of Tripoli
Day Fourteen and Fifteen: Abeche to Mongo and N’djamena
Through the beautiful and lively region of Guera, with its granite peaks and home to some of the richest markets in Chad will be a stop at the village of Ab, a dominated homonymous granite peak also known as “vultures Mountain” We arrive N’Djamena! transfer to the hotel Residence for overnight.
There is an options if time permits to visit the village of Gauri, the sultan’s house, the Sao civilization museum, and handcrafted ceramics. The later transfer to the airport to catch your flight back home.