Located in the heart of Africa, Chad is known for its stark expanses of savanna dotted with traditional villages. N'Djamena, Chad's capital and largest city, is one of the only urban areas in a country still dominated by a rural lifestyle. The gorgeous Tibesti Mountains and Lake Chad are two of Chad's most notable natural landmarks. The latter, now only 5% of its former size due to climate change and population pressures, should be on every adventure traveler's "what to see before it's gone" list.

The Top 6: What to do in Chad

1. Lake Chad:  Once one of the world’s largest lakes, almost as large as the Caspian Sea, Lake Chad has been affected more drastically by climate change than almost any other place on the African continent or in the world. As the region’s seasonal monsoons have changed course and farmers have used more water for irrigation, Lake Chad has shrunk to 5 percent of its former size in only 35 years. Despite the changes, it remains a popular fishing and boating spot. See it because it’s beautiful, see it because it’s off the beaten track, see it for the catfish, but see it soon—because in ten years it might be gone.

 2. Markets: N’Djamena has excellent shopping for tourists, and the best place to find carpets, clothing, tropical fruit, carvings, and more is the open-air market in the historic quarter of the city. The market, which operates daily from dawn to dusk, serves as a kind of magnet for the city’s knickknacks, but to find the choicest art and the good deals, you’ll have to sift through all manner of junk. Doing so in itself is an adventure, though, and the market affords some of the city’s best people watching as locals sell, haggle, and socialize.


 
3. N'Djamena's Central Mosque: The architectural, social, and religious center of N’Djamena, the central mosque can be seen from many parts of town. In addition to the mosque itself, the complex has a library, a lecture hall, and two schools, although visitors should be able to speak Chadian Arabic if they hope to benefit much from these facilities.

4. Stroll in N'Djamena: It may lack the tourist infrastructure of Dakar or Nairobi, but N’Djamena positively buzzes with life, and even if you spend less time at museums and monuments, you’ll learn just as much by observing the people around you. One of the best places to do that is Avenue Charles de Gaulle, lined with embassies, high-end restaurants, and Victorian homes that recall Chad’s days of European rule.

 5. Tibesti Mountains: Although travel to the Tibesti Mountains is both difficult and dangerous at this time, the area has a stark, dramatic landscape of canyons and sheer rock faces topped by forest. The Toubou tribe still lives traditionally in villages within the range but tends to be hostile to visitors.

 6. Zakouma National Park: Poaching remains a problem in the park. The Chadian government and the European Union have recently restocked it, though, and it is once again one of the best places to spot herds of elephants, as well as wildebeests, antelopes, and lions. 

Attractions in Chad

Although Chad is landlocked country, it has some charming tourist attractions worth visiting. It has a beautiful yet varying landscape comprised of huge mountains, plateaux, rolling hills plus verdant valleys. The natural beautiful resources have made Chad a country worth visiting.

The list below clearly highlight some of the top attractions you can visit while on your holiday in Chad.

N’Djamena is the capital of Chad which is gradually being restored to its grandeur following several years of internal wars that left several building plus streets greatly damaged. The city holds a daily market which is quite vibrant and colorful in which visitors can always pick a souvenir to remind them of their holiday. The National Museum in this city houses an assortment of items that date back to the 9th Century. And for people who enjoy having fun, the wonderful nightlife of N’Djamena is worth trying out.

Zakouma National Park

The Zakouma National park is intersected by river Bahr Salamat and some of its attributes. The park was established back in 1963, making it the first park in the country. Several years ago the number of wild animals greatly declined due to poaching and wars, but the restoration project which was started in 1989 has seen the numbers grow again and today the park holds over 40 different species of the animals among which are lions, giraffes and most of all is that it holds the largest population of elephants in the whole world. Furthermore there are well serviced accommodation facilities to cater for tourists. Zakouma is a place worth visiting!

Museums in Chad

Because of the rich cultural and historic background of Chad, most of its heritage and significant items are well kept in the different museums found in different parts of the country. Some of the prominent museums include: the National Museum found in N’Djamena in which are masks, weapons and musical instruments, Kotoko Museum with pottery, architectural items and historic instruments from the Kotoko plus the Sao, and the Museum of Abeche.

Lake Chad

More than 18 million people have survived on the water from Lake Chad, not only within Chad but also the neighboring states.  The lake is among the largest fresh water lakes in the whole world; although sadly the increasing human demand and climatic changes have seen its levels and size reduce.  The water levels are highest between August and December and it is highly recommended that you visit during this time to catch sight of crocodiles, hippopotami and other types of wild animals and not to forget the numerous migrating birds in the skies.

Faya

Faya is among the biggest oasis towns in the whole world and is situated in the heart of the vast Sahara Desert just north of the capital N’Djamena. The town has a small airport so it can be accessed by plane. It is a desert town worth visiting.

Nightlife

Chad is a very lively country not only during the day but in the nights too. The people enjoying having fun and being entertained! There are several happening spots particularly in the capital where you will find several nightclubs, with several bars and open air dancing platforms. In the non-Muslim regions, Pari matches are held almost every Saturday plus Sunday.

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Contact Yves Stranger info@equus-ethiopia.com
 
On assignment to train the mounted anti poaching brigades of the Zacouma National Park in 
Chad. The riders below equipped with bazookas and kalashnikovs patrol the park to protect
Chad's remaining elephants. The Zakouma Park has huge tourism potential.