The capital
Almost every trip starts in N'Djamena, the capital on the Chari river, facing Cameroon across the water. It is a low-rise, sprawling city of wide avenues, busy markets, mosques and riverside sunsets. Spend a day or two here getting your paperwork, cash and bearings in order before heading out.
The great national park
Zakouma National Park, in the south east, is one of Africa's great conservation stories. Managed by African Parks with the government of Chad, it has seen its elephant population recover after years of poaching, and now holds large buffalo herds, lions, giraffe and spectacular birdlife. It is open in the dry season, and most visitors arrive by charter flight.
The Sahara
The Ennedi Plateau in the north east is a sandstone wonderland of natural arches, canyons, gueltas and rock art thousands of years old. Further north west, the Ounianga lakes are a chain of blue and green lakes in the middle of the Sahara. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and both are reached only on long, supported expeditions.
The green south
Sarh, on the Chari in the far south, is Chad's third city: leafy, relaxed and surrounded by farmland, with a regional museum and the river at its heart. Together with Moundou, the home of Chad's best-known beer, it shows a very different, greener side of the country.
Areas to leave out for now
Government travel advice warns against travel to large parts of Chad, including the Lake Chad region, the Tibesti mountains and areas near the borders with Libya, Sudan, Niger and the Central African Republic. Some warnings also cover the routes to Ennedi and Ounianga, which is why those trips need specialist operators and careful thought. Check the latest advice before you plan, as it can change.
How to combine them
A classic first trip pairs two or three nights in N'Djamena with four to six nights in Zakouma in the dry season. Desert expeditions to Ennedi and Ounianga usually run ten to fifteen days from the capital. Family visits often centre on N'Djamena, Moundou or Sarh. Shape your own route with our free trip planner, and explore markets, sights and stays on our places to visit page.