The 'dead heart of Africa': a landlocked country where the Sahara holds some of the most spectacular and least-seen landscapes on the planet (the Ennedi massif with its stone arches and the Guelta d'Archei, the Lakes of Ounianga, the Emi Koussi volcano, the roof of the Sahara), alongside the reborn Zakouma National Park. It is also a destination with a very fragile security situation. It is almost always visited on an expedition with a specialist operator, and you need to research it thoroughly before planning any trip.
Chad is a vast, landlocked country in the centre of Africa. It forms a bridge between the Sahara and the Sahel and is often described as 'the dead heart of Africa' because of its isolation and extreme geography. For travellers it is one of the continent's great secrets: it gets almost no tourism, but its landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful. In the north, the Ennedi massif (a World Heritage Site) is a world of stone arches, canyons and ancient rock art, with the legendary Guelta d'Archei and its desert crocodiles. Further north still, the Lakes of Ounianga survive as coloured mirrors in the middle of the Sahara, and the Tibesti massif crowns the desert with Emi Koussi, the highest volcano in the Sahara. In the south, Zakouma National Park is home to one of the best wildlife comeback stories on the continent.
At the same time, the country's security situation is very fragile, and this needs to be said plainly. The Lake Chad basin, in the west, suffers violence from the jihadist group Boko Haram and its splinter groups. The east, along the border with Sudan, is marked by the Darfur conflict and by huge numbers of refugees. The far north, towards the Tibesti and the borders with Libya and Niger, is an area of landmines, smuggling and armed groups. For all these reasons, most governments (the United States, Spain and France, among others) formally advise against all travel to Chad or restrict it to cases of extreme necessity. Security is not a minor detail. It decides whether a trip is even possible, and how it has to be organised.
Against that backdrop, what tourism Chad has is concentrated on a few gems: N'Djamena as the point of entry, expeditions to the Ennedi and Ounianga, the climb up into the Tibesti and safaris in Zakouma. It is almost always done with specialist operators, in 4x4 convoys with their own guides, cooks and logistics, completely avoiding the dangerous border areas. This is not a destination for improvising or for first-time travellers. You need to research it thoroughly, check your country's latest official travel advice, hire a reputable operator and have good insurance with medical evacuation. You also have to accept tough conditions: heat, rough tracks, camping and no services. For very experienced and careful travellers who accept all of that, Chad offers in return some of the most awe-inspiring and least-travelled landscapes left on Earth.
The currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF), shared with five other countries in the region (Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic). Its big advantage is stability: it is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 1 EUR = 655,957 XAF (verified July 2026), so its value is predictable. Against the dollar it trades at around 575 XAF per USD, depending on how the euro moves. Watch out for one detail: it is a different CFA franc from the West African one (XOF), and the two are not interchangeable even though they have the same value. It's best to bring EUROS in cash to exchange, because they get a better rate than the dollar (although the euro is not accepted as direct payment). Dollars also work if the notes are new and unmarked. You can change money at banks and bureaux de change in N'Djamena. Chad is an almost entirely cash economy. Cards only work at the odd large hotel or shop in the capital. For everything else (transport, meals, markets and absolutely everything outside the capital) you need CFA notes. Some banks have ATMs in N'Djamena, but they are scarce and not always reliable, and outside the capital there are practically none. For an expedition to the Ennedi, the Tibesti or Zakouma you have to set off with ALL your cash on you. Tipping is not compulsory but it is appreciated. With the guides, drivers and cooks on a long expedition, it is customary to leave a tip at the end.
Full converter for XAF →There are no direct flights from Latin America to Chad, so every route involves one or two stopovers. The most practical connections are Air France via Paris (it flies to N'Djamena), Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa and Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca. There are also options via Addis Ababa or Cairo combined with regional flights. The main airport is Hassan Djamous International Airport (NDJ), in N'Djamena itself. Allow between 26 and 36 hours of total travel time, depending on the stopovers. As for visas: since 2026 Chad has required an e-visa for almost all foreign visitors. You apply online before travelling on the government's official portal (eVisa.td): you upload your documents, pay online and receive an electronic approval, which you print and show on arrival (verified July 2026; check the current procedure just before your trip). An international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is MANDATORY and is usually checked on landing. Within the country there is no transport network designed for tourists. For the big expeditions (Ennedi, Ounianga, Tibesti, Zakouma) almost everyone flies or travels overland on desert tracks with a specialist operator, in 4x4 vehicles with a driver-guide. Getting around independently by road is slow and uncomfortable, and in many areas it is strongly advised against for security reasons (see the relevant section).
The best time to visit Chad is the dry season, from November to March, when it doesn't rain, the heat is more bearable and the tracks are passable. This is the window when desert expeditions are organised. For the Ennedi and the Lakes of Ounianga, November to February brings clear skies, bearable daytime temperatures and cool nights (in the middle of the Sahara it can be cold at dawn). For Zakouma National Park, in the south, the best time is a little later, from February to April, at the peak of the dry season. Water is scarce then, and the wildlife gathers spectacularly around the waterholes. The park usually closes during the rainy season because the roads become impassable.
Chad's climate covers three worlds. The north (the Sahara: Tibesti, Ennedi, Ounianga) is desert and extreme, with very hot days, cold winter nights and scorching heat from April to June, when temperatures easily top 40 °C. The centre (the Sahel, including N'Djamena) is semi-arid, with a short rainy season around June–September and dry heat the rest of the year. Between March and May the harmattan blows, the Saharan wind that fills the air with dust. The south is tropical, greener and more humid, with heavier rains from May to October that make travel difficult. In short: for the desert, aim for November–February; for Zakouma, February–April. Always avoid the rainy season and the extreme heat of April–June, and keep in mind that all of this depends on the security situation.
Chadian food is simple, tasty and closely tied to the grains of the Sahel. The staple is 'boule' (also called 'aiysh'), a thick dough of millet, sorghum or maize that you dip into various sauces. The most typical is 'daraba', a stew of okra with vegetables and sometimes meat or dried fish, with a distinctive texture. Peanut, leaf and tomato sauces are also common. In the south and along the rivers people eat a lot of fish from the Chari and the Logone, fresh or sun-dried. In the north and among nomadic peoples, meat dominates (lamb, goat, camel), grilled or stewed, along with milk. Meals come with rice, with 'kissar' (a thin sorghum crêpe of Sudanese origin) and with strong tea.
N'Djamena has a few restaurants serving international food (Lebanese, French, African) where a meal costs around 10–25 USD. At street stalls and local eateries, a plate of boule with sauce or rice with meat costs just a few dollars. On a desert expedition you eat whatever the operator's team cooks: simple but plentiful camp food, cooked over the fire. To drink, strong sweet tea is king and a whole social ritual, especially among the peoples of the north. There are also soft drinks and fruit juices. Because Islam is so widespread, there is little alcohol in much of the country (in the more Christian south you'll find local beer). Be careful with water and raw food: stick to bottled or purified water and well-cooked food (see the health section).
Security is by far the most important consideration for anyone thinking of travelling to Chad, and it has to be dealt with completely frankly. As of July 2026, most governments (the United States at 'Do Not Travel' level, Spain, France and Canada, among others) ADVISE AGAINST all travel to Chad or limit it to cases of extreme necessity, because of a combination of terrorism, kidnapping, crime, landmines and conflict. Three areas are especially dangerous and should be avoided entirely. The first is the LAKE CHAD BASIN, in the west, where Boko Haram and its splinter groups carry out attacks and kidnappings. The second is the EAST, along the border with Sudan, marked by the Darfur conflict and large numbers of refugees. The third is the FAR NORTH towards the Tibesti and the borders with Libya and Niger, with landmines, smuggling and armed groups. In this context, what tourism exists is concentrated on a few gems (N'Djamena, the Ennedi and Ounianga expeditions, Zakouma). It is almost always run by specialist operators who put together 4x4 convoys with their own guides and logistics, avoiding the risk areas. If you are considering going: ALWAYS check your country's latest official travel advice before and during the trip, travel only with a reputable operator and don't travel independently by road. Avoid travelling at night, don't photograph military or government sites, register with your consulate and take out insurance that covers medical evacuation and high-risk areas. For reference, the police number is 17, but emergency response is very limited outside the capital.
On health, some points are non-negotiable. First, yellow fever: the vaccine is MANDATORY to enter Chad, and the international certificate (yellow card) is usually checked on arrival. Get vaccinated at least 10 days before you travel. Second, malaria: there is a risk across much of the country, especially in the centre and south and during the rainy season. See a travel doctor about the right prophylaxis, and also use repellent, wear long sleeves from dusk and sleep under a mosquito net. Chad is also right in Africa's 'meningitis belt', with seasonal outbreaks in the dry season, so the meningococcal vaccine is usually recommended. Add hepatitis A and B and typhoid, and make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date (polio is sometimes required too). Don't drink tap water: always use bottled or purified water and be careful with food (it's best hot and well cooked). Protect yourself from extreme heat and dehydration, which are a serious risk in the desert, so carry plenty of water, sun protection and suitable clothing. Healthcare is very limited, especially outside N'Djamena, so good insurance with medical evacuation is not a luxury but a basic condition for travelling.
Chad is a cheap destination for day-to-day spending but an expensive one to really travel, and the reason is logistics: since almost everything is done as an expedition with an operator, in 4x4 vehicles with guides, cooks and fuel to cross the desert, the real cost is far from that of backpacking through other African countries. An organised circuit to the Ennedi and the Lakes of Ounianga lasting one to two weeks usually costs in the region of 3.000 to 6.000 USD per person (excluding international flights), depending on the length, group size and operator; a safari in Zakouma, staying in its camps, is also a high-end experience. Travelling in a group brings the per-person price down a lot, because the cost of the vehicles and logistics is shared. Flights from South America, with unavoidable stopovers, usually run from 1.500 to 2.800 USD return depending on the season and the route.
Day to day, on the other hand, prices are low: in N'Djamena, lunch at a local eatery costs a few dollars, a meal at a restaurant with international food 10–25 USD, and a decent hotel in the capital can run from 60 to 150 USD a night (the hotel supply is limited and not always cheap for what it offers). Outside the capital there are practically no tourist hotels: you sleep in expedition or park camps. Also budget for fees and permits (Zakouma admission, permits for the desert and the Tibesti), which the operator arranges, and take ALL the cash you'll need before leaving N'Djamena, because there are no ATMs in the interior. In short: food and urban transport cost little, but the bulk of the budget goes on the organised expedition, the permits and the flights, plus comprehensive travel insurance.
Chad is an extraordinary mosaic of peoples and languages: more than a hundred ethnic groups live side by side and over 120 languages are spoken. The official languages are French (inherited from colonisation and used in government, schools and tourism) and Arabic (in its local variety, Chadian Arabic, widely used as a lingua franca, especially in the north and centre). Spanish is practically not spoken at all, so basic French is very useful for getting around, and in the desert the guide usually acts as a bridge to the local languages (Tubu, Kanuri, Arabic…). Broadly speaking, the country is split between a mostly Muslim, Saharan-Sahelian north and centre, and a south that is more Christian and follows traditional religions, with very different ways of life: desert nomads, river fishermen and farmers in the south. People are hospitable and dignified; respect, unhurried greetings and patience are highly valued, and you should always ask permission before photographing people.
On the practical side: dress modestly and sensibly, especially given the influence of Islam and in rural areas; for women, clothing that covers shoulders and legs avoids awkward moments. Plugs are type C, D, E and F (round pins, European style), the voltage is 220V and power cuts are frequent, so bring a power bank, a headlamp and, for the desert, some kind of solar charger. For connectivity, buy a local SIM on arrival (the operators are Airtel and Moov Africa; you need your passport to register it): there is data in N'Djamena and the towns, but in the Ennedi, the Tibesti and much of the interior there is no signal at all, so expect to be offline for days (a satellite phone, usually supplied by the operator, is the only real means of communication in the desert). Keep copies of your passport, visa and yellow fever certificate handy, because there are checkpoints and you must register in some areas. And the key recommendation for this country: travel informed, flexible and humble, with safety as your top priority, ready to adapt to tough conditions and a slow pace, which is part of the adventure.
On 19 July 2001, in a sea of dunes in northern Chad called the Djurab, four members of a palaeoanthropological mission lifted a flattened, sand-covered skull from the ground. It was around seven million years old and was, as far as we know, the oldest hominin ever found. They named it Toumaï, a Daza word given to children born just before the dry season: "hope of life". The fact that this find turned up in Chad, and not in the East African Rift where people had been searching for decades, redrew the map of our own origins.
This is the full history of Chad: the green Sahara that left behind improbable lakes and rock walls painted with cattle in the Ennedi and the Tibesti, the mud cities of the Sao, the thousand years of the Kanem-Bornu Empire and the caravans of Wadai and Bagirmi, the French conquest that began with the Battle of Kousséri in 1900, independence in 1960, and the decades of civil war, Libyan intervention, dictatorship, oil and transition that run up to the present day. A huge country, short on roads and water, that carries a hard history and at the same time holds some of the most extraordinary landscapes on the planet.
Read the full history of Chad →Pick a region and open each destination to see what to do, prices and how to get there.
These are the sources we cite most across this country's guides, with how many times each appears. Hard data —tickets, opening hours, requirements, transport— comes from the official source and carries the date we checked it. Restaurant and hotel picks come from guides and reviews, and we say so on each page.
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