Zakouma National Park
Probably our favourite reserve in all of Africa, Zakouma National Park in Chad is the last intact Central African savannah eco system.
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Zakouma National Park is home to three thousand square miles of pristine wilderness supporting a wonderful array of wildlife. The elephants are a treasure here and one can see herds of up to 500, together with herds of buffalo up to a thousand strong.
They have an excellent resident pride of lion and wonderful antelope and birdlife – and if you time it right, you can see the beautiful and vividly marked carmine bee eaters which return to Zakouma in March. A safari here is reminiscent of Africa 100 years ago. One can reach Chad relatively easily from Paris or Addis Ababa and it makes a wonderful combination with Ethiopia.
Within Chad lies a wonderful bush camp, called Camp Nomade. Simple, but with all the comforts that are required, there are just five tents, for eight people and your private guide. Your guide is one of the finest in East Africa, whose knowledge is second to none and who will transform your safari to an extraordinary experience.
The camp is chic, styled along the typical nomadic herders in design, with the tents having opaque, netted sides to allow infinite views across the landscape. In the main tent which is furnished with Persian rugs, one can read leather bound books in total peace and tranquillity.
At night, scores of lanterns are hung from trees which gives an incredibly romantic aura. The chef produces delicious food which rounds off the day beautifully. Visit the cattle market outside the park at Kach-Kacha, where one can also collect all sorts of interesting trinkets. The days are spent game viewing by vehicle as well as on foot.
One can fly by private charter from N’djamena which takes three hours to reach the park headquarters. Three nights are spent at your gorgeous bush camp, Camp Nomade. You then move to a fly camp for your fourth night and then onto a camp further north for the last three nights. These safaris are all for seven nights.
The best time to travel is in February and March which can either be by a private departure for eight guests or one can join a set departure – however, permits must be obtained well in advance therefore as much advance notice as possible is required to avoid disappointment.
A wonderful addition to Chad, is to spend five nights in the desert at Ennedi. It’s a four hour flight where you land at Fada, a characteristic Saharan village formed by houses made of banco, gathered around the old French colonial fort. The inhabited centre is situated in a verdant oasis with numerous date-palms.
You will then visit Mourdi, via a beautiful succession of tassilian sand formations, taking odd shapes of castles and cathedrals grazed by winding tongues of sand. The landscape is incredible. Lakes surrounded by palm-groves that spring up from the sand, rocky formations of multi coloured sandstone from white to red and golden dunes that descend to the water. You then return by private air charter to N’djamena for your international flight.
Probably our favourite reserve in all of Africa, Zakouma National Park in Chad is the last intact Central African savannah eco system.
Find out moreEnnedi is one of six large Sahara mountain massifs (a cluster of mountains) in Chad. Here you will discover the remote massif of Tibetsi.
Find out moreA Fixed Wing Flying Safari is a unique concept of travel in Africa. It introduces another dimension to a typical African safari, that of the beauty of the continent from the air. Accompanied and guided by experienced pilots who are also experienced safari guides a Fixed Wing Flying Safari is a truly memorable and exclusive experience.
Find out moreEpic helicopter journeys exploring corners of Africa that few have been to or even ever heard of. We specialise in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, the Congo and Namibia. Our tailor-made safaris cover wild and spectacular mountains, valleys, forests and deserts, with a focus on ‘remote and unknown, unexplored and unforgettable’.
Find out more- Utterly designed and tailored around you and your requirements
- Totally unique every time you travel with us
- The very best hand picked guides which can make the difference between a good and an outstanding holiday
- Established over 30 years ago we have been around longer than most
- Our specialists come from, have lived in or travelled extensively in the regions we cover
- Unparalleled knowledge provides you with the best possible experience
- Philanthropy is our philosophy
- Our founding principle is to always ‘put something back’
- An amount from each holiday is donated to our selected conservation and humanitarian charities
By Marcela Kunova - 20th April 2017
Nicola Shepherd, founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, organises unusual trips for HNW and UHNW clients ranging from birthday parties at an Indian Maharajah's palace to reliving Sir Vivian Fuchs's 1950s expedition to the South Pole. Citywealth caught ...
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