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. But it’s the cultural element which is so compelling and now with fabulous accommodation and guiding, one can spend up to a week here which makes the perfect combination with Zakouma.
The camp has just eight tents on raised, wooden decks and each has an en suite bathroom with shower and loo. The next six days will be spent in this incredibly beautiful and breath taking area, a UNESCO world heritage site. The area is renowned for its rock art and petroglyphs. The Ennedi Massif has been dated to over 500 million years ago! It was part of the primordial ocean which covered the Sahara.
When the ocean dried up, it left incredible sandstone formations which have been carved and shaped by water, wind and sand. Today the sandstone plateau consists of a rock labyrinth, bizarre rock formations and gorges and valleys up to 200 metres deep, through which narrow rivers and streams still run.
Your time will be spent exploring the natural arches, the rock art sites, the Tassili (sandstone rock formations), and the Toubou, with their immutable anarchic spirit - intrepid, courageous, independent and adaptability to the hostile, severe habitat of the Sahara. Cross the spectacular region of Bamena massif, made of a succession of pinnacles, gorges and sandstone castles that alternate with winding dunes.
Continue along the southern edge of the massif to the surprising Arch of Aloba, the second largest arch in the world, which by its size can shelter Notre-Dame-de-Paris. At the southern foot of the Bamena massif, discover the sacred mountain Bideyat. Perhaps extend to the Ounianga Lakes where you have around four days of fly camping, northwards to the region of Ounianga lakes which magically and unexpectedly emerge from among the dunes.
Palm trees, multi-coloured sandstone cliffs and yellow-orange dunes overlooking the water. One of the most spectacular and unexpected places in the Sahara, it is not for nothing that since 2011 it has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site. For those looking for something out of the ordinary, both Chad itself and Ennedi offer the ultimate safari in Central Africa! Fly by charter onto Zakouma afterwards or fly back to Ndjamena, the capital.