Travel information and tips on Chad including passport information, accommodations, transportation to and in Chad, attractions and things to see and do, restaurant suggestions, tours, and much more. "Getting Away With Jim Bruner" - your first stop for travel information on Chad!

Here is a quick overview on Chad.
Chad is the melting pot of Africa where over 100 different languages are spoken. This land-locked country is not one of the more popular places for tourists. Most of the foreign visitors who do travel to Chad visit for the hunting and the Zakouma National Park.

The small country of Chad has had a lot of big problems and has perhaps one of the more painful histories in Africa. The entire country was built in conflict. Add to this a harsh climate, the geographic remoteness of the country, poor resource endowment and lack of a strong political and economic infrastructure have combined to create a country which is often in political turmoil. Therefore, this is not one of the more popular tourist destinations. The country was classified in the 80s as the poorest nation on earth. And, while it is still in that category, the leaders are trying to develop a strategy for some stability and modernization in Chad.

All that being said, the cities are still interesting and relatively safe places to visit, if you are a careful traveler. The capital city is beginning to come back, the nightlife in the capital is thriving with many popular bars, but still, if I were visiting, I would stick to the main streets and keep a low profile. Amnesty International decries the continued use of torture and executions by the government and various rebel armies, but these atrocities rarely affect travelers.

Click on the following for additional information.
Passports and Visas
Best Time to Visit
Money Matters
Electricity
Health Risks
Language
Traveler Warnings

Passports and Visas
All visitors to Chad will need a passport and a visa. Visas for between one week and three months are fairly easy to obtain. From other African countries, visas are usually issued by the French embassy although you can't get a visa for Chad in Rwanda. Exit visas are required if traveling to Niger or Sudan.

Best Time to Visit
Between March and May, and between December to February are the optimum times to visit Chad. During the wet season (June to September) is probably the worst weather-wise. Additionally, because many of the roads in Chad are not paved, they become almost impassable in the wet season. It is best to visit Chad in the dry season. Between March and May, the average daily temperature of  well over 100° (F) makes travel a little uncomfortable, but at least you usually do not have to contend with much rainfall. From December to mid-February, the days are dry and warm and the nights quite cool. This may be the best time for a visit.

Money Matters
The currency of Chad is the Central African Franc. You should arrive in country with some of the local currency. If you arrive with euros or West African Francs, the staff at Air Afrique will often change your money for you if the bank is closed at the airport. Cash is the way to go for, as of this writing, credit cards were only being accepted at the two top hotels in N'Djamena. Normally, travelers' cheques can only be changed at the BIAT bank.

You will find this a comfortable place to visit only if you are used to, and enjoy roughing it a bit - or perhaps I should say, a lot. You can visit N'Djamena, as an example, for very little money, but be prepared to pretty much be lowering most of the living standards you possess. The mid-range hotels are often bordellos that charge hourly rates. This gives a fair indication of what the bottom end hotels will be like. However, there are some local exceptions to this rule, so keep your eyes open, check around and ask for good recommendations, and you might get lucky. Sleeping in a dorm and eating cheap street food will set you back less than US$15 a day. If you spend as little as US$10 a day extra, you can normally get a room with a ceiling fan and a private bathroom, and dinner in a restaurant. Your rental car will be your biggest expense, as is generally true throughout Africa, so taxis and buses are a better option. You should expect to pay upwards to $50 a day on personal transport. When you add this to the cost of a top-end room, and eating in the more expensive restaurants, and you should expect to spend somewhere between $125 and $150 a day.

As for tipping, it is the same as almost anywhere else in Africa. If you look as though you have money, tipping is expected. Normally about 10%  in restaurants, hotels and taxis is considered appropriate. However, if you look poor, use busses or shared taxis, eat in the lower-end African-style restaurants, folks generally will not expect to tip. If you're clean-cut, you'll look rich; 10%  The same rule applies whether you're a westerner or a wealthy African.

Below is a basic breakdown of what you might expect to pay for food and lodging.
For meals: Budget - US$0.35-$1.50, Mid-range - US$1.50-$3, High - US$3-5, and top of the line - US$5+.
For accommodations: Budget - US$9-$15, Mid-range - US$15-$20, High - US$20-25, and deluxe - US$25+.

Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare.  Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate

Electricity
Be sure to take your adaptor and converter kit. Find the converter you will need in the Getting Away Travel Store. Additionally, you will find just about anything and everything you will need when you travel. Across the state, country, or to a destination on the other side of the world, you'll find what you need in the Getting Away Travel Store!

Language

I have found that it helps to know at least a little bit of the language as I travel in other countries. You do not have to be able to be a fluent speaker, but knowing a few key words and phrases will really help. I have found that, although almost everywhere I go I can find someone who speaks English, knowing just a few words of the local language can really be a help. And, it lets others know I am at least interested in their language. Visit the Getting Away Language Learning Center where you can find out how to learn another language, or where to purchase books, dictionaries, electronic translators, software and more

Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.

Health Risks
There are several health risks for visitors to Chad. Some of the things you will want to be sure you are protected against, and you take caution for, would include: typhus, malaria, tuberculosis, diphtheria, schistosomiasis (bilharzia), rabies, fungal infections, Giardiasis, meningococcal meningitis. If you need medical care while you are away, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company and that you will therefore to pay in full for your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country's local embassy or representative. For compensation, you must be treated by licensed medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation and receipts. It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country. Visit the Getting Away Health and Safety Tips for Travelers page for additional information about insurance.

Traveler Warnings
Traveler should avoid the area bordering Sudan's Darfur region. Instability seems to continue in the Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti region in the country's north, which has moreover been extensively land mined. The borders with Sudan and Libya are subject to closure without notice. As for me, I believe you should be very aware if you plan to visit Chad. I would suggest you check current State Department warnings before you travel to this area.

Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable.  A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.  The countries listed below meet those criteria.  Additionally, the State Department issues Country Specific Information  for every country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country. Check with the U.S. State Department for Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets & Public Announcements.

If you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Books, Maps and Other Resources

My favorite guidebooks when I am traveling is Fodor's. I find them to be quite complete, easy to use, and almost always on the money with helps and tips for traveling in the country I am visiting. Click on Fodor's Travel Guides to find the perfect guidebook for your travels.
 

I always research the destinations to which I intend to travel with books and maps. I normally use Fodor's as I find their guidebooks very informative and easy to read and understand. Click on the Amazon logo to search for travel books and maps. If you don't find what you are looking for, click on the Getting Away Travel Bookshelf to find some of my favorites! Still can't find what you need? Contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Getting To and Around Chad
Getting There
Getting Around

Getting There
Most foreign visitors to Chad arrive by Air. There are several main airlines serving Chad are Sudan Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Cameroon Airlines, which connect N'Djaména with major West and Central African cities. All have at least one flight a week, Khartoum and Addis Ababa. Air France flies from Paris up to four times weekly.

As for arriving by land, the borders with Libya and CAR are not always considered safe for travelers. Although it is possible to travel between Chad and Niger or Sudan, it is still very difficult. Arranging permission can be very time-consuming and is best left of others with more experience in these matters. If you are in the mood for an adventure, the overland from N’Djaména to Khartoum is like a desert movie epic that can often take over a week.

Although there is no direct transport; the usual route is from Abéché via Adré, Al-Geneina, Nyala and El-Obeid. But again, do not try this on your own. Travel with a guide and a driver. The area around the border, while not directly involved in Sudan's civil war, is still notoriously volatile. The last time I checked, the northern road from Al-Geneina to El-Fasher was closed due to armed clashes and banditry.

Travelers are also often held up by officials at the border itself, sometimes for days at a time. Driving time from N'Djamena to Maroua in Cameroon is about four hours and the post at the border is only open during the day. To get to or from Niger is much easier as there is a paved road linking N'Djamena and Maiduguri.

Getting Around
Flying around Chad is often the only practical option, and much safer than travel on the roads. In fact, buses are nonexistent and trucks, pick-ups and minibuses (or a hired car) are your main choice for cross-country travel. Most of Chad's roads are dirt tracks, called pistes, and travel can be quite uncomfortable at the best of times, and almost impossible, or at least extremely difficult in the rainy season. You will not have problems within the towns as you can find that taxis and minibuses are common. Outside of N'Djaména you'll also find lots of motorcycle taxis, called clandos.

Car hire is ridiculously expensive throughout Africa and hire cars aren't permitted across national borders. Taxis and buses are inevitably a better option, but if you really want your own personal road transport, you could pay up to $50 a day.

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If you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Cities, Towns and Areas of Chad

Abéché Moundou Fada Faya Ndjamena Sarh Abéché This fascinating town has an Oriental appearance that features mosques, narrow streets, old markets and dilapidated buildings. As it is a bit out of the way, other than the weekly flight from N'Djamena to Abéche (which is often cancelled anyway), hitching a lift with someone, perhaps a truck might be an option. however as it can take as many as three days if you do this, you may opt to rent a car and driver. Fada Located almost 700 miles from the capital is Fada. Although it is a modest town for the tourist, its location,  nestled in a beautiful area with some interesting rock formations and several fascinating grottos containing cave paintings, most over 5000 years old, it is a nice place to visit. The famous Guelta d'Archei geological formation is about 50 miles from the town center. It is best to hire a car and driver to get you there. Hitching a ride with a truck driver is a popular way to get there, for the cost of a generous tip, but can take anywhere from three to five days. Your best bet would be to get a guide and car in Kouba to take you there. Along the way you will see results of the wars and turmoil of Chad, including many Libyan tanks rusting by the side of the road. Faya This may just be one of the largest oasis towns in the world. It is also the administrative capital of the north. Although Faya is located in the center of the Sahara, and a place that seldom sees any rainfall, the main economic factor for the city is agriculture with wheat, dates and figs being the most profitable crops. Although over a 1,000 miles from the ocean, there is a huge reservoir of subterranean water that makes the land very fertile. Faya is about 600 miles north of N'Djamena and reachable in two days, if you rent a WD. Hitching with trucks is possible, but the trip could take up to five days. Moundou This third largest city in Chad, is another pleasant and pretty friendly town. There is a friendly and relaxed feel in this town that has a few markets, several restaurants, and boasts at have some great bars. It is claimed to have the best beer in the Sahel. In fact, although there has been over 20 years of wars and massacres in the area, the brewery never closed.

Ndjamena
The Chadian capital had a good reputation before the last civil war, but it is trying hard to return to what it once was. You will find this one of the more expensive places to visit in Chad. The town is best known for its friendly people, interesting markets, local craft and artisan goods and a thriving live music and bar scene.

The city is divided into two distinct sections, the European section, where most of the administrative work is done and is the bigger of the two; and the more lively African section, which is much more interesting to visit. Places of interest would include the Musée National and the vast Grand Marché. There is sometimes horseracing at the hippodrome on the weekend.

Sarh
Sarh is the capital of the south, and Chad's second biggest transport center. At first, Sarh appears to be a pretty quiet and almost dull town. You may believe this when you arrive, but as soon as you step out into the humming nightlife, your attitude about Sarh will surely change. Sarh has much to recommend it with a lot of restaurants, lounges and bars. A good way to see the town is on a bike, which you can rent by the day. Be sure to take some time exploring the central market. Two flights and three buses a week connect N'Djamena with Sarh. But be warned, the bus takes almost 15 hours to make the trip.

If you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Some Things to See and Do in Chad
There are few organized activities in Chad. In the north you will find mountains that make for some challenging climbs for the adventure seeker. However, as this is an area of constant guerilla activity, I don't recommend it - even for the most adventurous of travelers. There is also a good rocky outcrop that is good for climbing on the eastern shore of Lac Chad at Hadjer al Hamis.

The country of Chad has few national holidays or celebration days. Most that they do have are confined primarily to Muslim feasts, especially Tabaski or Id al Kabir. There are also several  private, tribe-specific ceremonies. On Sundays in N'Djamena many of the bars practice a modern ritual called the pari-match. Here, a young woman or women will book the entire bar, hoping to make money from alcohol sales. She will invite all her friends and acquaintances and sometimes visitors are invited. Strange as this may seem, it can make for an interesting event. This practice doesn't occur in Muslim parts of town (of course, because of their stand on alcohol), and is generally frowned upon by the government. Independence Day is celebrated on August 11.
 

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If you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Suggestions for Dining in Chad
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Some Favorites in Chad
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Links for Chad

iTravelto.com offers a comprehensive African travel search engine (especially for South Africa) with lots of good information along with bookings for exciting travel packages to key tourist destinations in South Africa and the world.

Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.

If you have information you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Date this page was last edited: Saturday, May 09, 2009 14:53:06

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