Chad, a Bearer of Hope

We leave right away for the Guéra massif. We have breakfast on the road.

We stop in Bokoro for lunch.

Then we set up our camp in Abtouyour, where Ra Cen is honored, the God of the ancestors of the Kenga people. According to the tradition of the latter, they came from the Nile Valley and their manner of burying traditional chiefs suggests they were in contact with ancient Nubian kingdoms. Even their name "Ra" reminds us of the sun God of ancient Egypt "Re". According to the Kenga, Ra represents the god of the sky, the creator, the pure and benevolent spirit. The latter communicates with men through intermediate beings called Margaï, which are linked to a mountain and to a special cult serving to cement the unity of ethnic groups.

We spend our first night in the heart of this granite massif surrounded by dry savanna vegetation sheltering elusive nocturnal wildlife. The surrounding villages fall asleep. We are in a millennial Africa where ancient cults and traditions still dominate.

We move on to Mongo, the regional capital and the country's second largest city. This laid-back town is located at the foot of the "queen of the Guéra", a massif with the haughty appearance of a reclining woman. We can then venture further into the massif.

We enjoy a beautiful hike to reach the village of Taro located in a mountain cirque. The population enchants us with their dances and traditions.

Dinner and night in a bivouac.

We leave early in the morning to reach the capital of Ouadaï, namely Abéché.

After refueling and restocking supplies, we meet with a local NGO. It welcomes refugees, particularly from Darfur and Salamat, who come to settle in the outskirts of the city following the drought. It also takes care of orphans.

Next, we head to the arid mountains north of Abéché to reach a typical village in the region.

We spend the night under the stars.

We continue due north on the tracks that stretch across the vast flat expanse of this desert.

Passage through Biltine, Arada and Kalaït where we find a small local restaurant for lunch.

We make the final supply stop and continue towards the Ennedi massif.

We find a stony plain, a pointed mountain, granite outcrops and wadis that cut across the track. Further east we may encounter bustards, addax, dorcas gazelles as well as oryx.

A line cuts across the horizon and a sandstone barrier rushes towards us.

We navigate through a maze of dunes climbing the slopes of red sandstone massifs, peaks, rocks, citadels… As we cross the wadis, we notice acacias and tamarisks scattered throughout. Among the remarkable fauna species of the region, we may encounter green monkeys, hyraxes, camels, goats, jerboas, gouranes and borogats.

We make a brief stop at the new village of Archeï where we find Taher Gouti who runs a small grocery and fuel shop. He is also a good guide.

We then head towards Ouimina to stay. This locality is sometimes known as the "Easter Island" because of its cyclopean sandstone monoliths. The sahel or shoreline is present all around us with a typically Saharan landscape. We soak up a striking and unique atmosphere of the central Sahara with traces of a lush and humid period.

Night in a bivouac under the stars.

We traverse a plateau carved with deep wadis with sandstone formations sculpted entirely by erosion. We enjoy an exceptional viewpoint over the guelta and Archéî wadi.

We then reach the Toboucou pools, a watering place for goats.

We take a path leading to the guelta and the promontory. With a bit of luck, we can encounter crocodiles.

We descend into the sand to reach our camp already set up by our drivers and cooks.

We continue the journey on the plateau before descending majestically into the oyo labyrinth. We have a magnificent view of this geological ensemble, a natural architectural jewel.

We spend the night in camp, at the foot of the great dune, sheltered by large sandstone peaks, where we meet the camel team that will accompany us.

A beautiful surprise awaits us this morning at the entrance to the guelta. We are delighted by beautiful frescoes that tell the story of the Ennedi from 5,000 to 8,000 years ago, these are located under two shelters. We soak in an authentic atmosphere that stands out for the local dances, oxen, giraffes and much more. We continue the adventure in the canyon with the animals that come to drink. Here, the sounds of the camels are often intense and impressive.

Then we take the 4x4 to go directly to observe a remarkable fresco, namely the paintings of Mandaguili. We admire, among other things, many representations of dromedaries in the "flying gallop" style.

A short hop by 4x4 to skirt the massif and reach the Oyo labyrinth, a natural jewel formed by erosion. We then embark on a beautiful walk to lose ourselves in a maze of rock and sand that represents a true natural architecture.

Bivouac at Ohio and reunions with our camels.

We climb the great dune of Oyo to discover other impressive geological structures.

We enjoy a walk on the side of the Chéro labyrinth.

We also explore a vegetable garden that has just been developed and which allows us to find some fresh fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, watermelons…

Then we cross a long plain to reach the green ribbon of the Wadi Nohi which stands out for its tamarisks and acacias. We continue in the white wadi towards a narrow passage between the rocks. There you can find a majestic natural arch of triumph.

Night in bivouac in the Wadi Nohi.

We abandon the detours through the meanders of Wadi Nohi to treat ourselves to a climb on stabilized dunes (fixed on clay foundations).

Then in the Saké plain, we find a permanent watering hole that attracts tourists with its sandstone citadel where herds of animals come to drink. In contrast with the arid plains, a meadow covered with colocynths enchants us with a splendid arch, but also a tunnel serving as rest for the crazy runners of the Treg who do each year a 180 km non-stop race.

Finally, we return to large plains dotted with dunes covered with a blanket of grass. Continuation of the route along the northern facade of the Baména massif which becomes increasingly imposing.

Night in bivouac at the foot of the massif.

We walk at the foot of the cliffs while glimpsing still dunes until the Keyllé fork where we can find several trails.

We then go on a canyon hike barred by numerous dunes with the pyramid of the Aloba massif as a landmark.

We cross canyons in tree-filled valleys to reach the Aloba lace formations with nature amusing itself sculpting the rock into improbable silhouettes. The places abound with various wildlife species, whose traces are left on the sand. If we are lucky, we can encounter vipers, baboons, hyraxes, hyenas, jackals, jerboas, hares… We feel ourselves in a world apart, but in dialogue with the exuberant nature there.

Joining the Kayala dune, we travel through a suspended valley that offers a superb panorama over the Aloba plain.

Finally, we descend into the valley and suddenly, we find ourselves beneath one of the highest arches in the world, a marvel not to be missed under any circumstances.

Night in bivouac.

We leave our bivouac to drive southeast across vast grazing plains for camels. We find the djoulia arch or the Lyre.

We then take a walking tour to explore the exceptional Bachikelé canyon. This Eden-like site is home to countless attractions to discover: mango trees, caper plants, doum palms, baboons, rock hyrax, cattle, horses, camels, goats…

At the end of the day, we return by 4x4 to our bivouac to spend the night there.

Hiking to reach the west, along the massif dominated by the Aloba djebel pyramid. We travel through plains where some prehistoric tombs lie scattered. There is a white debris cone that tells of a time when a spring once existed there, but it was buried along with a family who lived there, following a landslide. Your camel guides and your escort can tell you other stories, each as impressive as the last.

We spend the night camping at the triumphal arch pierced by three arches of Chineké.

This morning, we catch sight of a strange natural sculpture taking the form of a chimera. We pass through the intimate setting of the Baména massif, the south façade, then to the bottom of a canyon with the "koki" arch.

Then we continue along the path in order to settle against the sandstone citadels that make up the scenery of this very particular desert.

We spend a beautiful day today in Toukoulou with its rocks in the most fantastical shapes. The elephant arch enchants us. We must lose ourselves in this magical place before returning to await the slanting evening lights and explore the valleys that open up to us.

We spend the night in bivouac and the camel drivers leave us.

This morning, we cross a canyon to reach the Toukou well. Local families come here to draw water to water their livestock and for domestic needs. It should be noted that we cannot take photos there unless we obtain prior authorization, at the risk of getting into serious trouble.

We cross the plain in a 4x4 to reach the massif which is rich in rock paintings.

We set up our bivouac in an open canyon.

Today, we carry out the crossing of the pastures by camel in the immense desert. We travel across stony plains, we cross herds of gazelles that flee when they hear the sounds of our vehicles.

This long journey reminds us that we come from far away and that the Ennedi massif is planted in the middle of nowhere. It is a majestic and living monument.

Then we pass through a Gourane territory that is sparsely present and inhabited by the proud Anakaza, the great camel herders for eternity. It is a true granary where riches are hidden called "the belly of paradise".

We meet with Guini's family, our partner for our stay in Tchad.

We spend the night in the village.

The great desert crossing ends today. Arrival in N'Djaména in early afternoon.

We treat ourselves to a good shower, a good meal and a good night's sleep