chad
Ennedi, Tibesti & gerewol festival
The Republic of Chad is located in the heart of north Africa. In November 2018 I participated in a two-week desert expedition in the northern part of the country. Little known among the community of travelers and tourists, Chad offers wonderful opportunities to visit some of the most beautiful regions of Sahara desert. There is the Ennedi Massif, a mountainous region in northeast Chad, an impressive sandstone plateau eroded by wind and thermal cycles into gorges, cliffs, canyons and outliers. And further on up north are the Lakes of Ounianga that crop up unexpectedly, as if by magic, among the dunes. In September 2022, I travelled through Chad's Tibesti mountains, located in the far northwest of the country. At the end of a long and adventurous round trip, I had the rare opportunity to visit the annual Gerewol festival of the nomadic Wodaabe tribe in the Sahel.
Sandstone rock formations, Ennedi Mountains, northeastern Chad, North Africa
Wodaabe nomads performing a dance at the annual Gerewol festival, Southern Chad, North Africa
A Libyan tank is slowly buried by the desert sand, Northern Chad, North Africa
chad Galleries
ENNEDI TOUR, 2018
I travelled trough the Ennedi region with its oddly shaped sandstone formations, natural stone arches, rock pinnacles, sand dunes, canyons and oases with lakes surrounded by palm trees. Situated in the far north are the beautiful Ounianga lakes in the middle of the desert that are fed by fossil groundwater.
TIBESTI TOUR, 2022
The Tibesti, a mountain range of volcanic origin in the far northwest of Chad, is the highest mountain range in the Sahara. Not surprisingly, Tibesti means 'place where the mountain people live'. It is the territory of the Tubu people. A journey to this remote part of the world is an adventure and tough, but very rewarding.
GEREWOL FESTIVAL, 2022
Once a year, at the end of the rainy season (usually late September or early October) the Wodaabe (Bororo) nomads come together in a colourful festival known as the Gerewol. It is the most important ceremony among the Wodaabe where young men compete to attract the attention of young marriageable women.
ENNEDI ROCK ART
Thousands of images have been painted and carved into the rock surface of caves, canyons and shelters in the Ennedi Massif, presenting one of the largest ensembles of prehistoric rock art in the Sahara. The rock paintings provide a unique record of life in the Sahara thousands of years ago.
TIBESTI ROCK ART
Rock paintings and carvings dating back thousands of years can not only be found in the Ennedi massif, but also in the Tibesti mountains. They were created by the early humans who inhabited the area. The depictions represent wild animals, cattle and human figures. A well known figure is the 'man of Gonoa'.
tour info
The Ennedi and Ounianga lakes tour in 2018 was organized by Diamir, Germany and led by the Austrian tour guide Karin Scheidhammer. The Tibesti tour in 2022 that included a visit of the Gerewol festival was organized by Desert Reisen, Germany and led by Austrian tour guide Martina Herz. Local tour operator was Tchad Evasion.
highlight
Taking a swim in Lake Bokou, a freshwater lake surrounded by green palms and golden sand dunes right in the middle of the Sahara.
PETER BOEKAMP