The history of Chad dates back to the 10th century, when the Sao people settled south of Lake Chad. These Sao, now extinct, are the ancestors of several populations in the Chadian region, including the Kotokos, an important hunting and fishing people. Numerous pieces of terra cotta and bronze made by the Sao, representing human beings and animals, have been found south of Lake Chad. In the second half of the 19th century, Europe discovered the existence of Chad through the accounts of travelers Sheik El Toussi, Barth (1857) and Nachtigal (1879).

 

The main towns in Chad are Sarh, Moundou, Abeché, Faya Largeau. It shares borders with Sudan, Central African Republic, South Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Libya. The relief of Chad is comparable to a basin bordered by two crowns of mountains and plateaus: to the north by the Tibesti massif (3415m at the Emi Koussi volcano) and to the east by the sandstone plateau of the Ouaddaï (1360m) descending towards the southwest. The lowest zone is occupied by Lake Chad, the final receptacle of the vast floodplains of the Chari and Logone rivers.

 

Landlocked in the heart of Central Africa, Chad is a real showcase for all the riches of the African continent. And yet, to travel to Chad is to plunge into history, right back to the earliest days of mankind. Desert, plains, savannah, rock art, legendary rocks, national parks, mosaic of ethnic cultures ... there is something for everyone. And to convince you, we have selected some exceptional sites that are well worth the trip.