Specialist guide Jody Cole throughout
Trip Overview
Located in southeastern Chad, is Zakouma National Park, a true wildlife treasure. It takes a flight or two or three to get there and knowing a little French or Arabic might help once you’ve arrived. Patience is always necessary in Africa… no matter the destination. For 6 straight days we will uncover 864, 869 acres of raw, wild Africa. Here, lions roam open plains in search of vast buffalo herds, and red-billed queleas flock in their thousands, literally thousands upon thousands, vegetation that Dr. Seuss himself hadn’t dreamt of, Roan antelope, tiang-a subspecies of tsessebe, Patus monkeys, amazing birding, local villages and nomadic cultures complete this very special picture. This trip is not for sissies. It’s for the curious, the inspired, the intrepid and for the traveler who thinks they’ve seen it all.
DAY 1
Arrive to N’dajamena Airport
Arrive in the capital of Chad, N’djaména, and be transfered to Radisson Blu Hotel N’Djamena. The capital and the largest city in Chad, N’djaména is a port city on the Chari River. It is a hub for agricultural production in Chad, including a regional market for many food products. Overnight stay at Radisson in preparation for a charter flight to Zakouma National Park.
Meals: B, Dinner on own account
DAY 2
Zakouma
National Park
Transfer from Radisson to the airport for charter flight to Zakouma National Park. From the airstrip in Zakouma National Park, we will be transferred to Tinga Camp (15 minute drive). This camp is idyllically located on the Tinga River. There are six, recently refurbished chalets at Tinga, as well as a fully equipped restaurant and bar. The camp is rustic, but comfortable.
We will have our own private vehicle for enjoying game drives. Walking safaris along the banks of the Tinga River close to camp, are also available.
Meals: B, L, D
DAYS 3 – 7
Zakouma Park
For the next 6 days, we explore the many treasures of Zakouma. Each day we will decide where we will venture off to. Some days will have short morning and evening drives with time to relax during the day or we will venture out before dawn for daylong explorations of the far regions to find the legendary herds of elephant, known for having formed the world’s largest herd as a result of centuries of persecution.
Typically, elephant herds number as few as 3 to over 30 in most ordinary African regions, the Zakouma herds adapted to move together over the years for protection from poachers, putting the young in the middle of the knotted numbers of screeching adults. We will see that in the last decade the herds have slowly begun to disperse during the day to forage, knowing that Life has changed for the better thanks to the new people in charge. We will visit the African Parks headquarters to learn about the work they are doing to protect the elephants and the boundaries of the park, as well as their work with the local communities to protect their natural resource. And with the luck of timing we may be there to coincide with the nomad market. A market bustling with people from far off regions trading and selling items for surviving the harsh life in the desert.
Nights drives are included and a must. We will see African Civet, Genet, Serval and who knows what else?
Meals: B, L, D
DAY 8
Departures
On our last morning, we will reluctantly meander to African Parks airstrip to say our goodbyes and board our charter flight from Zakouma National Park to N’djaména to connect with your international flight back home or on to your next adventure. If time allows, we will visit a local market to purchase souvenirs or stop by a restaurant for lunch before our evening flight to our next destination.
Meals: B
“This trip exceeded my expectations. I had no idea we’d be seeing so many cats. What a delight.”
Cathy R., San Francisco, CA
Additional Information
- This quote is valid for the dates of travel specified. Prices are subject to change and lodge availability is not guaranteed until a signed application and deposit are received, at which time accommodations are booked and a final itinerary prepared. Modifications to the itinerary may result in a change in price.
- Review the location and amenities of the suggested accommodations and ensure you are comfortable. · Prices are subject to change without prior notification due to circumstances beyond our control, namely fuel surcharges, supplier increases, government taxes, exchange rate fluctuations, etc. The full booking value will be subject to rate of exchange fluctuations until full payment has been made.
- All costs are valid for the itinerary travel dates. Costs may vary with date changes.
- Should any details change, we reserve the right to recalculate the tour price accordingly · Passports MUST be valid for at least six months from your return home date. We recommend a validity of nine months to prevent any problems in this regard. There must be at least FOUR blank VISA pages in the passport (not endorsement pages).
- WRAS is happy to help with Intra Africa flights to ensure the best arrival/departure times. There is a USD 35.00 service fee per flight booked by WRAS.
- Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance should be purchased within 14 days of making your deposit.
We strongly recommend purchasing Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance immediately after your deposit is made. Insurance protects you and your investment should there be a reason at any point in the planning process that you would need to cancel your trip.
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