Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
Footnotes
Zakouma National Park, Chad
Vital statistics
Capital: N’Djamena Population: 14.9 million Language(s): Chadian Arabic, French and more than 120 other languages and dialects.
Time: GMT+1
International dialling code: +235 Visas: Required by UK nationals. The nearest Chad embassy to the UK is located in Brussels, Belgium (http://ambassade-du-tchad.be). For ease and speed, try using an agency instead; the author used travcour.com, which charged £275 in total. Visitors must also present a yellow fever certificate on arrival. Money: Central African CFA Franc (CFA), currently CFA741 to the UK£. Not widely available outside Chad, it’s best to take euros and exchange them at your hotel in N’Djemena.
When to go
Mid-November to late May: This is the only period when Zakouma NP is open to visitors. It’s dry and cooler from November to December, when the park is very green. From January to March, as dry season starts to bite, wildlife congregates around the pans, making them easier to spot, while day temperatures remain mild. Later in the season (March to May), the density of sightings is incredible as temperatures nudge 40ºC.
Health & safety
The FCO advises against all but essential travel to this part of Chad, but this was my second visit to the country in six months without incident. All travellers should check
the security situation beforehand, however, due to Chad’s proximity to its unstable neighbours, Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Remember that this is also a conservative Muslim country, so dress accordingly. Dry season also offers a threat of malaria, so consult your doctor about precautionary prophylaxis, such as Malarone.
Getting there
The author flew with Ethiopian Airlines (0800 016 3449, ethiopianairlines.com) from London Heathrow to N’Djamena via Addis Ababa. Flights take from around 14.5 hours and cost from around £541 return. Another, slightly quicker option is Air France (0207 660 0337, airfrance.co.uk) via Paris. ⊲
Getting around
To reach Zakouma, you can either fly or drive the 860km journey from N’Djamena. The latter takes 12 to 14 hours, and a 4WD with driver can be arranged by the park (zakouma.com) for CFA200,000 (£270) per day.
A speedier option is the aircharter service, which can also be booked with the park and costs from US$3,495 (£2,750) return.
Cost of travel
Visitors to Zakouma NP pay a daily fee of US$15pp (£12) plus a tourist tax of $2.50pp (£2) per day. Once at Zakouma, there is little to buy except souvenirs and drinks but prices are reasonable. In Tinga, for example, a large bottle of water costs CFA1,000 (£1.30); a beer is CFA2,500 (£3.30).
In N’Djamena, prices are typically equivalent to those of Europe, with a main course at a local restaurant from £15 to £20 per head. Expect to pay upwards of £100 per night per room for hotels in the capital.
Accommodation
The author stayed with the Hilton N’Djamena (hilton.com), which is a good bet, with large rooms overlooking the delta area of Lake Chad. It has a pleasant outdoor dining and bar area, plus a pool.
B&B doubles from around £135.
Further reading & information
Zakouma National Park (Aud Publishing, 2012) by Eldon A Mainyu – One of few books on the park. www.africanparks.org – the official site of the NGO African Parks