Chad

Chad
Chad🇹🇩

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Traveling to Chad? Read This First.

Chad rewards the well-prepared traveller — but parts of the country carry serious travel warnings, and the security situation can change quickly. Check your own government's current advisory before you go, and only travel where it is safe to do so. If you do travel, install your CGOO eSIM before you fly so you are connected the moment you land, without hunting for a SIM shop.

Choose the Plan That Fits Your Trip

  • Fixed data or unlimited: pick from the plan grid above by trip length and data use — fixed-data plans for maps, messaging and light browsing, unlimited plans for heavy use and hotspotting.
  • Instant delivery: your QR code and installation link are emailed within minutes of checkout. Install before your flight; validity starts on the day you activate.
  • Coverage note: coverage is strongest in N'Djamena and other towns and thins fast on desert routes — download offline maps before heading out of the city.

Travel Highlights

  • Zakouma National Park: elephants, giraffes and lions in the south-east — Chad's flagship safari park, visited on organised tours.
  • Ennedi Plateau: sandstone arches, canyons and ancient rock art in the north-east Sahara, reached only on expedition-style trips.
  • Guelta d'Archei: a desert canyon waterhole in the Ennedi where camel caravans come to drink — one of the Sahara's classic sights.
  • Lake Chad: the shrinking lake on the western border, with fishing villages and birdlife around its shores.
  • N'Djamena: the capital's Grand Marché, the National Museum and the riverside at the meeting of the Chari and Logone rivers.

Getting Around

  • Airport: N'Djamena International Airport (NDJ) sits about 4 km from the city centre — take a taxi negotiated at the arrivals exit.
  • Ride-hailing: no international ride-hailing app operates widely in Chad — in N'Djamena use shared yellow taxis on fixed routes (around 300–500 XAF per seat) or a private hire across town.
  • Moto-taxis: moto-taxis, known as clandos, are cheaper and faster in traffic but crash-prone — skip them at night and always agree the fare before you get in.
  • Long distance: a chartered 4x4 with driver, booked through a licensed operator in N'Djamena, is the only realistic way to reach Ennedi or other desert areas — the operator also handles the permits.

Safety and Practical Tips

Many governments advise against travel to parts of Chad, including the Lake Chad region and the border areas, citing terrorism and kidnapping risk. Check your own government's current advisory before you travel, and do not travel to the areas it names.

Police and military checkpoints are frequent on every intercity road: carry your passport plus photocopies of your passport and visa page, and hand over copies instead of the original whenever possible. Avoid travelling after dark, keep a low profile, and note that medical facilities are limited — carry comprehensive travel insurance with evacuation cover.

Entry and Visa

Entry rules depend on your passport: most visitors need a visa arranged before travel. Check the current visa, passport-validity and onward-travel requirements for your nationality with the nearest Chadian consulate before you travel, and check your own government's travel advisory at the same time.

Weather and Climate

  • N'Djamena and the south: hot all year, with daytime temperatures broadly around 28–35°C in the capital and a wet season from May to October in the south.
  • The north: the Sahara is dry almost all year, with very hot days and cold desert nights.
  • Dry season: November to April is the most practical window for travel, with the least rain and the easiest roads.
  • Harmattan: from December to February a dusty harmattan wind can cut visibility and dry the air across the Sahel.

Money and Payments

  • Currency: the Central African CFA franc (XAF) is the official currency, shared with the other CEMAC states.
  • Cash first: cash is king — carry small notes and coins, as change is often unavailable and cards are rarely accepted outside the biggest hotels.
  • Cards and ATMs: ATMs are few and unreliable outside N'Djamena, so do not rely on them; Wise works wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted, with no XAF balance claimed here.
  • Tipping: tipping is modest — rounding up a taxi fare and a small tip for guides and drivers is appreciated.