Zakouma National Park
Zakouma National Park
4.5
About
Zakouma National Park is one of the last remaining intact Sudano-Sahelian ecosystems in Africa. Due to its close proximity to the centre of the Chadian Basin, the terrain of the park is almost exclusively flat with the exception of the beautiful granite inselbergs found in the south-west near Ibir. As one of three national parks in Chad, Zakouma forms an integral part of the conservation of flora and fauna in the region, as well as being the only game viewing destination offering guest accommodation in the country. The Chadian government has been committed to protecting this natural heritage even through many years of conflict. Today Zakouma is one of the most important protected areas in Central and West Africa. Zakouma has three tiers of accommodation available in the park. Camp Salamat which is a camp site for self catering. Tinga Camp which is a 3* lodge which offers traditional safari activities and very reasonable prices. And new to the park is Camp Nomade which is a high-end mobile safari camp which will be open from January 2015.
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4.5
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Michael L
Cape Town Central, South Africa17 contributions
Apr 2014 • Friends
I am often asked by guests on safari as to my favorite destinations in Africa – a hard question to answer, since there are so many extraordinary wild places to visit. However in the last two years one place has crept up the list, and now holds top spot - Zakouma National Park in Chad.
I first heard of Zakouma in 2007, when my wife Kate told me she wanted to go there, having seen an article in National Geographic written by Mike Fay, with spectacular images by ‘Nick’ Nichols. I admit to being skeptical. Yes, it looked amazing but seemingly unattainable due to ongoing conflict in Chad and what seemed like an unstoppable wave of poaching. It looked like a place that ‘was’ and had no hope of being on any African traveler’s realistic agenda.
Then came African Parks who took over the park in 2010 and have subsequently done an extraordinary job of stemming the tide of poaching, and carving out a real future for this iconic and truly special corner of Africa. I have the highest regard for African Parks and consider them as arguably the most effective conservation organization operating on the continent today. In Chad they are led by Rian and Lorna Labuschagne, one of the most experienced and highly respected Park management teams you will find.
Today, across Africa, conservation is War and the dedication and bravery of those who fight for what is left of Africa’s wilderness cannot be understated. The good news is that here in Zakouma at least, the war is being won. Long may that continue.
I first visited Zakouma in 2013 and then again in late April of this year. To say that on both occasions I was blown away is an understatement.
Zakouma National Park is located in the Salamat Region of southeastern Chad, and covers an area of roughly 3000 square kms. It is one of the last strongholds for Central African wildlife and a place of surprising beauty; a vast, flat plain crisscrossed by meandering seasonal watercourses and interspersed with rocky hills.
It is also a place of real abundance, and it is perhaps this that makes it so remarkable. Flocks of 5000 + black crowned crane, swarms of 10 million red-billed quelea, waterfowl too numerous to count and plenty of game, much of it unusual. Large herds of red and brown buffalo (an intermediate form between the Cape and West African sub species) fringe the pans, Kordofan giraffe, roan antelope, Tiang and a host of other antelope species speckle the plains. Lion too are numerous and on my first trip we even had a rare and magical encounter with a leopard as we watched a stack of crocodiles piled around a shrinking waterhole. I could go on – suffice to say that Zakouma feels to me how it felt to go on safari as a child, when the wilds of Africa seemed so much fuller and more complete.
And wild it truly is – getting there is more challenging than many destinations, but once you are there you have the privilege of being where very few have gone before. This is the antithesis of mass tourism. We were the only ones on safari and had that freedom to explore in ways that very few parks can offer in today’s increasingly regulated Africa. We camped under simple mosquito nets on remote pans where none had ventured before. We walked for hours with the famous elephant herd, now numbering almost 450 and a reminder of both past tragedy and future hope. In short, we went of safari.
Before the image of Shangri-La seems too complete, it must be said that it was also blisteringly hot, the tsetse fly were at times as plentiful as the quelea and the accommodations are simple. This is not a safari for everyone, but for those who yearn for the Africa of explorers past, this is one for you.
I first heard of Zakouma in 2007, when my wife Kate told me she wanted to go there, having seen an article in National Geographic written by Mike Fay, with spectacular images by ‘Nick’ Nichols. I admit to being skeptical. Yes, it looked amazing but seemingly unattainable due to ongoing conflict in Chad and what seemed like an unstoppable wave of poaching. It looked like a place that ‘was’ and had no hope of being on any African traveler’s realistic agenda.
Then came African Parks who took over the park in 2010 and have subsequently done an extraordinary job of stemming the tide of poaching, and carving out a real future for this iconic and truly special corner of Africa. I have the highest regard for African Parks and consider them as arguably the most effective conservation organization operating on the continent today. In Chad they are led by Rian and Lorna Labuschagne, one of the most experienced and highly respected Park management teams you will find.
Today, across Africa, conservation is War and the dedication and bravery of those who fight for what is left of Africa’s wilderness cannot be understated. The good news is that here in Zakouma at least, the war is being won. Long may that continue.
I first visited Zakouma in 2013 and then again in late April of this year. To say that on both occasions I was blown away is an understatement.
Zakouma National Park is located in the Salamat Region of southeastern Chad, and covers an area of roughly 3000 square kms. It is one of the last strongholds for Central African wildlife and a place of surprising beauty; a vast, flat plain crisscrossed by meandering seasonal watercourses and interspersed with rocky hills.
It is also a place of real abundance, and it is perhaps this that makes it so remarkable. Flocks of 5000 + black crowned crane, swarms of 10 million red-billed quelea, waterfowl too numerous to count and plenty of game, much of it unusual. Large herds of red and brown buffalo (an intermediate form between the Cape and West African sub species) fringe the pans, Kordofan giraffe, roan antelope, Tiang and a host of other antelope species speckle the plains. Lion too are numerous and on my first trip we even had a rare and magical encounter with a leopard as we watched a stack of crocodiles piled around a shrinking waterhole. I could go on – suffice to say that Zakouma feels to me how it felt to go on safari as a child, when the wilds of Africa seemed so much fuller and more complete.
And wild it truly is – getting there is more challenging than many destinations, but once you are there you have the privilege of being where very few have gone before. This is the antithesis of mass tourism. We were the only ones on safari and had that freedom to explore in ways that very few parks can offer in today’s increasingly regulated Africa. We camped under simple mosquito nets on remote pans where none had ventured before. We walked for hours with the famous elephant herd, now numbering almost 450 and a reminder of both past tragedy and future hope. In short, we went of safari.
Before the image of Shangri-La seems too complete, it must be said that it was also blisteringly hot, the tsetse fly were at times as plentiful as the quelea and the accommodations are simple. This is not a safari for everyone, but for those who yearn for the Africa of explorers past, this is one for you.
Written 2 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leeor N
4 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
After visiting countless game parks across Africa, I can definitively say that Zakouma is the worst experience I've ever had. We were told that we would see large game. The most we saw were a few giraffe, a few water buffalo, birds, snakes and baboons. We saw no lions and not a single elephant. Not one. But that is hardly the worst part of our visit.
Most of the supervising staff were white and they were extremely rude to the local African population (both the African staff and local villagers). The white staff made us feel unwelcome and unwanted. We needed at one point to check email to check on a family member that had been admitted to the hospital. We were told that we had no right to even ask to get online. Eventually a non-white staff member helped us get online. No one expressed concern about our family member.
We felt so uncomfortable that we felt obliged to leave early. We asked to arrange transport and the staff agreed to fly us to N'Djamena so long as we covered the cost of the plane and the pilot's time. But then they squeezed us onto the plane with another passenger and lots of cargo, essentially taking advantage of the fact that we were paying for the plane and the pilot. No one ever apologised to us. I have been in countless African countries and have never once worried for my safety. Zakouma is the exception.
Most of the supervising staff were white and they were extremely rude to the local African population (both the African staff and local villagers). The white staff made us feel unwelcome and unwanted. We needed at one point to check email to check on a family member that had been admitted to the hospital. We were told that we had no right to even ask to get online. Eventually a non-white staff member helped us get online. No one expressed concern about our family member.
We felt so uncomfortable that we felt obliged to leave early. We asked to arrange transport and the staff agreed to fly us to N'Djamena so long as we covered the cost of the plane and the pilot's time. But then they squeezed us onto the plane with another passenger and lots of cargo, essentially taking advantage of the fact that we were paying for the plane and the pilot. No one ever apologised to us. I have been in countless African countries and have never once worried for my safety. Zakouma is the exception.
Written 26 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
john w
Selkirk, UK17 contributions
Feb 2018 • Solo
Zakouma N.P. would not be for everyone, but it will certainly more than satisfy the 'hard core' wildlife enthusiast. I am reasonably well travelled in sub-Saharan Africa but there is little doubt that this park is simply the best and most interesting I have experienced to date. If true wilderness and isolation is your thing then Zakouma certainly delivers, our group (8 persons) only saw 3 other safari vehicles during our week stay. The fauna is abundant and generally unlike anything you will have seen before. African Parks who manage the park have brought it back from the brink in a relatively short time. The park is famous for its elephants which were reduced by 90% due to poaching and the catastrophic effects of the civil war. However their population is now significantly improved and no poaching has been reported for several years.
Activities on offer include:
Twice daily game drives, including night drives. Duration 4-5 hours. The night drives must be the best in Africa for small mammal sightings.
Flight over the park to observe the elephants.
1-2 night fly-camping excursion.
Access to AP staff to discuss conservation etc.
Visit to park HQ.
Market visit outside the National Park.
During my visit I recorded 37 species of mammals many of them for the first time and136 species/ssp of birds.
I stayed at Camp Nomade although other options are available. The camp was basic but very comfortable. The food and staff were excellent. The camp was situated overlooking one of the major pans and was surrounded by wildlife. I felt extremely safe throughout my time in Chad and would like to return sometime in the future, particularly as in May of this year 6 Black Rhino will be re-introduced into the park, followed by 13 in 2019.
Insurance and visa applications can be quite challenging and the trip is expensive.
I fully recommend this location to all serious wildlife observers, it appears to be at the top of many wish lists at the moment, quite rightly. Just do it!
African Parks I salute your efforts you have, and are doing a wonderful job in Chad generally. The community programme is highly effective also and benefits numerous families in the area.
Activities on offer include:
Twice daily game drives, including night drives. Duration 4-5 hours. The night drives must be the best in Africa for small mammal sightings.
Flight over the park to observe the elephants.
1-2 night fly-camping excursion.
Access to AP staff to discuss conservation etc.
Visit to park HQ.
Market visit outside the National Park.
During my visit I recorded 37 species of mammals many of them for the first time and136 species/ssp of birds.
I stayed at Camp Nomade although other options are available. The camp was basic but very comfortable. The food and staff were excellent. The camp was situated overlooking one of the major pans and was surrounded by wildlife. I felt extremely safe throughout my time in Chad and would like to return sometime in the future, particularly as in May of this year 6 Black Rhino will be re-introduced into the park, followed by 13 in 2019.
Insurance and visa applications can be quite challenging and the trip is expensive.
I fully recommend this location to all serious wildlife observers, it appears to be at the top of many wish lists at the moment, quite rightly. Just do it!
African Parks I salute your efforts you have, and are doing a wonderful job in Chad generally. The community programme is highly effective also and benefits numerous families in the area.
Written 23 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
africanman_840
Nairobi, Kenya4,648 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
I have to say that after having been on no less than 16 safaris in Kenya,Namibia,South Africa, Zambia. Zimbabwe, Botswana, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania that Zakouma is simply one of the finest safari experiences available. I found that the wilderness vibe and game viewing to be simply outstanding.
I have never in all of my safaris had a finer birding experience. Nothing could prepare me for the masses of queleas in the millions. There were also so many crowned cranes, as well as abyssinian rollers, little bee-eaters, red-throated bee-eaters, blue-cheeked bee-eaters, and little-green eaters. I also saw beudoin's snake eagle, long crested eagle,grasshopper buzzards, and Eurasian marsh harriers. I was amazed at seeing white headed barbets, yellow breasted barbets, and black breasted. I am only mentioning a few of the birds which I saw for the first time.
I saw oribi, lewel's hartebeest, and so many kordofan giraffes. I also saw roan antelope. We certainly did see lions and growing herd of elephants. I have never seen so many servals before on night drives as in Zakouma. I even saw a honey badger in the daytime.
I have to say that I loved visiting the local market. We saw how camels, goats and other domestic livestock were being sold. The roast lamb served with red pepper was just delicious and quite cheap.
I must say that our guide Douglas Macdonald greatly contributed to our visit.Bonadventure our Chadian guide and driver was also a great spotter, driver and always a kind and courteous gentleman.
The Camp was quite comfortable. The French manager Mathieu was just so helpful. The food was excellent and quite fresh.
I have to say that at some point in the future I'll definitely return. African parks is planning to expand the boundaries of the park and I'm looking forward to seeing to it.
I have never in all of my safaris had a finer birding experience. Nothing could prepare me for the masses of queleas in the millions. There were also so many crowned cranes, as well as abyssinian rollers, little bee-eaters, red-throated bee-eaters, blue-cheeked bee-eaters, and little-green eaters. I also saw beudoin's snake eagle, long crested eagle,grasshopper buzzards, and Eurasian marsh harriers. I was amazed at seeing white headed barbets, yellow breasted barbets, and black breasted. I am only mentioning a few of the birds which I saw for the first time.
I saw oribi, lewel's hartebeest, and so many kordofan giraffes. I also saw roan antelope. We certainly did see lions and growing herd of elephants. I have never seen so many servals before on night drives as in Zakouma. I even saw a honey badger in the daytime.
I have to say that I loved visiting the local market. We saw how camels, goats and other domestic livestock were being sold. The roast lamb served with red pepper was just delicious and quite cheap.
I must say that our guide Douglas Macdonald greatly contributed to our visit.Bonadventure our Chadian guide and driver was also a great spotter, driver and always a kind and courteous gentleman.
The Camp was quite comfortable. The French manager Mathieu was just so helpful. The food was excellent and quite fresh.
I have to say that at some point in the future I'll definitely return. African parks is planning to expand the boundaries of the park and I'm looking forward to seeing to it.
Written 15 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
parcher224
Ocean View, DE1 contribution
Apr 2017 • Solo
It is a month later and I am still processing all that I saw and experienced. What a healthy way to get a high. Every day was filled with anticipation and excitement. The guides could not have been more caring or accommodating, All staff went out of his or her way to make the experience pleasurable. I was surprised about the delightful food and even the supposedly "hard core" experience was very sufficient. The heat...I looked on line and was mentally prepared for it. They made sure that everyone had plenty of water. The wildlife was beyond anything I could have conceptualized. You have to see it to believe it. Photo opts were plentiful and the guides and driver tried to accommodate the desires of the visitors as much as feasible.The guides and staff (all of them) were the kindest and most thoughtful individuals with whom I have had the pleasure of meeting. I always felt safe and believed they genuinely cared about all of us as individuals. They were not just doing their jobs.
Kudos to the National Park Headquarters and the job that is being done. It is doing a job that is reaching into the community of Chad and supportive of the community at large. The wildlife needs are being consistently being addressed.
One staffer said to me that being in Zakouma, "is like going to get your licence and leaving in a Rolls Royce. If you wish for an outstanding life experience, it is the place to visit. I cannot encourage anyone enough to give it a chance to enlarge your life's horizons. Many thank yous to all who worked there while I was on the safari. Thank God for the wildlife that exists there. I have left the experience almost numb with a sense of fulfillment. It is positively overwhelming.
Kudos to the National Park Headquarters and the job that is being done. It is doing a job that is reaching into the community of Chad and supportive of the community at large. The wildlife needs are being consistently being addressed.
One staffer said to me that being in Zakouma, "is like going to get your licence and leaving in a Rolls Royce. If you wish for an outstanding life experience, it is the place to visit. I cannot encourage anyone enough to give it a chance to enlarge your life's horizons. Many thank yous to all who worked there while I was on the safari. Thank God for the wildlife that exists there. I have left the experience almost numb with a sense of fulfillment. It is positively overwhelming.
Written 11 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simone Elyse
96 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Zakouma is an incredible park and run by some of the most wonderful people. Rian & Lorna have a wonderful approach to working with communities and ensuring sustainable conservation in Chad (see more online about the conversation work they have done to protect the elephants!)
The park has great options for splurging (staying in camp Nomade, where 100% of the proceeds go back into the park and communities around) or for mid-range budgets (camp Tinga) as well!
the entire Zakouma park staff are so friendly, the rooms are comfortable, food is great and the wildlife is incredible. We've never seen so many giraffes (added to the cheetahs, serval, elephants, buffalo and lions!)
the birdlife is also like we've never experienced.
The park has great options for splurging (staying in camp Nomade, where 100% of the proceeds go back into the park and communities around) or for mid-range budgets (camp Tinga) as well!
the entire Zakouma park staff are so friendly, the rooms are comfortable, food is great and the wildlife is incredible. We've never seen so many giraffes (added to the cheetahs, serval, elephants, buffalo and lions!)
the birdlife is also like we've never experienced.
Written 19 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellen P
Indianapolis, IN97 contributions
Apr 2016 • Business
Elephants, lions, wildebeest, leopards, baboons, water buffalo and birds, birds, birds.
This isn't a park where if your guide spots a lion, he's on the radio to a dozen other tourist vehicles. It seems to be just you and the animals (although it is comforting that heavily armed and well-trained SWAT teams roam in the background by jeep, horseback and airplane to ward off poachers). There's nothing like staying in luxe Camp Nomade and venturing out on game drives for civet cats, patis monkeys.... the variety is astonishing. Definitely the safari of a lifetime.
This isn't a park where if your guide spots a lion, he's on the radio to a dozen other tourist vehicles. It seems to be just you and the animals (although it is comforting that heavily armed and well-trained SWAT teams roam in the background by jeep, horseback and airplane to ward off poachers). There's nothing like staying in luxe Camp Nomade and venturing out on game drives for civet cats, patis monkeys.... the variety is astonishing. Definitely the safari of a lifetime.
Written 11 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zaroline
new york42 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
Arrived in the capital of Chad, N'Djamena, and stayed overnight in a hotel. Hassin of Eytevoyages was my driver for the long road trip which had been divided into two days. Some people I had met at Zakouma Park did the drive in one day. But I liked the fact it was divided into two days so I could enjoy the scenery and stop for photos.
Arrived at Zakouma later than I expected around 6.30pm I was surprised you could just drive into the park without anyone security checkpoints.
We arrived at Tinga camp and was welcomed by Max the camp manager. I had dinner and then went on an evening game drive.
I travel a lot to Africa to do game drives and photograph wildlife and Zakouma game drives are unique; you can drive for hours and not likely see another vehicle. And the drives were quite long.
I did see the biggest herd of elephants, over a hundred,
and birds in their thousands. Also saw Leopard, cheetah, lions, civets, honey badgers, roan antelope, porkypine, snakes, lots of giraffes and many other animals.
Our driver was good at tracking wildlife and very nice he just needs to be less aggressive towards wildlife. For example, we saw a large tortoise in a hole, and he tried to pull it out the hole to show us, another time we an ostrich sitting on his eggs and our driver scared it off the eggs with his driving.
Breakfast was bread and fruit every morning with tea, coffee, juice and cereal.
Lunch and dinner were three courses, starting with a usually a salad, the main course then dessert considering the remote location the food was pretty good. Service was swift, friendly and well-organised. The view from the restaurant is also beautiful.
Max and Clair, the managers, made an effort to get to know their guests.
the accommodation was comfortable, no hot water for the shower but it was not cold.
Arrived at Zakouma later than I expected around 6.30pm I was surprised you could just drive into the park without anyone security checkpoints.
We arrived at Tinga camp and was welcomed by Max the camp manager. I had dinner and then went on an evening game drive.
I travel a lot to Africa to do game drives and photograph wildlife and Zakouma game drives are unique; you can drive for hours and not likely see another vehicle. And the drives were quite long.
I did see the biggest herd of elephants, over a hundred,
and birds in their thousands. Also saw Leopard, cheetah, lions, civets, honey badgers, roan antelope, porkypine, snakes, lots of giraffes and many other animals.
Our driver was good at tracking wildlife and very nice he just needs to be less aggressive towards wildlife. For example, we saw a large tortoise in a hole, and he tried to pull it out the hole to show us, another time we an ostrich sitting on his eggs and our driver scared it off the eggs with his driving.
Breakfast was bread and fruit every morning with tea, coffee, juice and cereal.
Lunch and dinner were three courses, starting with a usually a salad, the main course then dessert considering the remote location the food was pretty good. Service was swift, friendly and well-organised. The view from the restaurant is also beautiful.
Max and Clair, the managers, made an effort to get to know their guests.
the accommodation was comfortable, no hot water for the shower but it was not cold.
Written 24 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chandra T
India323 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
I spent 6 days in Zakouma in March 2019. In a word, it is Incredible. This is the best that Africa has to offer...please don’t come here, cause your safari experiences are only going to be downhill from here, and I can already feel the longing to visit again.
We saw Lions (several prides), Hyena (several), Serval (several), Honey Badger, Civets, Gennets, Baboons, Patas Crocs, Buffalo (herds of 100s), Giraffes (100s), and yes the very elusive Ely herd (250+), in addition to other single male elys. Birds like Pelicans, Crowned Cranes, Storks, Parakeets, Geese, Ducks, Bee Eaters, Raptors, etc by the 1000s. Same with many different kinds of antelopes (Roan, Reedbuck, Topi, Waterbuck,etc)...by the 1000s. Did I mention the million plus Quelea on multiple occasions?
Having said that, it’s not the park for most given the logistical difficulties of getting here, and then staying put. Let’s just say that Camp Tinga can be a challenge, especially in the late dry season. I don’t see how much better Nomade could be either.
Overall, I loved it and highly recommend a visit...but don’t expect a cushy East Africa safari. Special thanks to Doug MacDonald and Steve Gao for leading our rides.
We saw Lions (several prides), Hyena (several), Serval (several), Honey Badger, Civets, Gennets, Baboons, Patas Crocs, Buffalo (herds of 100s), Giraffes (100s), and yes the very elusive Ely herd (250+), in addition to other single male elys. Birds like Pelicans, Crowned Cranes, Storks, Parakeets, Geese, Ducks, Bee Eaters, Raptors, etc by the 1000s. Same with many different kinds of antelopes (Roan, Reedbuck, Topi, Waterbuck,etc)...by the 1000s. Did I mention the million plus Quelea on multiple occasions?
Having said that, it’s not the park for most given the logistical difficulties of getting here, and then staying put. Let’s just say that Camp Tinga can be a challenge, especially in the late dry season. I don’t see how much better Nomade could be either.
Overall, I loved it and highly recommend a visit...but don’t expect a cushy East Africa safari. Special thanks to Doug MacDonald and Steve Gao for leading our rides.
Written 4 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LDB65
London, UK308 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
I have given 4 stars overall but some of the aspects of the trip here would better be rated 3 stars.
I would say the park itself is better for birds than mammals and does not have the variety of the latter that can be found elsewhere in Africa. We saw alot of giraffes, water buffalo, baboons, warthogs, lions but not in prides (lone males, couples, mothers and cubs). A few patas monkeys and ostriches. There are not as many different antelope species as I expected. The 2 surviving introduced rhino are not in a publicly accessible part of the park, there are no zebras or hippos. On our last night drive we saw 2 civets, a jennet, a honey badger, mongoose and a wild cat as well as 7 lions. No leopards although one was apparently seen during our stay. We saw elephants but mostly lone males, we never got a very good view of the herd (which did include babies) which seemed to stick to close forested areas.The bird life is varied and numerous. We saw armed rangers protecting the elephant herd and the park generally and were told a giraffe researcher was working in the park.
We stayed at Tinga camp. Comfortable rooms, nice public area, good food, friendly management from Max et al. Thete is no mobile phone reception, wifi, hot water or aircon. A generator provides electricity but not 24/7. We did a morning game drive starting at 6am until 10:15-11:00 and another 15:00 until anywhere between 18:30 and 19:30. At times the latter went on too long, so many hours in the safari vehicles became uncomfortable but the guides were clearly trying to please by finding new animals. The best of our guides was Steven, he spoke the best English, had great eyesight and gave us more information albeit not as much as you get in some other African parks. There was some guide behaviour that did not sit well: off roading straight at animals, trying to get animals to move, using 2 vehicles almost to herd and hem in animals and getting very close indeed eg to lions.
If you can afford to fly into the park do so. The road trip is long (13 to 14 hours), hot, dusty and quite painful. Our vehicles all had "Tchad Evasion" signage. Not all the drivers knew the way to Tinga, they had no GPS, (phone reception dies before the park), no maps, no walkie talkies, did not stick together with the drivers who knew the way and they missed signs to Zakouma and Tinga. We got lost in the dark and our drivers tried to turn around which would have been wrong. Had one of our group not had an offline map downloaded on his mobile and corrected them our 14hr journey would have been much longer. Another vehicle got lost exiting the park. The vehicles were not in great mechanical shape so we had to stop a number of times to fix issues, plus thete was a window that did not open, a broken door, there was no aircon and some bad driving: tailgating, non hands free mobile use, near falling asleep at the wheel, speeding through villages. Getting to and from Zakouma by road was the worst part of the trip by far.
I would say the park itself is better for birds than mammals and does not have the variety of the latter that can be found elsewhere in Africa. We saw alot of giraffes, water buffalo, baboons, warthogs, lions but not in prides (lone males, couples, mothers and cubs). A few patas monkeys and ostriches. There are not as many different antelope species as I expected. The 2 surviving introduced rhino are not in a publicly accessible part of the park, there are no zebras or hippos. On our last night drive we saw 2 civets, a jennet, a honey badger, mongoose and a wild cat as well as 7 lions. No leopards although one was apparently seen during our stay. We saw elephants but mostly lone males, we never got a very good view of the herd (which did include babies) which seemed to stick to close forested areas.The bird life is varied and numerous. We saw armed rangers protecting the elephant herd and the park generally and were told a giraffe researcher was working in the park.
We stayed at Tinga camp. Comfortable rooms, nice public area, good food, friendly management from Max et al. Thete is no mobile phone reception, wifi, hot water or aircon. A generator provides electricity but not 24/7. We did a morning game drive starting at 6am until 10:15-11:00 and another 15:00 until anywhere between 18:30 and 19:30. At times the latter went on too long, so many hours in the safari vehicles became uncomfortable but the guides were clearly trying to please by finding new animals. The best of our guides was Steven, he spoke the best English, had great eyesight and gave us more information albeit not as much as you get in some other African parks. There was some guide behaviour that did not sit well: off roading straight at animals, trying to get animals to move, using 2 vehicles almost to herd and hem in animals and getting very close indeed eg to lions.
If you can afford to fly into the park do so. The road trip is long (13 to 14 hours), hot, dusty and quite painful. Our vehicles all had "Tchad Evasion" signage. Not all the drivers knew the way to Tinga, they had no GPS, (phone reception dies before the park), no maps, no walkie talkies, did not stick together with the drivers who knew the way and they missed signs to Zakouma and Tinga. We got lost in the dark and our drivers tried to turn around which would have been wrong. Had one of our group not had an offline map downloaded on his mobile and corrected them our 14hr journey would have been much longer. Another vehicle got lost exiting the park. The vehicles were not in great mechanical shape so we had to stop a number of times to fix issues, plus thete was a window that did not open, a broken door, there was no aircon and some bad driving: tailgating, non hands free mobile use, near falling asleep at the wheel, speeding through villages. Getting to and from Zakouma by road was the worst part of the trip by far.
Written 10 February 2019
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Bonjour,
désireux de planifier un voyage au Tchad , j aurais aimé vous poser quelques questions.
Combien de temps êtes vous restés et avez vous fait le désert.
Par quelle agence êtes vous passés ? Et au niveau budget combien faut il compter pour un couple?
Si vous avez d'autres infos, je suis preneur
Cordialement
Moussadeck Boulegroun
Written 26 February 2019
Spazi d’avventura Milano
Per il budget dipende da tante cose.
Dalla capitale al parco ci sono 2 giorni di Sahel
Il viaggio è abbinabile ad altre mete interessanti tipo ennedi ....
Saluti
Written 27 February 2019
Bonjours , nous voulons visité le pack de Zakouma comment faire? si on s trouve déjà à N'djamena?
Written 11 November 2018
Bonjour, nous souhaiterions aller au Zakouma NP, pourriez-vous nous conseiller une bonne agence locale ?
Merci !
Written 7 November 2018
Bonjour,
Comment avez-vous organisé votre voyage à Zakouma ? transfert en avion ou par la route depuis NDjamena ? Malgré plusieurs mails envoyés sur le site de Zakouma, jamais aucune réponse... Merci si vous le faites ! Cordialement, Mathieu
Written 17 October 2018
Can anyone please help us with what guides or travel group they used to plan their trip to Zakouma National Park? We want to go early next year. Please and thank you. Carol
Written 11 June 2018
Very rarely visit my own trip reports otherwise I would have answered this question earlier, I travelled with a U.K. based operator. BUSANGA SAFARIS. They are running 3 trips in 2019 all led by Doug McDonald, who is an outstanding guide and knows this park well. Very few are now offering Camp Nomade for a variety of reasons mainly AP want it to be used by potential benefactors, Tinga Camp is now been used.
Written 6 September 2018
Hi, I would like to know what company you used for travel? I was considering Steppes in the UK. We would also be taking the charter flight.
Written 6 June 2018
Try Busanga Safaris U.K. based.
Written 6 September 2018
We would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to visit Zakouma but we are very concerned about the safety of travelling to Chad. The UK Foreign Office strongly advises against all but necessary travel. Can anyone convince us that we should overcome our fears OR are they well justified?
Written 8 May 2018
Dear Karen M,
I was in Chad earlier this year and I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. It is an extremely safe country.
Best regards,Owen
Written 26 July 2018
Bonjour, quelles sont les conditions sécuritaires concernant la route de NDJ au parc ?
Written 23 April 2017
Nous on la fait en 4x4 avec une compagnie de N’Djaména, il faut une autorisation de circulation et il y a de nombreux contrôles sur la route.
Written 30 January 2018
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