Chad travel and 'Tschad Evasion'

[trans-african]

I am planning to visit Chad later this year/early next year. I initially planned to enter via Sudan but now think that entering from Niger would be better. There are a few queries I am unsure about about Chad:

1. Is it essential to have a guide/escort, perhaps arrranged through Tschad Evasion?
2. Has anyone experienced Tschad evasion? Are they any good as a company?
3. Is it possible to enter Chad from Bilma, Niger? Does anyone have information/experience about this piste? Which maps are good????
4. Routes in Chad? I'd like to see the Tibetsi and Enndei then driving down to Lake Chad and exit into Niger (towards Zinder). I want to avoid N'Djamena if possible.

Any more advice or opinions on Chad would be great. This is the last place in Africa I am yet to visit with my 4x4. Please help with any info you have!

Thanks.

[AliBaba]

Originally Posted by trans-african

3. Is it possible to enter Chad from Bilma, Niger? Does anyone have information/experience about this piste? Which maps are good????

I have traveled from Niger to Chad solo on a motorbike.

The route goes north of Lake Chad. There are multiple pistes and I don't think you will find a proper map because the pistes change all the time. I crosschecked my position with my maps several time and was never close to a piste, sometimes the map showed I was in the middle of the lake.

It's mostly thorns and sandy tracks but if you have visited every other country in Africa it should be an easy trip.

[trans-african]

Thanks,
and where are border formalities done? The nearest town?

[AliBaba]

Originally Posted by trans-african

Thanks,
and where are border formalities done? The nearest town?

This is old info, but it looks like it's the only you can get:

1) You do all the exit-formalities in Nguigmi.
2) You leave Nguigmi from the airport, the biggest track
3) Somewhere around the border you will probably meet the army, they will check if you have a valid visa
4) At Rig-rig (or another village, not sure) you will meet "immigration", back in 2001 this was a very unfriendly place. They showed pictures of tortured kids and wanted huge bribes. I met some French people who had left more then 1000€ here, they had to interrupt their Transafrica-trip and sell the vehicle in Djamena to get some cash.
Anyway they stamp your visa and off you go.
5) At Bol you will find customs, they will stamp your carnet (and ask for money)
6) You have to register at the immigration in Ndjamena within 3 (?) days after your passport is stamped in Rig-rig. I did this a few days to late but it worked out.


It's not allowed to take pictures without a permit, you might ed up in jail and it's not pleasant.

For me Chad was a bad place; problems with police, problems with the army, problems with my security-situation, problems with the Sudanese embassy etc. In fact most people I have met who have visited Chad had some problems.

[trans-african]

Alibaba,
thanks for the info, I belive this relates to the Lake Chad route though. I am after some information on the routes into Chad further north, i.e going from Niger into Zouar in Chad etc...