Thank you :thumbup1:
Will take a look at it closely after short break - I am leaving for Beirut tomorrow :)

One query for those who was there recently:

Did you "have to" use a agency/guide when you do rent a local car?

Or was it just recommendet?

Surfy

I've also been trying to get to the bottom of this. kkdoo_pl on instagram told me they would report more details once they are out of Chad. From their posts they said they were required to use an agency, but recently they are clearly alone...so...unclear.

I`m in contact too since sudan. They told me that they are currently on their own on Chad, but did reportet first that they need an agency. Not clear yet.

I did ask here in this thread, to get the requirements when you use a local rental. Often the travel life by rental inside a country is much easier.

Surfy

I was in contact with SVS T'Chad a while back, which organizes in Chad. They were very responsive, but were not interested in organizing anything without a guide, stating "Guide and Authorization are required to travel in Chad" Their rentals all come with a driver, and I suspect all others do as well.

One or two reports of no guide can be found, so I wondered if perhaps authorization is required (for sure) but that it is more easily granted with a guide?

I have read Chris's "Sahara Guidebook" thoroughly and along with reading up on other reports it sounds like visiting Zakouma without a guide wouldn't be unreasonable, but I doubt going to Ennedi without a guide is practical.

SVS did say the border with Sudan is "usually open"

Asking an Tour Operator probably doesnt really help for that purpose.

In my prefered International Car Rental Provider:

https://www.billiger-mietwagen.de/

There are cars between 30 and 130$ a day. No driver. But no overlanding equipement too.

Guess if you walk through Ndjamena you would find more options.

How I usually do overlanding by rental, you can read here by Chrome Browser and translation from german.

This way I did overlanding in Laos, at 2010, where you was able to read anywhere that you need a driver. I was able to do selfdrive that way.

So for those who wants to go soon, it may be worth to call the local Avis rental, and ask for the requrired paperwork. Please give us an update here!

Surfy