Most of us know the African continent from Egypt and Tunisia. But there are other noteworthy states. Mass tourism has not yet gained momentum in them, there is no developed tourism industry there, but, despite some difficulties that may arise, a trip to these countries will be filled with vivid impressions. We invite you to take a virtual trip to Chad, a state in Central Africa. The capital of this country, N'Djamena, is very distinctive. Walking along it will definitely surprise you. There are many interesting and sometimes unique attractions in the city and its environs, the visit of which will be remembered for a lifetime.
Location
The state of Chad is located in Central Africa, surrounded by countries such as Niger, Cameroon, Nigeria, Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic. Chad has no outlets to the ocean or sea. In the north, the country adjoins the Sahara Desert. There are very few sources of water, and those that are, seasonal. On thein the south there are many small and large rivers, there are lakes. The capital of Chad is located in the southwestern part of the state, on the banks of the Shari River, not far from the place where the Logon flows into it, very close to the border with Cameroon. The city has an international airport, so getting here from Russia is not difficult. Visa required.
A Brief History
In Chad, people lived several thousand years ago. In confirmation of this, they found the skull of the oldest person on Earth. At the end of the 14th century, the state of Borno was formed near the Shari River. It was founded by the inhabitants of Kanem, who fled after the defeat of their country by nomadic tribes. In Borno, among other things, they engaged in the slave trade. At the very end of the 19th century, it was conquered by the Sudanese commander Rabih al-Zubair, who was able to manage it for seven years. In 1900, this piece of land attracted the French, who, with the help of weapons, expanded their influence in Africa. A battle ensued near the city of Kusseri, as a result of which Rabih was captured and beheaded. The French won, but also suffered losses. On their side, one of the commanders, Francois Lamy, died. This happened on April 22, and already on May 29, opposite Kusseri, on the other side of the Shari, the first stone of the new city, Fort Lamy, was laid. The capital of Chad bore this name for 73 years, and only then it was renamed N'Djamena, which means "resting place". Throughout its short history, N'Djamena has been a participant in military conflicts many times. The last one took place in 2008. And although now everything is calm there, and the locals are good-natured and smiling, they have a lot of weapons in their hands,what our tourists should definitely take into account.
Where to stay
Numerous hostilities and a not entirely favorable climate have served to make Chad one of the poorest countries in Africa. The capital, N'Djamena, is its largest city, with nearly a million inhabitants. But even here there is not an abundance of modern high-rise buildings and developed infrastructure that capitals rely on. Even with hotels here, let's say, not a lot. There are only a few four- and five-star hotels in the whole city. Rooms in some correspond to the European category "3 stars" and below, and prices per room are at least 100 euros per night. There are also a couple of hostels in N'Djamena, where prices are two times lower, but it is not recommended to stay there. Hotels Kempinski, Le Meridien, Le Sakhel are positively marked by tourists.
Food
Chad's capital, N'Djamena, can't offer a wide selection of first-class restaurants. But among the available ones there are even Chinese ones, where, like almost everywhere in the capital, pork dishes are served. In general, in Chad they prepare various and tasty dishes from rice, potatoes, corn, cassava, millet, sorghum, legumes. Meat and river fish are especially popular, for example, Nile perch, tilapia, okra, eels. Fish is s alted, dried, smoked, grilled and cooked in exotic spices. You can have a bite to eat not only in restaurants, but also just on the street, where, right in front of your eyes, a lively merchant will bake the fish you like on the coals and flavor it with your chosen sauce. If you are in N'Djamena, you should definitely try it.salanda (goes well with beer), banda, gumbo sauce, bule pasta. Of the drinks here, they everywhere drink the familiar hibiscus, but they make it with various seasonings (cinnamon, vanilla, cloves). This is called "karkanji". Of the alcoholic drinks in N'Djamena, local beer is popular, which is not exported. Therefore, you can only try it in Chad. Vitamin lovers will certainly enjoy the jus de fruit cocktail, which, in addition to fresh fruit, contains milk and cardamom. In general, little fruit is grown in Chad due to the harsh climate. Mostly dates and raisins. Most of the rest are imported, which is why their prices are higher than in Moscow.
Walking through the streets of the capital
The capital of Chad got its name N'Djamena from a nearby small village. This happened under President Tombalbay, who zealously pursued a policy of Africanization in the country. He, in turn, was also killed. Now Idris Debi, who always wins elections, rules here. Before independence, Chad was a French colony, so many streets and squares had French names. Now there are few of them left, among them there is, for example, Charles de Gaulle Avenue. This is one of the central streets where there are embassies, several banks, new offices and beautiful modern houses have been built. It stretches to a circle-square bearing the name of Sultan Kasser. The general appearance of the street is quite pleasant, since in almost every building the first floor is made with arcades, that is, the architecture is given the appearance of completeness. But the farther from the center, the views of the capitalare getting sadder. Modern stone houses are gradually replacing the old adobe houses, and on the outskirts they are replaced by thatched huts. However, the city center is beautiful. Here you can see many interesting sculptures and monuments, there are several churches built during the colonial period. Tourists are always fascinated by colorful lizards, which are found on the roads as often as we have cats and dogs.
Shopping
In N'Djamena, as in all of Chad, there is no metro, trams and trolleybuses. They move here only on antediluvian buses and taxis. Vendors move their merchandise on large open carts, so spontaneous outlets can spring up anywhere. They even work at night. These people sleep here, on the street, having built themselves a bed out of cardboard boxes. In the supermarkets and shops of the capital, goods are mainly imported and very expensive. Therefore, markets can be advised for shopping. The central one is even included in the list of attractions that the capital of Chad boasts. The photo captured a fish corner in the market. It's noisy, dirty and you can bargain. French has been the official language of Chad since colonial times. Therefore, tourists who own it have no difficulty in communicating. In addition to French, Arabic is spoken in N'Djamena, as well as many local dialects, but English is not popular here. There are almost no souvenirs, masks and other exotics at the Central Market. In the Great Market (or Grand Marche), which is opposite the mosque, this stuff is better. There is one more in the capitalsmall market for tourists. It is located on the way to the airport. This is where you can buy African exotics in the form of figurines, masks, all kinds of crafts, amulets and other things.
Museum
The capital of Chad does not have many attractions on its territory. The National Museum is perhaps the most important. It is located opposite the oldest in the city and almost always closed Cathedral, which stands out against the general background of buildings with its unusual architectural forms. The building of the museum is outwardly unattractive. This is the former administrative center of the city. It was converted into a museum in 1963. At the entrance, you can and should buy a guide to the museum, because you can’t take pictures of the exhibits there. Among them are many locally produced utensils from the household of the inhabitants of colonial and pre-colonial Chad, skeletons of animals found during excavations, some artifacts, fragments of rock art of primitive Africans, many unique items of the Sao, Tubu, Zagawa peoples. Next to the museum is the Place de la Nation square with an unusually interesting design of the complex in memory of the fighters for national freedoms. But foreigners are not always allowed to walk there.
Great Mosque
N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, is a city where the majority of the inhabitants practice Islam. In 1978, with the help of French specialists, the Great Mosque was built here, which has become a landmark of the city. It is located near the Big Market and the police station. Externally in the architecture of the mosquethere is nothing unusual and unexpected, but for believers this is the most important place in the city.
Reserves and parks
Few bright sights can please the capital. Chad is a country where it will be very interesting for Europeans to look at the natural world and the original culture of the African people. Therefore, the most interesting places are outside the capital. A unique excursion can be made to the Binder-Lere nature reserve, located relatively close to N'Djamena. I must say that the distances here are measured in hundreds of kilometers. For example, to "Binder-Lere" about 300 km in a straight line. In the reserve you can see a waterfall, two lakes (Trene and Lere), many unique birds and plants.
The second reserve that you can visit is "Mandelia" (Mandelia), also curious for its natural we alth. The third is "Bahr Salamat". But before it is already as much as 800 km. But nearby is the second most important natural park in Chad - "Zakuma", where you can see up close freely roaming exotic for us elephants, giraffes, lions and dozens of other animals. A little closer, only 550 km away, is Manda Park, which is extremely popular with tourists. And if you don’t want to go that far, you can buy a walk along the Shari River, admire the crocodiles and hippos, go to the Elephant Rock rocks that resemble elephants.
Cities and towns
The capital of Chad (N'Djamena) is a relativelyyoung. But tourists also want to see antiquities. To do this, you need to go to neighboring settlements. The most colorful and interesting is the city of Abéché, which is more than 600 kilometers from N'Djamena. The city is notable for its architecture, mosques, and the preserved palace of the Sultan. There is also a local airport, so if you want you can get there quickly. The city of Sakh, located more than 500 km from the capital, is interesting for its museum and the fact that several national parks are located nearby. The village of Gauja is much closer, only 10 km from the capital. Presumably, giants lived here. Now in the village you can see unusual round houses, as well as exhibits of the local museum, placed here after archaeological excavations.
Reviews
Little is known to our tourists about Chad. The capital of which country is N'Djamena, few people know. If you are going to discover this original and completely unlike any other land, before the trip, you must definitely make a number of vaccinations - against cholera, hepatitis A and B, malaria, diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhoid, tetanus, meningitis and polio. Features of staying in Chad, often noted by tourists:
- It is almost impossible to pay by credit cards here, only in cash. The currency of Chad is the franc (XAF).
- Given the special mentality of the people of Chad, you need to keep in mind that taking pictures here, even in the capital, is not welcome. Locals believe that the camera takes away their strength, he alth, soul, and so on, so serious problems can arise.
- Tap water is not even good for washing, drink it,of course not.
- The weather in the region where N'Djamena is located, let's say, is not cold. In summer, about +45 in the shade and without rain, in winter it is not lower than +22 and with the rarest, but torrential rains.
And the rest of the trip to this exotic country causes only positive emotions.
