2 independent reviews for Chad wildlife vacation in Zakouma NP
Reviews for Chad wildlife vacation in Zakouma NP
Sarah Wilkins review 26 Mar 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The thousands of cranes; storks; geese; ducks and other birds at the Zakouma pans; also the large herds of buffalo; topi; hartebeests etc and the famous Zakouma elephant mega herd (now split into two)2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Don't expect this park to be like those in Southern Africa - there are long stretches of dry bush country between the pans but lots of excitement around the pans. A good park to visit in the dry season if you are interested in birds as well as mammals.It is a long 2 day drive from N'djamena to the park. There are also flights.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
employment at Tinga lodge and by African Parks litter is a real problem in Chad - the local people did not seem to consider a covering of blue; white and black plastic bags near and in towns to be an issue. Our camp staff seemed surprised when we cleared up all our waste from camping. It will take a life time to litter pick Chad!4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was good to see a country not spoilt by tourism and fast food chains. Despite Uk gov warnings, it seemed very safe and the people friendly. Zakouma park was very different from SA parks with the pans being a magnet for wildlife in the dry season. It was nice not to have many other vehicles in the park; often we were the only vehicle at a sighting and could drive all day without seeing other trucks.Martin Waldock review 1 Apr 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The wildlife. Especially the quantity & variety of bird life. An incredible number of Eagles. We saw about 6 different species. The landscape of the park i thought was pretty amazing. I think it deserves a mention. Vast open vistas. Great for bird watching.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be prepared to go with the flow. This is Africa after all. Patience is a good attribute. Roughing it is all part of the experience. The heat is incredible, 40Deg C +. If you don't like or can't stand these sort of temperatures, don't go. There is no A/C. No pool. Some of the roads can be rough, quite a few pot holes.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
This vacation did all of the above. The guides, drivers & trackers all did a first class job.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
A very good experience. It's nice to go where not many other tourists go. A cut above east & southern Africa. I would like to give a lot of credit to Tom, the owner of the operator. He was very diligent. Helped you when needed. He had good attention to detail. Nothing seemed too much trouble.Holiday Reviews
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