Travel advisory · ChadSome governments advise against all but essential travel to Chad.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
- 30 km strip along all international borders · avoid all travel · Canada, Spain, France, New Zealand, UK, US
- Borkou region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, UK
- Central African Republic border · avoid all travel · Germany, Spain, Italy
- Ennedi region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, New Zealand, UK
- Lac region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, New Zealand, UK
- Libya border · avoid all travel · Germany, Spain, Italy
- Niger border · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy
- Nigeria border · avoid all travel · Germany, Spain, Italy
- Ouaddaï region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand
- Sila region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand
- Tibesti region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, New Zealand, UK
- Wadi Fira region · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, France, Italy, New Zealand
- West of Mao in Kanem · avoid all travel · Canada, Italy, UK
- Cameroon border · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, Spain
- Sudan border · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, Italy
Also named by one government: 30 km strip along Lake Chad–Cameroon border (Italy), East of Borkou province (France), Kanem region (New Zealand), Abéché (France), Amdjarass (France), Bardaï (France), Bol (France), Bongor (France), Fada (France), Logone region (Spain), Mayo-Kebbi region (Spain), West of Borkou province (France)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | Advises against all but essential travel to the rest of Chad | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Do not travel | Apr 28, 2026 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | Avoid non-essential travel | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | Von nicht notwendigen Reisen in alle anderen Regionen und Provinzen abgeraten | Oct 27, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Avoid non-essential travel | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | Zones rouges formellement déconseillées ; le reste du territoire est en zone orange (déconseillé sauf raison impérative) | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Ennedi is a sandstone plateau in northeastern Chad, on the edge of the Sahara. Wind and water have cut its cliffs, valleys and dry riverbeds into natural arches, towers and rock shelters. The area is protected as a natural and cultural reserve. Visitors come for the arches and for prehistoric paintings and engravings on the walls of the shelters. Much of the land is open desert, with little shade and few roads.
The plateau suits travelers who want remote desert country and can handle long drives and careful planning. Most trips fly to N'Djamena, then drive by 4x4 on long, rough tracks, usually with a local guide. Plan the route with an operator before you book, since permits and any escort are arranged in advance. The best months are roughly November to February, when daytime heat is lower. Allow extra days if you want to reach several sites.
Ennedi Plateau in five
- Check travel advice before bookingCheck your government's current travel advice for northern Chad, which includes the Ennedi region. Read it before you pay any deposit, and again before you fly.
- Get a Chad visa before you flyMost passports need a visa for Chad, and you should not plan on getting one on arrival. Apply through a Chadian embassy or consulate and confirm the current process with them.Visas and entry
- Book a 4x4 with an authorized operatorThe plateau is reached by long, rough overland drives. Ask the operator who arranges your permits and any escort, and who carries spare fuel, water and a recovery kit.Getting around
- Carry CFA francs in cashPlan to pay in cash on the plateau, where you should not count on card payments or ATMs. Bring enough CFA francs for the whole trip and keep the money split across more than one place.Money and costs
- Buy insurance that covers evacuationHospitals near the plateau are far away, and getting out by road can take a long time. Choose a policy that names evacuation by air and check that it covers the remote areas you plan to visit.Travel insurance
Things to do in Ennedi Plateau
See all attractions in Ennedi Plateau
Need to know
- Currency
- CFA franc, Central African (XAF)
- Entry
- Visa needed for most passports; apply through a Chadian embassy before you travel
- Emergency
- Save your embassy and insurer emergency numbers before you leave
- Tipping
- Tip guides and drivers; ask your operator what else is customary
- Time
- UTC+1, no daylight saving
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryCool, dry
- FebruaryCool, dry
- MarchHeat building
- AprilVery hot
- MayExtreme heat
- JuneRains begin
- JulyRainy season
- AugustRainy season
- SeptemberRains, flooding
- OctoberHot, easing
- NovemberCooling, dry
- DecemberCool, dry
Right now in Ennedi Plateau
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
23
- Feels like
- 16°
- Humidity
- 12%
- Wind
- 18 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Ennedi Plateau
02:34 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today30°18°0%Tuesday: Clear. High 30°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed30°19°0%Wednesday: Clear. High 30°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu29°19°0%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 29°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri29°19°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 29°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat28°17°0%Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 28°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun27°17°0%Sunday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Mon26°16°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 26°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 0%.
Updated 11:55 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 587.8 XAF
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Ennedi Plateau
Rules for Ennedi Plateau, checked
- Check your government's travel advice for northern Chad before you book or travel.
- Permits and any required escort for the Ennedi region must be arranged through an authorized operator and the Chadian authorities. Confirm this in writing before you travel.
- Ask before photographing people, especially in villages, and do not photograph military sites or checkpoints.
Plan around Ennedi Plateau
Entry rules, regions and the wider country
Read the guideGetting around ChadFlights to N'Djamena and long overland drives
Read the guideVisas and entryVisa application steps and documents to carry
Read the guideMoney and costsCash in CFA francs and where cards fail
Read the guideWhere to stayCamps and guesthouses near Fada
Read the guideTravel insuranceEvacuation cover for remote desert travel
Read the guideEnnedi Plateau FAQ
Do I need a permit to visit the Ennedi Plateau?
Yes. Ask your operator to arrange the permits and any escort before you book, and get the details in writing.
How do I get to the Ennedi Plateau?
Most trips fly to N'Djamena and then go overland by 4x4 on long, rough tracks. Ask the operator for the full route and the expected driving time.
When is the best time to visit the Ennedi Plateau?
November to February is the most comfortable window. Heat builds from March, and the rains from June to September bring flooding.
Is it safe to travel to the Ennedi Plateau?
Check your government's current travel advice before booking and follow it. Travel only with an authorized operator and follow its security instructions.
Is there phone signal on the Ennedi Plateau?
Expect little or no signal across most of the plateau. Download offline maps before you leave, and tell someone your route and expected return date.