Chad – Guerewol Festival Tour

Itinerary

Day 1 – Friday 24 September 2027 – N’Djamena

Arrival in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, located on the banks of the Chari River. Our team will meet you at the airport for the transfer to the hotel.

Overnight stay in a hotel in N’Djamena.

Day 2 – Saturday 25 September 2027 – N’Djamena

This morning, we meet at 9:00 AM in the hotel lobby for a briefing and meet-up before heading out to explore one of Central Africa’s least-visited capitals.

We visit the Grand Mosque of N’Djamena and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, which was destroyed during the civil war in 1980 and later rebuilt. Together they reflect the religious diversity of the city.

We’ll visit the National Museum. Many of its pieces were lost or looted during the civil war, but it remains the best introduction to Chad’s history, archaeology and many ethnic groups. From here, we continue through the city centre, passing Independence Square and the Monument de la Nation.

Later, we explore the bustling Central Market, where traders, tailors and merchants from across the country come together.

In the afternoon, we visit Gaoui, a historic village just outside N’Djamena. Gaoui is traditionally linked to the Sao civilisation and is known for its mud-brick architecture, pottery and the former Sultan’s palace, which now serves as a small museum.

Overnight stay in a hotel in N’Djamena.

Day 3 – Sunday 26 September 2027 – N’Djamena – Durbali

After an early breakfast, we leave N’Djamena and head into the Sahel. The scenery slowly changes from busy city streets to open plains dotted with acacia trees, cattle herds and temporary camps of nomadic families.

From Durbali, we leave the tarmac and continue off-road to the festival grounds. Count on a long day: the whole journey takes around eight hours.

The exact festival location changes every year. The Wodaabe clans choose it based on rainfall, grazing conditions and agreements between them, so it is literally decided by the needs of their cattle. Flexibility and patience are part of the deal.

On arrival, we settle into our camp near the Wodaabe camps, where preparations for the Guerewol are in full swing.

Overnight stay in our camp near the Wodaabe camps.

Day 4 – Monday 27 September 2027 – Guerewol Festival

Today is all about the Guerewol, one of the Sahel’s most remarkable cultural gatherings. For the Wodaabe, it is the moment when dispersed communities reconnect after months of travelling with their cattle across the region.

Throughout the day, young Wodaabe men carefully prepare for the Yaake dances. Faces are painted with natural pigments, elaborate jewellery is worn and ostrich feathers are added to colourful headdresses. During the dances, the men line up and sway for hours, singing in deep voices and emphasising their eyes, teeth and smiles, all central to Wodaabe ideals of beauty. The women act as judges and ultimately choose the most attractive dancers.

Between the performances, there is time to walk through the camps, see the tea gatherings and the herders bringing in their cattle, and meet families respectfully. As night falls, the fires are lit and the singing and dancing often go on late into the evening.

Overnight stay in our camp near the Wodaabe camps.

Day 5 – Tuesday 28 September 2027 – Durbali – N’Djamena

In the morning, we take in our last moments at the festival grounds before saying goodbye to our Wodaabe hosts. Their celebrations continue, but we start the long drive back across the Sahe, back to N’Djamena.

Along the way, we may pass Fulani herders guiding their cattle and small roadside markets. Depending on road conditions, we stop for refreshments and photos.

Arrival back in N’Djamena in the late afternoon.

Overnight stay in a hotel in N’Djamena.

Day 6 – Wednesday 29 September 2027 – N’Djamena – Koundoul

Today we explore the area around the capital, where daily life looks very different from one place to the next.

We start at the bridge to Kousseri in neighbouring Cameroon, one of the busiest crossing points in the region. Traders and locals cross in both directions all day, and watching the flow of people and goods tells you a lot about how closely the two countries are connected.

We then head south of N’Djamena to meet a community of Arab herders. About ten years ago, they came to the area planning to stay for a few months. Drought wiped out their herds, and since they could not rebuild their livestock, they have had to settle here. They share how their life has changed.

We continue to the market in Koundoul, where local communities trade produce and everyday goods.

From here, we drive north of the capital to an artisanal cheese workshop run by local women. We get to taste their products, but don’t expect to go home with the recipe: a neighbouring family once tried to copy it, so the secret is very well guarded.

We end the afternoon in a farming village, where we meet the residents and get a glimpse of everyday village life.

Overnight stay in a hotel in N’Djamena.

Day 7 – Thursday 30 September 2027 – N’Djamena

After breakfast, we transfer everyone to the airport for your international departure. This marks the end of the trip.