Lake Chad Lake Chad may conjure up an image of a sweet lake lined with palm trees. That image is far from reality. The lake is drying up and has half its pre-1960s. The hippos that were once common along the shores have begun to disappear. Touring Lake Chad is not very convenient, nor easy. Although its southern end is less than 100 km northwest of N’Djamena the interesting parts require a 300 km drive from the capital. There you can see traditional fishing and reed boats. Thor Heyerdahl tried to use the Chadian design to build his reed ship Ra to sail across the Atlantic but it fell apart halfway across. Lake Chad is generally seen as a long and tiring day trip from N’Djamena or you can camp in Bol on the lake (there’s no lodging). It’s best to get a four-wheel-drive vehicle to negotiate the deep sand along the lakeshore. Note: Don’t wade or swim in the lake—bilharzia (parasites that cause schistosomiasis) are present in the water.
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