Our Team 
Our Tour Experts 
Heroes and Heroines Guelta d'Archei
Visit the dramatic Guelta d’Archei, famed for its population of West African crocodiles
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![Amy Waters snow biking]()
Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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![William Dalrymple]()
Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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![Liz Bonnin]()
Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Landscapes of the Ennedi Massif
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ennedi, famed for its rock towers, vast arches and quivering yellow sands. Chad’s Ennedi Region is an impressive sculpted mass of towering rock formations, most famous of which is the Aloba Arch, as well as guelta (desert ponds) that support life in this harsh environment.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
1
2Rock Arches
Stand beneath the towering natural arch of Aloba, the tallest arch in Africa
3Desert Landscapes
Explore a landscape of endless dunes, ancient rock art and wind-sculpted wadis
4Private Camp
Stay at the only semi-permanent camp in the Ennedi Massif, Warda Camp
Why we like it
Many places remain disconnected and distant from the modern world, but few are as truly remote as Ennedi. Here, the sands of the Sahara flow as they have done for millions of years, eroding a landscape that is decorated with forgotten cave art and remarkable geological formations. And amidst all this, remote oases sustain both fragile human and wildlife populations.
Day 1
N'Djamena
Day 2
N'Djamena - Abeche - Kalait (fly camping)
Day 3
Ennedi Massif (Warda Camp)
Day 4
Guelta d’Archei (Warda Camp)
Day 5
Aloba Arch (Warda Camp)
Day 6
Bichigara (fly camping)
Day 7
Anoa and Ajous (fly camping)
Day 8
Tchigue Askinga (fly camping)
Day 9
Faya - N'Djamena
Day 1
N'Djamena
Day 2
N'Djamena - Abeche - Kalait (fly camping)
Day 3
Ennedi Massif (Warda Camp)
Explore a landscape of endless dunes, ancient rock art and wind-sculpted wadis
Day 4
Guelta d’Archei (Warda Camp)
Visit the dramatic Guelta d’Archei, famed for its population of West African crocodiles
Day 5
Aloba Arch (Warda Camp)
Stand beneath the towering natural arch of Aloba, the tallest arch in Africa
Day 6
Bichigara (fly camping)
Day 7
Anoa and Ajous (fly camping)
Day 8
Tchigue Askinga (fly camping)
Day 9
Faya - N'Djamena
Wadi Nohi and Wadi Archei
Begin your exploration in the vast Wadi Nohi, whose water sustains an array of verdant plant life. Cross the wadi and stop to visit a cave that is home to a remarkable collection of rock paintings.
Enter the nearby Wadi Archei and reach the famous Guelta d’Archei, a unique basin of water that sits beneath sheer rock walls. This wide pool is a permanent source of water in this arid region and, as well as attracting camels in their hundreds, it plays host to an isolated population of West African crocodiles.
Aloba Arch and the Bamena Massif
Cross the spectacular Bamena Massif, made up of a succession of pinnacles, gorges and sandstone castles, broken up with sculpted dunes.
Continue along its southern edge to the impressive Aloba Arch, one the largest natural arches in the world. 120 metres tall and spanning 77 metres, it is one of the most spectacular rock formations in Africa.
Bichigara and the lost oasis of Anoua
Enter the Saharan part of the massif, where water is far scarcer and vegetation is absent. Skirt the north-western edge of the dramatic Bichigara region, filled with Tassilian rock formations, desolate plains and wind-sculpted dunes
From here, enter one of the least inhabited areas of Ennedi. However, it was not always like this. Explore natural shelters that are decorated with exceptional rock art, left by former inhabitants. And discover the lost oasis of Anoa, an unexpected bastion of life in this otherwise empty desert.
Camping
This trip incorporates both fly camping in the desert and time at the new Warda Camp – Ennedi’s first semi-permanent tented camp. Being based at Warda Camp for three nights allows some relative luxury, sandwiched between nights fly camping further afield. Here, you can expect proper beds, private bathrooms and a comfortable lounge area.
Camping out in the desert is an experience in itself, with zero light pollution allowing for incredible stargazing. Facilities are basic and water is limited, but you can expect modern dome tents, foam mattresses and freshly prepared food.
Why a Steppes expert-led group tour
1.Experience Matters
We have been running insightful and groundbreaking group tours since our inception in 1989. We have worked with institutions such as the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum and run wildlife tours in conjunction with conservation agencies such as Fauna & Flora International, Wildlife Conservation Society, the Orangutan Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the Jane Goodall Institute.
2.Size Matters
Our average group size is typically eight to ten people, smaller than other group tours typically offered – a factor which many of our clients appreciate. Travelling as part of a smaller group provides a more intimate, personalised and relaxed atmosphere.
4.It’s about who you know
We have developed an enviable pool of expertise from which to choose our tour experts, who we carefully select based on their knowledge, companionship and personality. Often, these experts can use their influence to facilitate private access to sites not typically open to the public.
3.Like-Minded People
Steppes Travellers are like-minded people – interesting, interested and curious. Our group tours aim to create an easy and informal atmosphere – we have a lot of fun on our tours and many friendships have been formed.
5.Value for money
Our tours are well-priced to ensure you get real value for money. We include gratuities on the majority of our tours and do not pass on currency surcharges. We strive to look after single travellers as well as we can, keeping single supplements to a minimum.
6.Peace of Mind
When you travel on one of our group tours, you will be looked after by our local agents and your tour expert with the back-up of our 24-hour emergency number and duty manager. All our holidays are fully bonded and protected – our ATOL number is ATOL 6495.
Includes / Excludes
Important Information
Activity Level
ActiveSingle Supplement
Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.
Flexibility
To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf, please get in touch with our travel experts for a quote. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.
What is included
- Domestic flights
- Accommodation
- Drinks and meals in Ennedi
- Guiding
- 4x4 transfers
- £25 to help fund the communities, conservation agencies and NGOs that we work with
- £25 contribution to ‘Trees and Science’ in mitigation of your carbon emissions
What is excluded
- International flights
- Visas
- Gratuities
Reserve your place on this group tour
Our travel experts have a wealth of first-hand knowledge, so if you have any questions about this expert-led group tour, please get in touch. They would love to help. We hope you can join us on this tour.
01285 880 980Send us an enquiry
Send us a message and one of our travel experts
will get right back to you.
Expert-Led Group Tours
Explore similar expert-led group tours
With an average group size of just eight to ten people our group tour itineraries enable you to travel to some of the most intriguing regions of the world in the company of experts guides in the field and, of course, with likeminded people.
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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