La Guelta d'Archei, a surprising oasis in Chad

Archei, his dromedaries and his guelta

Guelta d’Archei is an oasis, or rather an guelta in the heart of the Sahara Desert. One guelta is a bowl where the water has accumulated following a flood or heavy rain resulting in the creation of a basin. The one we care about here is located in Plateau de l’Ennedi in northeastern Chad, hidden behind a canyon. Its waters are sheltered by the imposing sandstone cliffs typical of this region.

Every day, hundreds of dromedaries (caravans) are gathered in high water to the knee so that they can relax and rest. The manure of thousands of dromedaries evacuated for hundreds of years explains the color of blackish water. But it will not take away from the beauty of the place and the “show”.

Flickr – linselys

Taped in black waters, there is a small group of Nile crocodiles, survivors of a more humid era when this species once flourished in most of the current Sahara desert as well as in marshes and rivers along the southern Mediterranean coasts. Guelta d’Archei is home to one of the last Nile crocodiles colonies known in the Sahara Desert. The crocodiles feed on fish that themselves survive thanks to the algae that develop in the fertilized waters by the excrements of the camelides. The Guelta d’Archei is a true zoological wonder .

At the top of the cliffs, there are some rock paintings dating from the middle of the Holocene , which testifies to the high age of the guelta. During the same stay in the area, you can also admire the great Aloba arc.

The Guelta d’Archei is an arid place, away from the beaten paths. Achieving it requires use of a 4×4 and a journey of at least four days from N’Djamena, the capital of Chad. Then a few hours hike will take you to the place you can see on these images.

Flickr – Tekenessi

Flickr – josephescu

Flickr – josephescu

Flickr – josephescu

Flickr – Abec.photographer

Flickr – josephescu

Flickr – A.Bielecki

Flickr – Isabelle Boutriau

George Steinmetz, National Geographic

With such views and a beautiful setting, would you be close to making the long journey to rally Archei?