The Lakes of Ounianga in Chad were inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2012. The listed property occupies 62,808 hectares, with an additional buffer zone of 4869 hectares. The complex is made up of 18 interconnected lakes, making a natural landscape of unmatched beauty.

The site is specifically found in the hyper semi-arid Ennedi Region in the heart of Chadian Sahara Desert. The lakes striking colors and lakes coupled with their physical characteristics make them a must visit destination. In particular, you would be interested to know that the lakes are either saline, hyper-saline or freshwater and are supplied by underground inlets.

The lakes are divided into 2 major groups. The first group is known as Ounianga Kebir and is made up of 4 large lakes, with the largest, Lake Yoan, measuring 358 hectares and 27 meters deep. The lake is highly saline and thus only a few algae and microorganism species are able to survive in these conditions. The second group is known as the Ounianga Serir and is made up of 14 lakes that are separated by sand dunes. Almost a half of these lakes’ surface is covered by reeds and this reduces the evaporation rate. The largest lake in this system is known as Lake Teli at 436 hectares and less than 10 meters deep. Some of the lakes in this complex are freshwater lakes and thus boast a rich flora and fauna diversity, especially fish.

The area on which the property of Ounianga is located was occupied by a much bigger lake 10,000 years ago. It is a basin of outstanding universal value due to its hydrological properties that helps it sustain the largest permanent fresh water lakes in the heart of a hyper arid region.

The aesthetics of the property are found in the different coloration of the lakes and their vegetation, as well as the dramatic desert land formations that contribute to the exceptional beauty. The lakes’ shape, coupled with the dramatic effect of floating vegetation gives what one writer describes as ‘waves of water flowing in the desert’.

Such is the beauty that you will find in this largely desert landscape. It also happens to be the only World Heritage Site in Chad. It is a cheap destination that offers you the experience of an ‘oasis in the desert’.