Ennedi Massif has the opportunity to become one of the most renowned and accessible sites for Saharan tourism. The reserve’s tourism department has made significant strides in preparing for upcoming years, including the construction of Oundoubah Camp, scheduled for completion in 2024. This is a milestone in our commitment to elevate the overall visitor experience in the reserve. Additionally, the tourism department successfully deployed a remote “Mouflon Camp” on multiple occasions for partners visiting the reserve. Sougounaw Ostrich Farm has been renovated to serve as an educational site for students and tourists, both local and international, helping to support the long-term objectives of the red-necked ostrich reintroduction project. The expanded knowledge of Ennedi’s existing fauna and flora has been incorporated into its tourist brochures.
Central to the tourism development plan is the exceptional archaeological heritage of Ennedi, and the ongoing mapping of the sites form a major part of the launch of an exclusive tourist experience. For example, over the course of 2023, 14 archaeological survey missions were conducted, leading to the classification of 421 new archaeological sites, including 68 of major archaeological importance. Surpassing any prior goals, this accomplishment brings the total number of discovered archaeological heritage sites in the reserve to 1,135 and counting, a number that is a good indicator for the potential of tourism development.
With effective management of the natural and cultural heritage of this Eden in the desert, Ennedi is becoming a functioning Sahelian-Saharan ecosystem of significant cultural and natural value.
