Few can identify Chad as a country – let alone pinpoint it on a map. Googling ‘Chad’ reveals not vacation tips, but news reports; clichéd African tales of poverty and illiteracy, conflict and coups. As Chad settles into more peaceful times, refugees pour in from its battle-scarred neighbours, and the unrest drags on.

But what the few, intrepid visitors find here is not war – but a rare kind of peace. Away from the capital, savannah gives way to Sahel, which bleeds into Sahara. Otherworldly limestone pinnacles, sculpted by sand, rise from dunes punctuated by Technicolor lakes and salt pans. There is no traffic, no towns, no electricity – the outside world ceases to exist. This land is known savagely as “the dead heart of Africa”, but cast aside preconceptions to find a gently throbbing pulse, as Toubou clans herd cattle and camels, cultivate palms and move their camps with the pastures. Gazelles skip over plateaus; rare crocodiles bask in oases. Discover this country’s hidden soul in our Chad travel guide.

This vast desert nation is characterised by savannah in the far south and Sahara in the north – with a wide band of semi-arid Sahel in the middle. Until the 1980s, Chad got by with just 30km of roads; today there are several hundred (still a tiny amount for such a sprawling country) but many remain unusable in the wet season. As soon as you leave N’Djamena you’re in expedition mode: crossing dunes, desert and limestone landscapes in a 4x4; passing the odd palm grove or tribal village; and setting up camp under the stars each night. To reach some of the geological attractions in the mountains, you’ll need to leave your vehicle and trek for an hour or two – this is true explorer territory.