Bol

Bol sits on Lake Chad where the shore breaks up into an archipelago of hundreds of islands, many of them the crests of old dunes drowned when the water rose, so that the lake here is a maze of channels between long thin strips of land. Buduma and Kanembu communities live on the islands, growing crops on the fertile margins and fishing. The lake's extent has changed dramatically over recent decades. The town gave its name to a style of woven mat and basket made on the islands, worked in dyed palm fibre and sold across the country.

What you actually see

• The archipelago - hundreds of islands formed from drowned dune crests.
• The channels - the waterways threading between the strips of land.
• The island communities - Buduma and Kanembu villages living on the water.
• The changing lake - a body of water whose extent has altered dramatically.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. Water levels vary with the rains and between years. March to May is extremely hot.

Honest expectations

Facilities are minimal and boat trips are informal arrangements. Bilharzia is present in the lake. Water levels affect which channels and islands can be reached.

Nearby

Mao is northeast, and N'Djamena is southeast.