Discovering Madagascar

Madagascar

From the Africa that split off from it 165 million years ago, Madagascar has kept the red earth and a flora and fauna that will leave even the most jaded ecotourist stunned. From Asia, where the majority of its population originated, it has preserved its rice paddies. Madagascar, however, is neither: 400 kilometers east of the African coast, the "Big Island" - certainly the only land in the world to merit the label "Afro-Asian" - boasts a culture as original as it is endearing.

Madagascar is 1,580 km long and 580 km wide, with a surface area of 587,000 km2 and a population of 25 million.
Laterite and white sand, tropical forests and an exceptional coastline, lemurs and baobabs. Discovering Madagascar means going from surprise to surprise. It's also the satisfaction of participating in the tourism development of one of the countries that needs it most: epidemics, cyclones, locust invasions and political instability have taken their toll on this extraordinary island in recent decades, making Madagascar one of the poorest countries on the planet.

Madagascar's biogeographical isolation and variety of climates and landforms have fostered the development of a flora and fauna unique in the world, some of which are endemic. New species are still being discovered in the country; in 11 years, at the beginning of the 21st century, 41 mammals, 61 reptiles, 69 amphibians, 17 fish, 42 invertebrates and 385 plants have been discovered on the island, making a total of over 600 new animal and plant species. These include the world's smallest primate, a 10-centimetre lemur (Microcebus berthae), and a chameleon with an unusually long snout (Calumma crypticum). However, this biodiversity is under threat from the development of agriculture and deforestation, some of which is illegal. The Malagasy practice slash-and-burn agriculture extensively. The marine fauna is also very rich, although still poorly understood. Madagascar's avifauna comprises 294 species, 107 of which are endemic. Madagascar's amphibians comprise 247 species, 245 of which are endemic.

RICE PADDIES IN BETSILEO COUNTRY

They are a reminder that Madagascar is a land between two continents: Africa and Asia. Visible throughout the country, rice paddies are omnipresent in the Highlands. Indeed, the Betsileo are the country's leading rice growers. Intense green of freshly transplanted seedlings, dense brown of ploughed clods, iridescent reflections of flooded rice paddies... here, the precious cereal reigns supreme over seasons and landscapes.

TSINGY DE BEMARAHA

Some people go to Madagascar just to admire these veritable mineral fakir planks pointing skywards. Classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the rock formations of the Tsingy de Bemaraha are the result of a succession of coral formations, landslides, erosion and acid rain over several million years.

BAOBAB ALLEY

At the gateway to Morondava, the Allee des Baobabs is the island's most impressive gathering ofAdansonia grandidieri. A prime spot at sunset, it's also a must-see on the sandy road leading to Belo-sur-Tsiribihina and the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park.

TSARANORO VALLEY

With its vast landscapes dotted with dry earth villages and granite massifs topped by the tall golden silhouette of the peak of the same name, the Tsaranoro valley, at the gateway to the Andringitra, is one of the country's most beautiful landscapes. Often overshadowed by the Isalo massif, it offers dozens of kilometers of hiking trails.
Madagascar has some great hiking opportunities. The Tsaranoro valley, the Andringitra massif, the Isalo and the Masoala peninsula are among the most famous itineraries. The trails, frequented by villagers, are not marked, making the assistance of a guide obligatory.

eric@wildtours.fr

262 692 740 290