Madagascar - 2019 - Part 2
Madagascar - 2019 - Part 1
12th May 2019 - Antananarivo/Andasibe
This morning we travelled about 4 hours to Andasibe-Perinet National Park. For the next 10 days all 12 of us will be in a nice spacious mini-bus. The road was pretty good as it is the main road from the port to the capital so much different to the first week. After lunch we had an optional jungle walk in a community based part of the park. Just 6 of us which is so much better than the 16 we had in Kirindy. Our first sighting after much looking and pointing was a leaf tailed chameleon. How our guide spotted at as we walked by I have no idea. It is about 5in long and yet we struggled to see it from 8ft when told exactly where it was. It's on the middle of the three upright branches.
The main reason to come to this particular National Park is the see the Indri Lemurs. Indri are the largest of al the lemurs and are now highly endagered and only found in this region. The good news is that conservation efforts mean the population is very slowly beginning to grow. We came across a family of four, the parents and two kids. We watched them for maybe 40 minutes as they sat and ate leaves and every now and again jumped to a new tree.
They sat quite high up in the trees and although our eyes could see them clearly it was difficult to get a good bright photo of them against thr bright sky behind. They sit so lazily in the trees but when they move they are so graceful despite looking like they are all arms and legs.
On the way back to the car park we came across a Parson's Chameleon, the largest type of chameleon in Madagascar. This one wasn't fully grown but it was 9in, maybe a foot long to the end of its long thin tail. It's skin sparkled in the sunlight and as we watched it slowly climbed up the tree.
It really is a beautiful creature.
In the evening we headed out on another night walk and we saw lots of interesting stuff, some of which photographed better than others. We saw some tiny chameleons, tiny frogs, tiny scorpions and an enormous hairy spider. We saw two different types of mouse lemur, again both were great spots by the guide.
They really are patient little things. We shone lights on them, photographed them, we pushed our way through undergrowth to get closer to them and clambered up banks.
Tonight we saw another big Parson's Chameleon. They are definitely the best animal we've seen so far. I love this one's coiled up tail.
13th May 2019 - Andasibe
We spent today walking in the Indri Special Reserve and we had a good day for ticking of different types of lemur as well as seeing more Indri. As the main place to see the Indri the park is well maintained; the pathways are in in good condition and the guides are great. In addition they have spotters so we don't spend too much time searching for the lemur families and we basically just have to walk from one family to another. But saying that in the mornings the lemur are active feeding and so don't stay in one place too long and often to get to the best viewing spot we have to leave the path scramble through the undergrowth.
First up today a family of common brown lemur. I think we saw more than a dozen in the trees around us. They are very active bouncing between the trees eating berries and the pollen from the flowers.
Today we had all 12 of the group on the walk and we often came across two other groups of 6 or so people so now and again it was a little bit of a scrum to get the best photo. I don't know what the lemurs must make of a scene like this.
Next up we saw a couple of bamboo lemur but they were quite small and in thick foliage so I didn't get a website worthy photo. But the next lemur the crowned sifaca were much easier to spot with their beautiful colourful fur. They were generally quite high up but no problem for my 300mm equivalent lens. Being high up meant more sun light got through to them so they really did look quite spectacular. The were feeding and stretching from branch to branch to get the tastiest fruits and leaves. Lemur feet look to have two huge toes which they use to cling to the branches with one toe wrapped around each side. Their hands though look very human. Opposable thumbs and highly dexterous fingers mean they can hold the fruit crew off the best bits and then throw the rest down on to our heads below.
We clambered through the undergrowth the get to the only Indris we saw today. We could hear the singing/shouting from way off, it really of a deafening squeal, sort of like higher pitch whale music. They were quite high up above us so we didn't get as good a view as yesterday but it was good the whole group got to see them.
On the way back to the entrance we saw another family of sifaca lemur. They definitely are my favorite. Colourful and languid, they don't look as graceful as the other lemurs but they look so laid back. Think of them as the orangutan of the lemurs.
14th May 2019 - Andasibe/Antsirabe
Today as basically a travel day, but first off we stopped off in the local town where it was market day. People everywhere everyone seemingly with something to sell. Women walking around with huge baskets on their heads and stalls laid out on the floor full of fresh produce. Mini-buses were pulling up full of people and their roofs full of goods. Each town has market day once a week and it is when everyone in the surrounding area comes together. The woman to shop and gossip, then men to drink and gamble and the teenagers to meet a potential partner.
The rest of the day was spent riding through the beautiful countryside of the Madagascan plateau which runs down the spine of the country at about 1500m. Rice paddies and vegetable plots running through the valleys and terraces and scrub land up over the hills.
We arrived in the colonial city of Antsirabe around 5pm. Just enough time to head out for a look around before dark. People were being ferried around in tricycles and hand-drawn carts, there were colonial style buildings that had seen better days like the once grand train station which is now the site of a childrens playground.
15th May 2019 - Antsirabe/Fiadanana
Antsirabe is a thermal town in an old volcanic area and on the way out of town we stopped off at a crater lake on the site of an extinct volcano. It was a beautiful setting I wish we had time to walk all the way around but we only had 10 minutes or so to take it all in. On the banks in front of us were women washing clothes in the lake and children playing in the water.
From there we walked a few miles up to the small village of Fiadanana where we would be staying the night. We walked along the well wor tracks and through the rice paddies. There were people everywhere digging and planting and tending their zebu. Guys driving their zebu and carts along the rough lanes and chickens running for cover.
We stopped off at the house of a 'Ghost Whisperer' a sort of doctor come astrologist. The story we were told was nice enough but basically he was taught which plants can be used for what by his father the previous doctor and they wrap it up in some mumbo-jumbo to get people to take his advice.
As we passed houses the kids would come running out and our local guide would hand out photos he had taken of them. They loved it and is a great way to give something to them that lasts and doesn't impacted them badly the way sweets or money would.
We climbed up to the ridge which gave a great view of the whole area. It looked great with the sun reflecting off the water in the paddies and the hills in the background.
We arrived at the homestay in time for lunch which was delicious. Slow cooked zebu, local vegetables and rice. After lunch I wandered off and sat for a while under the shade of a tree looking out over the valley. A girl working in the fields above me shouted bonjour so I shouted back. Then some young kids came by and the girl shouted to them to say bonjour to me but they were too shy. I think it was just an excuse for her to come down. The five of them came over and the girl started talking French to me; within a few minutes we had exhausted my 35 year old conversation French. Name, age where I'm from and I was about done. She was 14 and one of the few children who actually studied beyond primary school hence her good French. They then wanted me to take photos of them. To begin with I took a few photos and they giggled at them. They I turned on the filters on my phone so they could see themselves with the special effects like the photo below. They were falling over laughing and we had a great 20 minutes or so before I had to head off.
Later we headed out with the guide and he told us his story and that of the community project he has helped set up. He was a tour guide but he's now returned to his village to try to better the lives of those in the community. He wants to give people the opportunity to better their own lives and not rely on handouts. So they now have the homestay where and the money raised provided materials so the locals could build themselves a new classroom for the school. He is encouraging local crafts and the use of local produce and trying to give children the opportunity to stay in school longer. He said at first people were sceptical but they are now seeing the benefits and everyone had a cheery hello for him wherever he went. Below is the new classroom they've built.
16th May 2019 - Fiadanana
Up early and walked the couple of miles back to the bus for another long day on the road. We stopped off for lunch in a town famous for wood working. The town itself was quite strange in that it was built up either side of the valley yet the valley floor was still open paddy fields.
17th May 2019 - Ranomafana
This morning we had a great hike around Ranomafana National Park. The park is situated on the edge of the Madagascan Plateau and I don't think has a flat piece of land in it. park but before we set off we got our first interesting sighting another type of leaf chameleon. These things are truly amazing although to be honest we have never seen one move it's hare to believe they are real.
Down we went to the river then up, up, up step after step over the ridge and down the other side in search of the many types of lemur. It wasn't long before we our first group, then another, then another; we had a great lemur spotting day.
The only problem was that many of them were high up in the canopy, thankfully my big lens could pick them up pretty well although it had to fight with the extremes of light and dark of the canopy and the bright sky behind.
To day I think we had the Greater Bamboo Lemur, Red Breasted Lemur, Red Fronted Lemur and Black and White Sifaka, can't remember its name.
The Sifaka was particularly difficult to photograph.
On the way back to the gate we saw this couple cuddling up together sleeping in the tree above us. Soooooooo cute.
18th May 2019 - Ambalavao/Ranohira
This morning we visited the Anja Community Reserve. The reserve was set up 20 years ago by a biologist to protect an area of woodland and the group of ring-tailed lemur that live there. He convinced the locals to stop hunting the lemur and instead protect them. But before we reached the lemurs we first had the obligatory chameleon sighting. I really do love these creatures; we all watched as it slowly crept up the branch.
The reserve now has around 600 lemur and they are quite used to tourists so despite being wild they are happy to come quite close-up. In fact they seemed to completely ignore us. In fact May is peak mating season and they really have no shame!
The lemur were in the tress all around us with their long bushy tails dangling down. They were eating fruit, jumping around and the males generally fighting over the females.
We came to a clearing and the lemur were walking around right beside us; they were sitting on the rocks and they were having 'fun' all around us.
After an hour or more we dragged ourselves away from the lemur and climbed up onto the rocks above to get a great view of the whole area. This area like most of Madagascar has suffered greatly from deforestation and slash and burn so reserves like this do a great job in preserving the forest that is left.
On the way back down we came across another family lazing around in the trees above us. How cool does this lemur look?
We had a great few hours in this park. I'm really glad I choose to come in May before the main tourist season; we almost had the reserve to ourselves. I can imagine in peak season this park, which is the best place to see the famous ring tailed lemurs could get very busy. Lunch today like most days was zebu and rice. Today I choose the zebu skewers. Delicious.
19th May 2019 - Isalo National Park
Isalo National Park sits on a plateau in Madagascan Southern Highlands and is known for it's wide range of terrain. Sandstone cliffs, savanna bushland, lush gorges and great views out over the flat grassland below. We started by climbing up the well maintained path with hundreds of steps to the plateau above. Every now and again we'd stop to look back over the open grassland and the odd herd of zebu.
Once on the top the flat plateau stretched out before us. The landscape reminded me of the African savannas of countries like Tanzania, but without the dangerous wildlife so we were free to walk the paths. Every now and again we'd stop to look at the small relatively harmless wildlife in the bushes. Stick insects, praying mantis, spiders, lizards and chameleons.
The views out over the edges of the plateau were ever changing. There were some beautiful rock formations, colourful layered sandstone rocks with multi- coloured lichen making some of the cliffs look almost oliy in colour.
After about 4 hours slowly wandering across the plateau and winding our way back down to a valley below we stopped off at a campsite where we had lunch. It looks like they set-up and campsite kitchen each day to provide a lovely lunch. Skewers of zebu and rice again and it was delicious again. Around the campsite were a family (or to give them their correct name a conspiracy) of ring-tailed lemurs. They were in the trees and playing on the ground, they would wander past us like we didn't exist. I could sit and watch them all day; they are a sort of cross between a monkey and a cat and you really can see a personality in them.
After lunch we followed the valley up to a waterfall and then on to some more swimming pools. It was a very up and down and slippery narrow paths along the riverbank and up and over big rocks. As before the path was well maintained, there were steps cut into the boulders and stepping stones wherever we needed to cross the river. It really was a beautiful walk.
The three swimming pools were great but the water a little cool. After a long day walking it was so good to cool down and relax.
On the way back to the hotel we stopped off at a project which has bought some land in a valley and is partnering with G Adventures and some charities to start reforesting the area. A nice way to end probably my favorite day of the whole trip.
20th May 2019 - Ranohira/Ifaty
Today was our last day in the mini-bus, we headed south and west through hot dry countryside down to the coast. The area looked noticeably poorer than the other parts of Madagascar we've seen. The scarcity of water makes life hard. But one area had become quite built-up. In the mid-90s sapphires we discovered in the area and a sleepy town of 100 inhabitants has grown into a city with around 120,000 people in the surrounding areas. The area now contains the largest sapphire mine in the world. Workers using primitive equipment dig up soil which is then carried to the river where they sieve the soil and find the gems by hand as you can see below.
n the higher plateau for the last week or so we haven't seen any baobab trees but now we are down on the flat dry plains they started to reappear. This was one of the bigger and more interesting ones.
For the next 3 nights we are staying on Ifaty Beach in bungalows metres from the sea. I'm looking forward to a few days of relaxing and doing nothing much.
21st May 2019 - Ifaty
We have two free days in Ifaty, two lazy days. So I had my first lie-in in 3 weeks and then wandered along the beach to the town for lunch.
After a nice, if very 1970s lunch of prawn cocktail and fish in cream sauce I headed over to the Reniala Private Reserve. Reniala is the local name for Baobabs but tourists generally refer to the reserve as the Spiny Forest. The reserve is small at just 60ha but has been set up to try to introduce eco-tourism to the area. The website describes it as having an amazing, bizarre and unique ecosystem particular to south western Madagascar.
The reserve is home to more than 2000 plant species including the huge 'spiny octopus' trees and many, many baobabs in many wierd and wonderful shapes. Many of the baobab are ancient including one with a diameter of 12.5 metres. I had a great hour and a half, the sun was out and so the light and shadow in the trees was beautiful. There was no one else around, just me and my guide so I could take my time get my photos and generally enjoy being in such a weird and wonderful environment.
22nd May 2019 - Ifaty
A completely free day down by the beach, absolutely no plans. So another lie-in and then went for a walk down the beach.
The beach was full of activity, young men taking out their fishing boats, lots of kids searching for shellfish in the rock pools at low tide. Women on the beach are selling sarongs and carvings and offering massages.
An hour down the beach and an hour back and I'd worked up an appitite for lunch. I found a nice spot and spent most of the afternoon with some great food, a few drinks and reading a book. The shrimp and pineapple salad starter was delicious and the fish and chips perfect.
Around 4pm I decided I'd have to move myself and head back to the hotel. I'm not one for lazy days at the beach, but as beach days go today has been good.
23rd May 2019 - Ifaty/Antananarivo
And so my travels around Madagascar draw towards an end. Today we got a morning flight back to Antananarivo. Another nice lunch and a bit of a wander but I'm now just biding time until I fly home to Bangkok.
24th May 2019 - Antananarivo
Taxi to the airport and an afternoon flight home. First up three hours to Nairobi, a four hour layover and then eight hours to Bangkok.
25th May 2019 - Home
This has been another good trip. The scenery and wildlife are stunning but the lasting memories will be the flights I took across and up over the country. These flights show how little of the jungle and rain forest remain in Madagascar. To read my blog my make Madagascar out to be a paradise tropical island but the country has lost around 80% of its forestation and the primary forest now covers only about 12% of the country. Unless urgent action is taken to protect the little remaining natural habitat and a huge replanting program is undertaken Madagascar could end up like a huge Easter Island; deforested and then with no forest to hold the soil together a big barren rock. Let's hope that never happens.