Driving Round the World: January 2020

Smiling faces at Akany Avoko

After a returning from the UK in January we headed directly to Madagascar where we joined our son for a week. Madagascar is one of the 10 poorest countries on the world, but has immense life and colour as well as harbouring numerous unique species which are endangered by the continuing demand for land for its increasing population. In Antananarivo (Tana), the capital we visited Akany Avoko, an inspiring centre caring for young girls and providing them with education and skills for the future. Despite virtually no funding the director - who grew up in the centre - has managed to renovate buildings and provide a loving and caring home for 70 girls. An amazing lady who is helping to form some amazing smiling young people and deserves every bit of help she can get. Another visit to the country's developing scouting centre enabled us to see how vision and ambition can create fantastic facilities for Madagascar's scouts.

Main road to Tana near Fort Dauphin

After a few days in Tana we headed to Fort Dauphin on the south coast and the reserve of Berenty some 90kms (4 hours drive) west of the town. The main road here is in a shocking condition, some of the worst we have seen with large areas washed away and deeply rutted. As the road crosses the end of the mountain range the scenery changes dramatically, from relatively lush landscape to a much hotter and drier climate. Here the unique Triangular palm grows in a small area of forest before the flatter areas are dominated by the very strange spiny forest.

Southern Village

The plants have all evolved to be able to withstand hot dry conditions for much of the year with cactus like spiky plants.

Sisal Plantation

Dancing Verreaux's Sifaka

Spiny Forest

Ring Tail lemur Tree

Berenty is surrounded by sisal plantations which meet some of the growing demand for alternatives to plastic bags etc. and is an oasis for wildlife covering habitats ranging from the galleried forest along the river to spiny forest. These diverse habitats provide for a wide range of species, including ringtail lemur, Verreaux's Safika lemur as well as brown and red bellied brown lemur and the nocturnal white handed sportif, and grey brown moue lemur. These Sifaka are renowned for their "dancing". With short front legs and having to cross open ground, they have developed a sideways jumping method to cross between trees. We were out early and late for walks in the forest where we saw many of the mentioned species, and sheltered in the accommodation during the heat of the day, around 40 degrees.

Village Market

The local villagers are semi nomadic with their houses made from planks of wood which can easily be taken down and moved when necessary. A visit to their vibrant weekly market was amazing, so much colour and a lot of items such as cart wheels locally made, clearly a day out for everyone to see and be seen.

One of Fort Dauphin's Beaches

With a couple of days back in Fort Dauphin where it is somewhat cooler we were able to take a day trip to nearby Lokaro Bay, a stunning deserted white sand beach backed by a calm lagoon backed by beautiful mountains. A bit of a trek but worth the effort for its serenity. Fort Dauphin feels pretty remote, but has beautiful deserted beaches, great surfing waves and a very laid back atmosphere. The bus from Tana takes three days non stop driving, trucks can take up to two weeks so the only practical way in or out is via the twice daily 2 hour flight to Tana.

Lokaro Beach

Returning to Tana we met our driver and car and headed south along the main road, to visit some of the National parks and see the beautiful highlands.

Highlands scenery

Once we had left the congestion of Tana we were on a potholed tarmac road which climbed through the mountains passing villages where many people were working in the surrounding fields on all stages of rice growing. Ploughing, planting, weeding, harvesting and threshing. Amazing to see it all going on at the same time. As January is the wet season the whole area is very green with all shades possible on show.

Fianarantsoa Old Town

Ranomafana National park is part of the world heritage rainforest reserve and hosts some critically endangered species. One evening in pouring rain we were lucky to see mouse lemur and several species of chameleon, and the following day after climbing through the rain forest we were privileged to see the golden bamboo lemur, discovered in 1986, as well as the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur, among with sifaka and various chameleon.
South from Ranomafana we passed through Fianarantsoa where we visited the old very French part of the city.

Rice Paddies

Granite Domes

Beyond Fiana the road improves and the scenery starts to change - as the underlying rocks change from sedimentary to granite. Large smooth granite domes start to appear, some with impressive vertical faces several kms long, separated by grassland with rice fields in the valley bottoms. Agriculture becomes increasingly dominated by zebu cattle which graze on the open pastureland. Beyond the granite domes the land becomes poor fertility flat grassland at an elevation of 1000m. As it is the wet season it is all very green, but soon dries when the rain stops.

Isalo National Park

Our objective was Isalo National Park where we spent two days exploring this massive area of sandstone cut by deep gorges hiding small rivers and pools. Our circuit of the high ground was plagued by mist and rain, but the day exploring the canyons was perfect, not too hot for the stiff climbs.