5 hidden gems worth seeking out in Madagascar
They take some getting to, but adventurer Ash Dykes says these remote corners of Madagascar will reward you ten-fold.
1. Cap Sainte Marie
Cap Sainte Marie is a symphony in blue, where the Mozambique Channel meets the Indian Ocean and the sky and water merge until it is hard to tell where each starts. It is the southern-most tip of Madagascar, but tourists are few and far between. The nearest town, Fort Dauphin is a rough, eight-hour drive away.
Take a seat on the sand dunes and you will be rewarded with the sight of humpback whales breaching close to shore as local men spear fish in the shallows. Watch where your foot falls: I came upon the remains of egg shells, laid by the Elephant bird that went extinct over 400 years ago.
2. Tsaratsoa Camp
At the foot of Pic Boby (Madagascar’s second highest mountain, in the heart of Andringitra National Park, you’ll find Tsaratsoa camp and a small retreat run by my logistics manager, Gilles. Surrounded by mountains and forest, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped on to the set of The Lord of the Rings.
The area offers an abundance of wildlife, small local communities are hospitable and friendly and was ready with a friendly smile. For the active traveller the area is offers countless opportunities trekking, rock climbing, bouldering and even paragliding.
3. Andohanisambirano Mountain
At 2,501 metres, Andohanisambirano may only be the fourth-highest mountain in Madagascar, but is one of the country’s toughest climbs. Indeed, it was so tough that I had to leave my porter at a small village at the base of the mountain and tackle the climb with just my guide.
The path to the summit was tricky. Progress was extremely slow and we would often cover only a few a hundred metres every two hours or so. Having said that, there was something very special about being so deep in the jungle and so far into the interior of Madagascar.
We went to areas where even the locals dare not go, let alone another westerner. Just to give you an idea of how few people come here, we stumbled upon a type of pochard ducks that were believed to be extinct. Like I said, a truly special place.
