My Trip to MADAGASCAR
I couldn’t call myself a seasoned adventurer before visiting Madagascar, an enormous island nation well known for its countless animal species that are rare to be found anywhere else on the planet. The Island’s aesthetically unique lemurs are characterized by a paradise of rainforests, reefs, and beaches. Besides national parks and royal palaces, ancient burial graves reflect the rich history and culture of the Malagasies. Last summer holiday, I could didn’t hold myself back from touring a land of mystique and wonder.
Upon arrival at Ivato International Airport, I took a taxi to the famous Avamada Lodge close to the airport. I stayed at the hotel for a night, the reception was cordial, rooms were spacious and clean with hot water. In the hotel, I had an opportunity to taste the Romazava traditional dish one of the seven royal dishes a special dish for the Malagasy ruler made from a soup of meat or chicken mixed with vegetables served with hot dried rice, and some chilis.
My first tour was into the Ranomafana National Park, the most famed Madagascar national park. A region of the rare and endangered Golden bamboo lemur, birds, butterflies, and bats. The surrounding mountain ranges caught my attention, it is an ideal ground for hiking. When I was leaving the park, I came face to face with a thermal pool, with beautiful hot water baths. After, a cheerful day I went to Hotel Ranomafana to relax after a long hour of walking in the forest.
Madagascar’s gigantic baobabs became the next tourist site, Trees that are believed to be roughly 800 years old are located between Morondava and Belon’l Tsiribihina along gravel towards the west of the country. So, every time I piped outside the Land Rover I was caught by the impressive size and admirable trunks naturally intertwined. The locals call it the “Sanctuary of nature” while I would term it an “ecological jewel,” and sometimes referred it as the “Reniala” the mother of the forest in Malagasy. I learned from the tour guide that there are eight species and six can be found in this endemic to the island. Also, the tree tolerates extreme climatic conditions due to its large trunks that store water and are hence called the “bottle tree”.
One of the must-visit places in Antananarivo is The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, it’s known as one of the holiest destinations on the entire island that has been there for over 500 years of its existence. The area is faced with a wall that was made of cement, eggshell, and lime. As we toured the place, I could meet boasts of relics and other artifacts such as weapons, talismans, and drums all attributed to King Andrianampoinimerina during his reign around the 18th century. The king’s royal city and burial site serve as an emblem of sacred places and are often used as a place of worship that attracts pilgrims come from Madagascar and across the entire world.
My tour to Madagascar was fantastic and given another opportunity I will consider visiting this iconic Island and exploring other areas such as Andafiavaratra Palace, Montagne d’Ambre National Park, and Lake Tritriva among others that I could reach explore on my first visit. It was a wonderful experience that I will live to remember.
