Madagascar
A Land That Time Forgot
One of the world's poorest nations, Madagascar is not for everyone. However, if one has a true spirit of adventure and is willing to welcome the unexpected as the very essence of adventure travel, Madagascar offers the chance to experience incredible flora and unique wildlife in a pristine land.
Madagascar Overview
Nothing can prepare you for your first visit to Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world. It is completely unlike anything you have experienced before. Madagascar is an Eden-like garden of riches, filled with a diversity of life and geography unequalled anywhere else on earth.
Madagascar lies only 250 miles from Africa, yet the local language, Malagasy, shares 90% of its vocabulary with that of the May'an tribe on the island of Borneo in Indonesia, some 5000 miles away.
Settled by the Indonesians over 1500 years ago, the Asian influence is easily seen in the faces of a large part of the population, in the food and in the local architecture. Add to this immigrants from Africa, Europe and China and you have a fascinating mix of cultures.
Although Madagascar has over 1,800 miles of beautiful beaches, exceptionally good food, and offers great value for the tourist dollar, its UNIQUE features are it greatest attraction.
Key Points
- 80% of the animals on Madagascar are found nowhere else in the world.
- There are 50 different species of lemur alone, the smallest being the Mouse Lemur, about the size of a fist, and the largest being the Indri, about half the size of a chimpanzee.
- Seven of the world's eight species of baobab are found on the island, and to date over 1000 species of orchid have been identified.
- The north boasts over 30 islands in the Nosy Be and nearby Nosy Mitsio archipelagos, the east dense forests and wetlands, the west lunar landscapes of limestone known as Tsingy and the south canyons, beaches and baobabs.
- Only 3 hours flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, making it a perfect beach add-on destination after a safari
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