Madagascar
& South Africa Tour (madagascar holidays)
Day 8 of
Madagascar & South Africa Tour
Fianarantsoa - Ambalavao - Isalo National Park
This morning we drive through rice, corn, potatoes, vegetable, coffee
and wine fields to arrive in Ambalavao. This is where the famous Malagasy
paper is made. This papyrus-type paper impregnated with dried flowers
is sold throughout the island as wall-hangings and lampshades. The people
in this area are Betsileo, but paper-making in the area copies the coastal
Antaimoro tradition which goes back to the Muslim immigrants who wrote
verses from the Koran on this paper. This Arabic script was the only
form of writing known in Madagascar before a written Malagasy language
was invented nearly five hundred years later using the Roman alphabet.Antaimoro
paper is traditionally made from the bark of the araho tree from the
eastern forests, but sisal paste is now sometimes used. After the bark
is pounded and softened in water it is smoothed on to linen trays to
dry in the sun. While still tacky, dried flowers are pressed into it
and brushed over with a thin solution of the liquid bark to hold the
flowers in place.This afternoon we drive to Ranohira through an awesome
landscape. Here we may see zebu herds of the Bara tribe. Ranohira is
situated on the bottom of the Isalo mountains. The combination of sandstone
rocks (cut by deep canyons and eroded into weird shapes), rare endemic
plants and dry weather (between June and August rain is almost unknown),
makes this Isalo National Park particularly rewarding. Abstract sculpturing
and colours of the eroded terrain sweeping panoramas and absolute and
enveloping silence.Overnight in Ranohira. Breakfast and dinner.
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Madagascar
Tour (madagascar holidays)
Day 3 of
Madagascar Tour
Analamazaotra Special Reserve
We visit
Analamazaotra Special Reserve today (walks/hikes in the Reserve). This
Reserve protects the largest of the lemur family, the indri. Standing
about three feet high, with barely visible tails, black and white markings
and surprised teddy-bear faces. You will be an observer: most people
see indris in Analamazaotra Special Reserve, and if they don?t see them
they hear them. For it is their voice that makes this lemur extra special:
whilst other lemurs grunt or swear, the indri sings. It is an eerie,
wailing sound somewhere between the song of a whale and a police-siren,
and it carries for up to two miles as troops call to each other across
the forest.
In Malagasy
the indri is called Babakoto. There are various legends connected with
the indri, and explaining the esteem with which the local people hold
them (it is unlucky to kill an indri). A popular legend tells of a man
who climbed a forest tree to gather wild honey, and was severely stung
by the bees. Losing his hold, he fell, but was caught by a huge indri
which carried him on its back to safety.
This is
a good place for bird watching. There are flowering trees of a species
much favoured by the Madagascar green sunbird (Cinnyris notatus) which
has an iridescent green head and throat, and such nectar like the new
World hummingbirds. There are also plenty of the cuckoo-like blue couas,
blue pigeons, paradise flycatchers, two species of falcon (Newton falcon
and Madagascar falcon), two species of black vasa parrot, and many others.
Overnight
in Andasibe-Mantadia. Breakfast and dinner.
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holidays - read
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