Africa

There’s nowhere like it on the planet for wildlife, wild lands and rich traditions that endure. Prepare to fall in love.

TSARANORO VALLEY

Nestled in Catta Camp in Tsaranoro Valley in southern Madagascar, we spent an unforgettable day exploring one of the island’s most breathtaking landscapes. Our adventure began with a five-hour morning hike through the valley (🎟️20,000 MGA, guide 100,000 MGA), winding past lush scenery and...

DRIVE TO TSARANORO

After visiting Anja Reserve, we continued our adventure to the remote Tsaranoro Valley. The road was really bad and required a tough 4WD vehicle to access the valley via a rough, sandy dirt road branching about 30 km off the main RN7 south of Ambalavao. The approximately three-hour drive...

ANJA RESERVE

Our next one-hour stop was Anja Community Reserve (Anja Miray), a remarkable 30-hectare community-managed forest reserve established in 1999. Located about 13 kilometres south of Ambalavao along the RN7, this highly successful conservation project has become one of Madagascar’s leading...

ZEBU MARKET

We made a brief stop at the zebu market in Ambalavao, Madagascar’s largest cattle market, held every Wednesday on a large, dusty hill at the southern edge of town along Route Nationale 7 (RN7). It serves as a bustling hub where thousands of zebus are traded, reflecting their crucial...

ANTAIMORO PAPER

Traditional Antaimoro paper production in Ambalavao is a centuries-old artisanal craft that transforms the bark of the avoha plant into beautifully handcrafted paper. Known for its durability and distinctive papyrus-like texture, this decorative paper is often adorned with pressed flowers...

WILD-SILK WEAVING

Wild-silk weaving in Ambalavao is a remarkable, sustainable tradition, largely led by women, that draws on the natural resources of the region’s Tapia forests. By harvesting wild silkworm cocoons after the moths have naturally emerged, artisans produce durable, richly textured textiles...