Africa

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

MORONDAVA

Morondava, a coastal city in western Madagascar, served as our base for three days as we explored the Kivalo mangroves, Kirindy Forest, Belo sur Tsiribihina, and the iconic Avenue of the Baobabs. Historically known as Nosy Miandroka until the 19th century, Morondava was once an important...

MAD ZEBU

After visiting Kirindy Forest, we hurried toward Mad Zébu, a highly regarded restaurant known for its refined French–Malagasy fusion cuisine. Considering its remote location, the quality of the food is remarkable, making it an essential lunch stop for travellers journeying between...

KIRINDI FOREST

Kirindy Forest, also known as the Kirindy Private Reserve, lies about 2.5 hours from Morondava along a rough off-road RN8 track. This remarkable dry deciduous forest is considered one of the best places in Madagascar to spot the elusive fossa — the island’s largest predator — as well as...

ALLÉE DES BAOBABS

After visiting Kivalo, we arrived just in time at the iconic Avenue of the Baobabs, a famous dirt road lined with nearly two dozen majestic Adansonia grandidieri trees, some more than 800 years old and reaching heights of up to 30 meters. These extraordinary baobabs are the last remnants...

KIVALO SOA HONKO

Kivalo Soa Honko (“Kivalo with beautiful mangroves”) is a community-based ecotourism initiative located about an hour’s drive north of Morondava. Created to promote sustainable tourism and protect a 5,000-hectare mangrove ecosystem, the project was launched in 2018–2019 with support from...

DRIVE TO MORONDAVA

Driving from Toliara to Morondava via Miandrivazo was a rugged two-day, 1,249 km adventure through Madagascar’s remote western region. The journey begins by heading north along the paved RN7 to Antsirabe, crossing the arid southern highlands with their wide savanna landscapes. From there...