Africa

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

DRIVE TO RANOMAFANA

After we visited the Sahambavy Tea Plantation, we followed a bumpy dirt road back to the main road, where our scenic journey to Ranomafana began. Although the distance was only around 60 kilometres, the drive took nearly three hours, a reminder that in Madagascar, travel is often measured...

SAHAMBAVY TEA

Sahambavy, Madagascar’s only tea plantation specialising in high-quality, hand-picked tea, is located about 20 kilometres from Fianarantsoa. Spread across rolling hills, the plantation produces both black and green teas on 335 hectares, with much of its production exported internationally...

MICHELIN RAILCAR

The famous Michelin railcar in Fianarantsoa is part of the historic FCE (Fianarantsoa–Côte Est) railway. While it operated sporadically until 2019, it has since remained idle at the station—without an engine and with a damaged control panel. Although staff say they hope to restore it, its...

FIANARANTSOA

We spent one day in Fianarantsoa, a major highland city in east-central Madagascar, situated at approximately 1,200 meters above sea level on the eastern escarpment. Known as the intellectual capital and as the “place where one learns the good,” it is distinguished by its unique three...

DRIVE TO FIANARANTSOA

In the foggy morning, we left Ambositra and drove to Fianarantsoa along the RN7, which is a scenic, roughly 4-hour, 160km journey through Madagascar’s central highlands. The road is generally in decent condition compared to other parts of the country, passing through vibrant rice...

SAVIKA BULLFIGHTING

We also had the chance to experience one of the most remarkable traditions of Betsileo heritage: Savika, the region’s traditional bullfighting ritual. The event took place in a remote area several kilometres outside Ambositra, deep in the countryside. Reaching it by car was impossible, so...