5 Stories of Adventure in the Land of the Lemurs
Tales of exotic wildlife and unique cultural experiences touring Madagascar.
Adventure Riding destinations don’t get much more exotic than Madagascar. Madagascar is an island nation off the coast of South East Africa, about the size of Texas. The country offers more than 30,000 miles (50,000 km) of mostly unpaved roads and roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of spectacular coastline. Habitats range from grassy plains in the west to arid desert like conditions in the south and tropical rain forest along the eastern coast. The challenging terrain and mild climate makes it an attractive location for touring on Adventure Motorcycles.
Most travelers come to Madagascar to see unique wildlife like lemurs, fossas, tenrecs, and chameleons. Madagascar has been a separate land mass for about 88 million years, allowing it to develop its own flora and fauna in complete isolation. The country is home to an abundance of endemic species of plants and animals. In fact, roughly 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth.
Madagascar is home to 22 million people. The Malagasy, as the natives are called, are a unique mixture of people from South East Asia and East Africa that migrated to the island more than 1,000 years ago. The people have their own language called Malagasy and French is also commonly spoken.
Most visitors report that the Malagasy people are incredibly friendly and helpful to tourists. Tourism is a key element of Madagascar’s development strategy and Adventure Travelers that visit infuse money into the country, helping improve the economic situation of the people.
Top Destinations in Madagascar
One of the most popular destinations is the Avenue of the Baobabs. Baobabs are a type of tree that can live up to 800 years old and reach heights of 98 feet (30 m). At the northern tip of Madagascar is Diego Suarez (a.k.a. Antsiranana), a beautiful deep water harbor with turquoise waters. The East Coast has an exceptional concentration of unique fauna and flora and offers some of the last remaining pristine rain forest in the country. The island of Nosy Bé (Malagasy for big island) off the North West Coast, is the most popular resort area in the country with white sandy beaches, coral atolls, picturesque bays and crater lakes.
Ride Reports Touring Madagascar
Here are five stories from Adventure Riders that have traveled to Madagascar by motorcycle. These stories provide a glimpse of what touring Madagascar is like.
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Thanks for promoting my video and sharing the adventure with the world. Madagascar is one of the most fascinating countries I have had the privilege to ride through.
Cheers,
Kevin Fairburn (AUS)
No problem Kevin. Thank you for sharing too! We look forward to following your future journeys.