One of a kind wildlife highlights an excursion to Madagascar
2010-02-18
When most Westerners envision an African adventure, they envision a leisurely safari where they can interact with a variety of strange and beautiful indigenous wildlife. Adventurers seeking a natural experience that is truly unique might consider booking a flight to the African nation of Madagascar.
Referred to by some ecologists as "the eighth continent," Madagascar is home to approximately 9,000 species of plant that can not be found anywhere else in the world, as well as a number of rare and exotic animals including endangered species of lemur, toad and monkey among them.
The northern portion of the Island offers up a wealth of tropical rain forests and natural preserves like the Parc national de Montagne d'Ambre and Andringitra National park, each of which hosts lengthy stretches of hiking trails, adventure parks and guided tours of the local area.
One must-see on the island is the so-called Labyrinth of Stone, a veritable forest of limestone pillars rising majestically over the tree line in western Madagascar. The stone monoliths located within Tsingy de Bemaraha national park hide an untold number of caves and animal life from the ravages of man and prove a fantastic photo opportunity for tourists.