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Top Attractions in Madagascar

Antananarivo

Antananarivo, formerly French Tananarive, also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga region. The city is located 1,280 m above the sea level in the center of the island, and has been the island's largest population center since at least the 18th century. Antananarivo was historically the capital of the Merina people, who continue to form the majority of the city's estimated 1,300,000 inhabitants, as well as the surrounding urban areas which in all have a total metropolitan population approaching three million. All 18 Malagasy ethnic groups, as well as residents of Chinese, Indian, European and other origins, are well represented in the city. Antananarivo is the political, economic, educational and cultural heart of Madagascar. The Presidency, National Assembly, Senate and Supreme Court are located here, as are 21 diplomatic missions and the headquarters of many national and international businesses and NGOs. Antananarivo also hosts the largest number of universities, nightclubs, art venues, medical services and other social service institutions of any city on the island. Several national and local sports teams, including the championship-winning national rugby team, the Makis, and several basketball and football teams, are based in Antananarivo. Antananarivo was founded from about 1610 to 1625, when the Merina king Andrianjaka expelled the Vazimba inhabitants of the village of Analamanga at the highest meeting point of two forested ridges rising above the surrounding highland plains. Declaring it the site of his capital, Andrianjaka built a rova that expanded to become the royal palaces of the Kingdom of Imerina. According to oral history, he deployed a garrison of 1,000 soldiers to capture and guard the site; the hill and its city retained the name Analamanga until the reign of King Andriamasinavalona (1675-1710), who renamed it Antananarivo in honor of Andrianjaka's soldiers. The city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Imerina from its founding until 1710, when Imerina split into four warring quadrants. Antananarivo was declared the capital of the southern quadrant; it remained thus until King Andrianampoinimerina of Ambohimanga captured the province and restored its role as capital of a united Kingdom of Imerina in 1794. His diplomatic and military successes extended Imerina far beyond its traditional borders, bringing the lands of neighboring ethnic groups under Merina control. These conquests were continued under his son, Radama I, whose control ultimately extended over two thirds of the island, leading him to be considered the King of Madagascar by European diplomats, with Antananarivo as the island's capital. Antananarivo remained the island's capital after Madagascar was colonized by the French in 1897 and remained thus after independence in 1960. The French killed off many of the original inhabitants of the island and made French the native language. Antananarivo has expanded gradually from the royal palaces at its center, which dominate every view from their location at the peak of a curving ridge 200 m above the surrounding Betsimitatatra plains. In the 17th century, the plains were transformed into paddy fields to meet the population's need for rice; they were covered with housing developments as the city's population grew rapidly in the 20th century. Around the palaces, which were destroyed in a 1995 fire but have since been partially reconstructed, lies the historic district that was formerly populated by members of the andriana (noble class); many of their homes are preserved. The Analakely valley at the base of the ridge was the site of a Friday market established in the 18th century that, until being discontinued in 1997 due to traffic congestion, was considered the largest open air market in the world. This neighborhood was further developed under French rule and continues to serve as the capital's economic heart. The city is managed by the Commune Urbaine d'Antananarivo under the direction of its President of the Special Delegation, Ny Havana Andriamanjato, appointed in March 2014. Limited funds and mismanagement have hampered consecutive CUA efforts to manage overcrowding and traffic, waste management, pollution, security, public water and electricity, and other challenges linked to explosive population growth. Major historic landmarks and attractions in the city include the reconstructed royal palaces and the Andafiavaratra Palace, the tomb of Rainiharo, Tsimbazaza Zoo, Mahamasina Stadium, Lake Anosy, four 19th-century martyr cathedrals, and the Museum of Art and Archaeology.

Avenue of the Baobabs

The Avenue or Alley of the Baobabs is a prominent group of baobab trees lining the dirt road between Morondava and Beloni Tsiribihina in the Menabe region in western Madagascar. Its striking landscape draws travelers from around the world, making it one of the most visited locations in the region. It has been a center of local conservation efforts, and was granted temporary protected status in July 2007 by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, the first step toward making it Madagascars first natural monument. Along the Avenue in some 260 m long segment are remaining some 20 25 trees about 30 meters in height, of the species Adansonia grandidieri, endemic to Madagascar. Some 20 25 more trees of this species grow in nearby rice paddies and meadows. Baobab trees, up to 800 years old, known locally as renala, are a legacy of the dense tropical forests that once thrived on Madagascar. The trees did not originally tower in isolation over the sere landscape of scrub but stood in dense forest. Over the years, as the countrys population grew, the forests were cleared for agriculture, leaving only the baobab trees, which the locals preserved as much in respect as for their value as a food source and building material. Some 7 km further to the northwest are located the famous Baobab Amoureux two Adansonia za trees twisted together. According to the legend these two loving baobabs came and grew together across the centuries. Baobabs found themselves after an impossible love between a young man and young woman of the nearby village. However both had already an assigned partner and had to marry separately in their respective villages. However, the impossible couple dreamed of a common eternity life and having a child together and secretly asked help to their god. Both baobabs were born and now live they for eternity as one as the couple always wished. The area is not a national park, and the trees are threatened by further deforestation, effluent from encroaching rice paddies and sugarcane plantations, and bush and forest fires. Despite its popularity as a tourist destination, the area has no visitor center or gate fees, and local residents receive little income from tourism. Conservation International in partnership with Fanamby, a Malagasy NGO, has launched an ecotourism project aimed at conservation of the area and economic improvement for the local community.

Ambohimanga

Ambohimanga is a hill and traditional fortified royal settlement in Madagascar, located approximately 24 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Antananarivo. The hill and the rova that stands on top are considered the most significant symbol of the cultural identity of the Merina people and the most important and best-preserved monument of the precolonial Kingdom of Madagascar and its precursor, the Kingdom of Imerina. The walled historic village includes residences and burial sites of several key monarchs. The site, one of the twelve sacred hills of Imerina, is associated with strong feelings of national identity and has maintained its spiritual and sacred character both in ritual practice and the popular imagination for at least four hundred years. It remains a place of worship to which pilgrims come from Madagascar and elsewhere. The site has been politically important since the early 18th century, when King Andriamasinavalona divided the Kingdom of Imerina into four quadrants and assigned his son Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana to govern the northeastern quadrant, Avaradrano, from its newly designated capital at Ambohimanga. The division of Imerina led to 77 years of civil war, during which time the successive rulers of Avaradrano led military campaigns to expand their territory while undertaking modifications to the defenses at Ambohimanga to better protect it against attacks. The war was ended from Ambohimanga by King Andrianampoinimerina, who successfully undertook negotiations and military campaigns that reunited Imerina under his rule by 1793. Upon capturing the historic capital of Imerina at Antananarivo, Andrianampoinimerina shifted his royal court and all political functions back to its original locus at that city's royal compound and declared the two cities of equal importance, with Ambohimanga as the kingdom's spiritual capital. He and later rulers in his line continued to conduct royal rituals at the site and regularly inhabited and remodeled Ambohimanga until French colonization of the kingdom and the exile of the royal family in 1897. The significance of historical events here and the presence of royal tombs have given the hill a sacred character that is further enhanced at Ambohimanga by the burial sites of several Vazimba, the island's earliest inhabitants. The royal compound on the hilltop is surrounded by a complex system of defensive ditches and stone walls and is accessed by 14 gateways, of which many were sealed by stone disc barriers. The gateways and construction of buildings within the compound are arranged according to two overlaid cosmological systems that value the four cardinal points radiating from a unifying center, and attach sacred importance to the northeastern direction. The complex inside the wall is subdivided into three smaller rova. Mahandrihono, the largest compound, was established between 1710 and 1730 by King Andriambelomasina; it remains largely intact and contains the royal tombs, house of King Andrianampoinimerina, summer palace of Queen Ranavalona II, and sites that figured in key royal rituals such as the sacrificial zebu pen, royal bath and main courtyard. Original buildings no longer remain in the compound of Bevato, established before 1710 by Andriamborona, and the Nanjakana compound, built for King Andrianjafy in the late 19th century. The hill and its royal fortified city were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2001 and represent Madagascar's only cultural site following the destruction by fire in 1995 of its historic sister city, the Rova of Antananarivo, shortly before the latter's intended inscription to the list. Numerous governmental and civil society organizations support the conservation of Ambohimanga by restoring damaged features and preventing further degradation.

Rova of Antananarivo

The Rova of Antananarivo is a royal palace complex in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as of the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century. Its counterpart is the nearby fortified village of Ambohimanga, which served as the spiritual seat of the kingdom in contrast to the political significance of the Rova in the capital. Located in the central highland city of Antananarivo, the Rova occupies the highest point on Analamanga, formerly the highest of Antananarivo's many hills. Merina king Andrianjaka, who ruled Imerina from around 1610 until 1630, is believed to have captured Analamanga from a Vazimba king around 1610 or 1625 and erected the site's first fortified royal structure. Successive Merina kings continued to rule from the site until the fall of the monarchy in 1896, frequently restoring, modifying or adding royal structures within the compound to suit their needs. Over time, the number of buildings within the site varied. Andrianjaka founded the Rova with three buildings and a dedicated tomb site in the early 17th century. The number of structures rose to approximately twenty during the late 18th-century reign of King Andrianampoinimerina. By the late 20th century, the Rova's structures had been reduced to eleven, representing various architectural styles and historical periods. The largest and most prominent of these was Manjakamiadana, also known as the "Queen's Palace" after Queen Ranavalona I, for whom the original wooden palace was built between 1839-1841 by Frenchman Jean Laborde. In 1867 the palace was encased in stone for Queen Ranavalona II by Scotsman James Cameron, an artisan missionary of the London Missionary Society. The neighbouring Tranovola, a smaller wooden palace constructed in 1819 by Creole trader Louis Gros for King Radama I, was the first multi-storey building with verandas in the Rova. The model offered by Tranovola transformed architecture throughout the highlands over the course of the 19th century, inspiring a widespread shift toward two-storey houses with verandas. The Rova grounds also contained a cross-shaped wooden house built as the private residence of Queen Rasoherina, a stone Protestant chapel , nine royal tombs, and a number of named wooden houses built in the traditional style reserved for the andriana in Imerina. Among the most significant of these were Besakana, erected in the early 17th century by Andrianjaka and considered the throne of the kingdom, and Mahitsielafanjaka, a later building which came to represent the seat of ancestral spiritual authority at the Rova. A fire on the night of 6 November 1995 destroyed or damaged all the structures within the Rova complex shortly before it was due to be inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Although officially declared an accident, rumours persist that politically motivated arson may have been the actual cause of the fire. The chapel and tombs, as well as Besakana and Mahitsielafanjaka, have since been fully restored with bilateral government donations, state funds and grants from intergovernmental and private donors. Completion of the reconstruction of the Manjakamiadana exterior is estimated for 2012, while interior restoration work will continue until at least 2013. Once the building is fully restored, Manjakamiadana will serve as a museum showcasing royal artefacts saved from destruction in the fire.

Amber Mountain National Park

Amber Mountain National Park is a National Park in the Diana Region of northern Madagascar. The park is known for its water falls and crater lakes and is located 1000 km north of the capital, Antananarivo. It is also one of the most biologically diverse places in all of Madagascar; 75 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, and 59 species of reptiles are known to inhabit the park. This park is also one of the most accessible in northern Madagascar. Bush Taxis travel up to Joffreville daily, leaving from Diego near the Star bottling factory. It is also possible to hire a private taxi which is significantly more affordable than some of the tour companies. The trip by taxi takes about 45 minutes. On the trip up the mountain to the entrance of the park there are a few small villages. Among these is the village of Sakaramy, which features many fruits, including the jackfruit. There are three primary waterfall attractions within the park. Within the park there is a lodge for guests. Amber park is also known for its amphibians and reptile wildlife.

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is a 155 square kilometre protected area, located about 150 km east of Antananarivo, consisting principally of primary growth forest in Alaotra-Mangoro Region in eastern Madagascar. The parks elevation ranges from 800–1260 meters, with a humid climate. Average annual precipitation is 1700 mm, with rainfall on 210 days of each year. This rainforest is habitat to a vast species biodiversity, including many endemic rare species and endangered species, including 11 lemur species. The parks two component parts are Mantadia National Park and Analamazoatra Reserve, which is best known for its population of Madagascars largest lemur, the Indri. This National Park was inscribed in the World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana. This is one of the easiest parks in Madagascar to visit from the capital city, Antananarivo, with a 3-hour drive east on a paved road, Route Nacional 2 . While Analamazaotra and park headquarters are short walks from Antsapanana on the RN 2, special transport must be arranged or hired from local hotels to reach Mantadia. Hikes ranging from 1–6 hours are typically available in both parts of the park. A local guide is required for visitors entering either part of the park.

Andohahela National Park

Andohahela National Park, in southeast Madagascar, is remarkable for the extremes of habitats that are represented within it. The park covers 760 square kilometers of the Anosy mountain range, the southernmost spur of the Malagasy Highlands. These mountains form a natural barrier to the moist trade winds that blow from the east, causing a rainfall of 1500 to 2000mm per year on their eastern side that supports one of the few rainforests south of the tropic of Capricorn. At the western edge of the park, the rainfall is just 600 to 700mm per year and the resulting vegetation is a dry spiny forest characteristic of southern Madagascar. In the area between these two climatic extremes is a unique transitional forest known as the Ranopiso transition, which is characterised by the locally endemic triangular palm, Dypsis decaryi. The variety of habitats within Andohahela is mirrored in the richness of species that are found there. Fifteen species of lemur have been recorded, including two of Madagascars most emblematic species, the Ring-tailed Lemur and Verreauxs Sifaka. Several circuits within each of the habitat types of the park can be accessed by road from the town of Tolagnaro. Detailed information on arranging trips is available from the tourism information office or from the Madagascar National Parks Association office in Tolagnaro. This National Park was inscribed in the World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana.

Andringitra National Park

Andringitra National Park is National Park in the Haute Matsiatra Region of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao. Approximately 140 km of the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the park. The park was established in 1999 and is managed by the Madagascar National Parks Association. It is known for its rough terrain, which includes the mountain peak Imarivolanitra at 2658 m, as well as deep valleys and ridges. It is also one of the most biologically diverse and endemic places in all of Madagascar; over 100 different species of birds, over 50 species of mammals, and 55 species of frogs are known to inhabit the park. Andringitras Ring Tailed Lemur population has notably thicker fur than the rest of the islands population. This is likely an adaptation to the colder climate at high altitudes. It was inscribed in the World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana. According to a local guide, the park receives around 12,000 visitors a year.

Marojejy National Park

Marojejy National Park is a national park in the Sava Region of northeastern Madagascar. It covers 55,500 ha and is centered on the Marojejy Massif, a mountain chain that rises to an elevation of 2,132 m . Access to the area around the massif was restricted to research scientists when the site was set aside as a strict nature reserve in 1952. In 1998, it was opened to the public when it was converted into a national park. It became part of the World Heritage Site known as the Rainforests of the Atsinanana in 2007. Despite its rugged terrain, poaching and selective logging are still persistent problems, particularly since the start of the 2009 political crisis in Madagascar. Mining, slash-and-burn agriculture, and wood collection also pose threats to the park and its wildlife. The wide range of elevations and rugged topography of the massif create diverse habitats that transition quickly with changes in altitude. Warm, dense rainforest can be found at lower elevations, followed by shorter forests at higher elevations, followed still by cloud forest, and topped near the peaks with the only remaining undisturbed mountain scrub in Madagascar. Better growing conditions for plants can be found on the eastern side of the mountains, which receives more rain than the western side. This habitat diversity lends itself to high levels of biodiversity. At least 118 species of bird, 148 species of reptile and amphibian, and 11 species of lemur are known to occur within Marojejy National Park. One of the lemurs, the silky sifaka is listed among "The Worlds 25 Most Endangered Primates". The helmet vanga is considered the iconic bird species of the park. One path leads from the entrance of the park to the summit. There are three camps along the route: Camp Mantella at 450 m in elevation in lowland rainforest, Camp Marojejia at 775 m at the transition between lowland and montane rain forest, and Camp Simpona at 1,250 m in the middle of the montane rainforest. Camp Simpona acts as a base camp for the trek to the summit, a route that stretches 2 km and can take up to four or five hours to traverse.

Masoala National Park

Masoala National Park, in northeast Madagascar, is the largest of the islands protected areas. Most of the park is situated in Sava Region and a part in Analanjirofo. Created in 1997, the park protects 2,300 square kilometres of rainforest and 100 square kilometres of marine parks. The Masoala peninsula is exceptionally diverse due to its huge size, and variety of habitats. Altogether, the park protects tropical rainforest, coastal forest, flooded forest, marsh, and mangrove. Three marine parks protect coral reefs and a dazzling array of marine life. Masoala provides an excellent opportunity to experience the unique flora and fauna of the big island. There are ten lemur species, including the flamboyant red ruffed lemur, which is native to the peninsula. The island reserve of Nosy Mangabe is one of the best sites in Madagascar to try and glimpse the elusive nocturnal aye-aye. Masoala harbors many other novelties, such as the Madagascar day gecko, leaf-tailed gecko, chameleons of all sizes, spectacular birds such as the helmet vanga, and rare species such as the red owl and tomato frog. Masoala is also home to the spectacular day-flying sunset moth, Chrysiridia rhipheus. The Madagascar serpent-eagle was recently rediscovered here, and exists in healthy populations only in this part of north east Madagascar. Three marine parks are included in the Masoala National Park: Tampolo in the West, Ambodilaitry in the South, and Ifaho in the East. These are among the most interesting marine environments in Madagascar and are superb destinations for kayaking and snorkeling. Each year from July to early September, hundreds of humpback whales visit the Antongil Bay during their long migration. The warm protected waters of the bay provide an ideal breeding and calving ground for these magnificent marine mammals. The park can be accessed from the towns of Maroantsetra or Antalaha. From Maroantsetra, transport by motor boat can be arranged. From Antalaha, the park can be accessed by road to Cap Est using daily bush taxis or by mountain bike as far as the village of Masoala. The park is accessible from several lodges on the peninsula, and there are six park-maintained campsites. Camping materials can be hired in Maroantsetra. The main trails for visitors are at Nosy Mangabe, Tampolo/Ambodiforaha, Cap Est, and a several-day hike is possible across the peninsula. Campsites are maintained at Nosy Mangabe, Cap Est, Ambatolaidama, and each of the three marine parks. Many villages on the peninsula also provide inexpensive bungalows or basic guest rooms. Antalaha and Maroantsetra both offer a wide array of accommodations, as well as guides and porters for travel on the peninsula. All visits to the park must be accompanied by an official park-approved guide. Detailed information on arranging trips is available from the National Park or guide offices in Maroantsetra and Antalaha. This is an exceptionally wet area of Madagascar. The driest part of the year is from September to December. As the park is accessible only by a three-hour boat journey, the cyclone season is best avoided. In June 2007, Masoala was designated as a World Heritage Site as part of a cluster of parks that represent the biodiversity of the eastern rainforests of the country. The other national parks included are Marojejy, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela. During 2009 and 2010, the national park was invaded by thousands of illegal loggers searching for rosewood.

Montagne des Français

The Montagne des Français Reserve is a protected area consisting principally of dry deciduous forest in northern Madagascar. It is part of the larger Ramena protected area complex which also includes Orangea Reserve and the Ambodivahibe Marine Reserve. These three protected areas are currently being created and will be designated in 2008. The Montagne des Français reserve protects deciduous dry forest characteristic of the north of Madagascar. Much of the forest is on a calcareous massif that has been eroded into karst formations known locally as Antsingy. The forested area ranges from 100–450 metres above sea level. This mountain is thought to receive more rain than the surrounding area which explains the lush vegetation in an otherwise very dry bioclimatic zone. Preliminary botanical and zoological inventories have been done that show these forests are rich in both fauna and flora and include a remarkable number of local and regional endemic species. In particular this is one of the best places to see one of the most beautiful baobabs, Adansonia suarezensis as well as an aloe, Aloe suarezensis, both of which are restricted to this area of northern Madagascar. Other locally endemic plants of interest include a spectacular flame tree, Delonix regia, the extremely rare Diegodendron humbertii that is the only representative of the family Diegodendronaceae and known from only a few dozen individuals, and Baudouina solleyformis, which is used locally as a traditional protection against witchcraft. To date, 242 species from 58 families and 158 genera have been described from the Montagne des Français; the five most important families that account for over 40% of the species are the Rubiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Sapindaceae. Zoological surveys to date have identified 19 species of amphibian, 52 reptile species, 56 birds and 21 mammals. Of the herpetofauna, eight species are endemic to the Montagne des Français, 28 are regional endemics, 2 are listed as globally threatened in IUCNs 2006 Red List and 14 species are CITES listed. The main threats to the Montagne des Français are linked to demand for wood-based products from the nearby city of Antsiranana. Logging for timber and charcoal production are the main threats. Unlike most of Madagascar, slash and burn agriculture is not a major threat since most of the remaining forest is on land unsuitable for agriculture. Several other karst limestone areas are also protected in Madagascar including Tsingy de Bemaraha, Tsingy de Namoroka and the Tsingy d’Ankarana reserve 100 km to the south of Montagne des Français. The current effort to create a new reserve in the Montagne des Francais involves many local organizations and is being headed up by the local regional government with technical support and funding from Conservation International.

Ranomafana National Park

Ranomafana National Park is located in the southeastern part of Madagascar in Haute Matsiatra and Vatovavy-Fitovinany. With more than 41,600 hectares of tropical rainforest, the park is home to several rare species of flora and fauna including the golden bamboo lemur, the greater bamboo lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and Milne-Edwards sifaka, and over 120 species of frogs. Pitta like ground rollers, blue vangas, short-legged ground rollers and brown mesites can be seen. The park was established in 1991 with the purpose of conserving the unique biodiversity of the local ecosystem and reducing the human pressures on the protected area. It is part of the World Heritage Site Rainforests of the Atsinanana. Adjacent to the park is the Centre ValBio research stationestablished in 2003 and managed by Stony Brook University with a focus on Biodiversity research, community health and education, environmental arts and reforestation.

Zahamena National Park

Zahamena National Park is a national park of Madagascar. Established in 1997, it covers an area of 423 square kilometres out of a total protected area of 643 square kilometres . It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rainforests of the Atsinanana, inscribed in 2007 and consisting of 13 specific areas located within eight national parks in the eastern part of Madagascar. In 2001, Bird Life International assessed avifauna of 112 species of which 67 species are exclusively endemic to Madagascar. The park is habitat for 112 bird species, 46 reptile species, 62 species of amphibians and 48 species of mammals, including 13 species of lemurs. The ethnic groups inhabiting the area are mostly Betsimisaraka and Sihanak. The most prominent faunal species in the park are: Indri indri, a black lemur with white patches; the Madagascar red owl, locally known as vorondolomena; the katsatsaka, a small gecko; the Madagascar serpent-eagle, a threatened species; and the red-tailed newtonia, a very common bird species in the park. The two most prominent endemic floral species are Marattia boivinii and Blotella coursii .

Lemurs' Park

Lemurs Park is a small botanical garden and lemur reserve covering 5 ha, and is located 22 km southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar. It was founded around 2000 by Laurent Amouric and Maxime Allorge. Most of its nine lemur species are free-ranging within the park, which also contains more than 70 of Madagascars endemic plant species. The park is open to the public, offering guided tours as well as standard amenities, a gift shop, and a restaurant. Visitors can arrange transportation between downtown Antananarivo and Lemurs Park on a private park shuttle. Most of the parks lemurs were confiscated pets, entrusted to the park by the Ministry of Water and Forests. The lemurs are rehabilitated and bred for reintroduction into the wild. The park also collaborates with Colas Madagascar and TOTAL Madagascar to provide environmental education to local primary school children and to plant native trees as part of a reforestation program. Most of the parks staff come from the neighboring communities.

Lake Alaotra

Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar, located in Toamasina Province, in the northern central plateau. Its basin is composed of shallow freshwater lakes and marshes surrounded by areas of dense vegetation. It forms the center of the islands most important rice-growing region. It is a rich habitat for wildlife, including some rare and endangered species, as well as an important fishing ground. Lake Alaotra and its surrounding wetlands cover 7,223 square kilometres, and include a range of habitats, including open water, reedbeds, marshes, and rice paddies. The lake itself covers 900 km2 . Lake Alaotra was declared a wetland of international importance under the international Ramsar Convention on February 2, 2003. The longfin tilapia was introduced into Lake Alaotra from the mainland in 1954, and proliferated quickly. By 1957, it provided 46% of the catch, perhaps because it was moving into an empty ecological niche as a phytophagous species. The fertile plain surrounding lake Lake Alaotra is Madagascars most important rice-producing region. The hills surrounding the lake were formerly forested, but have mostly been cleared for farmland in past decades. Severe erosion on these vulnerable hill slopes has caused considerable sedimentation of the lake, which is fast disappearing; the lake is now only 60 cm deep during the dry season. Pressure to create more rice fields has also led locals to burn the reedbeds surrounding the lake. These reedbeds provide the sole habitat of the endemic Alaotra gentle lemur . The Alaotra gentle lemur is now limited to only 220 km2 of remaining reedbeds, and in recent years, its population rapidly declined by 60%, from about 7,500 individuals in 1994 to 3,000 in 2001, mostly from habitat loss, but also from hunting by local villagers. The lake is also an important but increasingly threatened habitat for waterbirds, including the endangered Mellers duck . Two waterbird species were endemic to northern Madagascar, the Madagascar pochard and the Alaotra grebe . The Madagascar pochard is now critically endangered and no longer found on the lake, although very small numbers exist elsewhere. The Alaotra grebe was declared extinct in 2010. In earlier times, Lake Alaotra was where the largest numbers lived, the near-flightless grebe may never have occurred elsewhere except in the immediate area of the lake. The Ambato River provides the Lake with water and also drains it. After 381 km, the river flows into the Indian Ocean.

Parc Ivoloina

Parc Ivoloina is a recreational and educational zoological park home to lemurs, reptiles, amphibians, and other native Malagasy species near the city of Toamasina in eastern Madagascar. On their own or with a guide, visitors can explore the wildlife exhibits, orchards, an education center, model agricultural station, historic ruins, and nine kilometers of hiking trails. A dugout canoe tour is also available. A sampling can be accomplished as a day trip or visitors can arrange multiple days staying overnight. Beyond the visitor experience, Parc Ivoloina is a regional conservation and education center consisting of a 4 hectare zoological park and a 282 hectare forestry station and offers and Environmental Education Center as well as the Ivoloina Conservation Training Center. The extensive operations on the site are one of the initiatives of the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group a non-governmental conservation organization supported by a consortium of zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, universities, and other related organizations.
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Imagine having a record of all the cool things you've done in your life!


Using our timeline you can keep track of everywhere you visit in your lifetime...

But, you'll need to sign in first...

Add contacts so that you can share your travels and record places that you visit together...

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If you have any more friends that visited this place with you, feel free to add them to the visit. We'll write it to their timeline and once they confirm it, they too will have this memory for a lifetime.

If they're not already registered, you just need their name and email address and you can add them and we'll send them an invite on your behlaf.

Add a tour comment

Add some extra information for when this attraction is viewed as part of your tour...

Next Stop Instructions

Add some instructions for what to see/do on the way to the next stop...

Next Stop Instructions

Add some instructions for what to see/do on the way to the next stop...

If you're visiting an existing attraction, open it and add it to your timeline. If there is no attraction for the place you are visiting...

  • Click 'Add My Location' below
  • Or right-click on the map to mark a different location
  • Or long-press if you have a touch screen
You can even add locations while you're offline....
  • Load up the map when you're online and we'll keep track of your locaiton
  • You can add locations to your timeline
  • When you are online again we'll sync them with the cloud

We can't connect to the internet right now. The following attractions are saved locally and can be uploaded when you're online...

GuRoute would like to access your current location so that we can pin you on the map and show you nearby attractions

Add friends so that you can share your experiences with each other...

Add tour to What's Next?

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Either for yourself or someone else...

  1. Do your trip research in GuRoute
    Add all the places that you think might be worthy of a visit into a trip-plan
  2. Add your trip-plan to your "What's Next" timeline
    (or a friend's "What's Next" timeline)
  3. When you're on vacation you'll have all your research at your fingertips
  4. Share your timline with your friends
    They can enjoy your vacation with you, seeing not only where you've been, but where you're going next...
  5. Add/remove attractions if things change

It also makes a great souvenir of your trip

Collections

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Create a home page for a collection of attractions

  • Add an image and description to display on the homepage
  • Start adding content
    Add existing attractions to your collection or create new attractions of your own
  • Collections can be:
    • Public (Anyone can add attractions to your collection)
    • Shared (Only yourself and Gurus you nominate can add content)
    • Private (The collection will only be visible to yourself)

Uses

  • Local business or hotel
    Showcase local attractions that you endorse
  • Clubs
    Showcase attractions that members have created (eg. local historical society)
  • Special Interest
    If GuRoute does not have a category for your special interest you add your attractions to your own collection instead

Examples

Walking/Driving Tours

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A guided tour where GuRoute will direct you from stop to stop and narrate a description of each attraction you arrive at

  • GuRoute uses your phone's GPS to guide you from stop to stop
  • GuRoute automatically detects when you arrive at the next tour-stop and narrates the description of the attraction (Chrome Only)
  • It then sends you on to the next stop

Tours are great to attract people to your town. Even places with no significant points of interest can be lots of fun when part of a tour


Cater tours to your Audience

  • Kid-friendly Tours
    • Focus on what will keep kids interested
    • Instead of parents having to drag their kids around they'll be struggling to keep up
    • Let the kids navigate and they'll get more fun out of finding that historical plaque than they ever would from reading it
  • Accessible tours
  • Short and long tours of the same location

What you need to do...

  1. Click 'Go...'
    Enter a title, description and location for the tour
  2. Add existing attractions OR create new ones and add them to the tour
  3. For existing attractions you can add more information specific to the theme of the tour
  4. You can also add instructions on what to do or see en-route to the next tour-stop
  5. Try out your tour and see how it works...

Mystery Tour

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Create a Mystery Tour

Create a series of clues to show people around a city, neighborhood or whatever place you like...

  • GuRoute will show people clues to get them from attraction to attraction
  • When they reach each stop GuRoute will tell them about the place and give them the next clue
  • Take as long or as you like and explore each location at your leisure

Scavenger Hunt

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Create a Scavenger Hunt

Create a series of questions that people have to answer. The answers can all be discovered by walking aroung the area, looking for clues.

  • How many beers are on tap at Michael Collin's Irish Bar?
  • What's the name of the oldest building on main streeet?
  • Show a picture of some public art and ask them what it is called
  • Clues can have numeric or multiple choice answers