The Vagabond Hiker

Hiking, trekking, and climbing the world

Madagascar Nature Hikes: North to South

Six years since Covid derailed my planned visit to Madagascar, I finally made it to the world’s 4th largest island! Madagascar is one of the most ecologically diverse locations on Earth, with a vast majority of its plants and animals found only on the island. This unique ecology was the focus and attraction for our two-week group tour, which was not a hiking trip per se. Perhaps because of this focus, these photos are quite a departure from my usual blog posts. Join me on this journey and let me know what you think!

A physical map of Madagascar, located off the east coast of southern Africa
Our Explore Worldwide route. After some long, tough days driving we were all happy to fly back to Antananarivo at the end!

Andasibe and Analamazaotra NP

Any trip to Madagascar (other than a cruise) will of necessity start and end at the capital, Antananarivo (Tana). Our 1/2 day drive northeast to Andasibe the following morning kicked off the two week trip for 11 Brits, myself, and our wonderful leader, Naina. Our nature walks (most were in reality hikes, carrying a full day pack through rough terrain) started in the rain-forest, in a community nature reserve and in Analamazaotra National Park.

Our local guide, Daisy, at Analamazaotra National Park
My attempt at a photo of a Common brown lemur
Common brown lemur. (Photo courtesy of Andrew)
In this post I include 5 photos of lemurs taken by Andrew, a client who had a proper camera with telephoto, frankly necessary in the dense jungle environment.
Can you make out the Mossy leaf-tailed gecko, spotted by our guide at the VOI MMA Community Reserve?
Another Mossy leaf-tailed gecko, blending right in! These geckos are strictly nocturnal, so spotting these kings of camouflage during the day is not at all easy.
Landscape with fish ponds, Analamazaotra NP. Farmed fish, including tilapia, seemed a staple of the diet in this region.
Critically endangered Diademed Sifaka lemurs, 2nd largest of all lemur species. They were warming up in the morning sun.
The gorgeous Daidemed Sifaka deserves another photo (photo courtesy of Andrew)
An Indri, also critically endangered and the largest of all lemurs
Another Indri lemur (Photo courtesy of Andrew)
A river view at Analamazaotra
Bulbophyllum analamazoatrae (no English common name). As it was winter in July, not many flowers were in bloom, though I did spot this diminutive orchid.
A tree fern
A Green day gecko. My macro worked ok for this little fellow.
A pond view at Analamazaotra. We saw numerous species of birds, but none of us really tried to get photos; scoping them with binoculars was far more enjoyable.

Antsirabe and Lake Tritriva

This French colonial highland city (elevation 1400m) provided a lovely one night layover on our way south, and was a superb base for a short hike around Lake Tritriva.

A monument in Antsirabe, showing all 18 Madagascan tribes, which arrived from diverse countries over the centuries.
The highland landscape near Tritriva Lake
View down towards Tritriva Lake from our path. At about 1750m, this was our highest elevation for the entire trip.
Another Tritriva Lake view, a caldera from an extinct volcano
The Vagabond Hiekr at Tritriva Lake

Ranomafana National Park

Three walks in Ranomafana National Park, our second rain-forest (elevation about 1100m), introduced us to some more species of lemur as well as some other amazing animals, and even some wildflowers in bloom in winter (we were at a latitude near the Tropic of Capricorn).

Namorona River in Ranomafana NP
A colorful bridge, Ranomafana
Streptocarpus hilsenbergii, another flower without an English common name
A rare Clerodendrum arenarium, endemic to eastern Madagascar and also lacking an English common name
A critically endangered Greater bamboo lemur, the only individual in the park, although some do live at lower elevations outside the park
Some tribal gravestones at Ranomafana. One challenge with these nature hikes was that we frequently needed to leave the trails when the spotter saw lemurs or other wildlife.
Can you spot the Satanic leaf-tailed gecko?
A macro of the Satanic leaf-tailed gecko. This master of disguise is holding its tail over its head.
A boardwalk path on our short Sahamalaotra loop hike at Ranomafana. Only one other client joined me this afternoon.
Pandanus frog macro, Sahamalaotra loop hike. This guy was tiny!

Ambalalova Community Reserve

While this nature walk was just a short stop-over during a long day of driving South, it was our first opportunity to see Ring-tailed lemurs, and an introduction to the drier savanna ecosystem more characteristic of Southern Madagascar.

View of Ambalalova Community reserve
A wetland pano at Ambalalova Community reserve
Ring-tailed lemur at Ambalalova Community reserve
A male Oustalet’s chameleon (aka Malagasy giant chameleon)
A female Oustalet’s chameleon
A Ring-tailed lemur enjoying a meal (photo courtesy of Andrew)

Ranohira and Isola National Park

We stayed two nights at one of the very best hotels in the country, an excellent base to explore Isola National Park, which reminded me of southern Utah, but with more grass.

Cliffs at Isola National Park
A Ring-tailed lemur on a rock face. In this ecosystem they stay on the cliffs overnight for safety from fossas (the largest mammalian carnivore on Madagascar, often compared to a small cougar), one of their main predators. . .
. . . and then come down to the forest to feed during the day when fossas sleep.
Landscape at Isola. This was not what I expected Madagascar to look like!
A natural pool at Isola where many of us enjoyed a dip

Ifaty and Reniala Community Reserve

Our final three nights before returning to Tana were spent at a resort outside of this southwest coastal town, in private bungalows, most of which had views of the Mozambique Channel. It was also our base for visiting our final community reserve, in the Spiny Forest, which featured some of the most interesting fauna on the entire trip.

Pool at our Ifaty resort with the Mozambique Channel
Our local guide explaining the Reniala Reserve
A warty chameleon at the reserve
A rather large Tree-hole spider
An Octopus tree, favorite nesting tree of the endangered Petter’s sportive lemur
Iconic Baobabs at Reniala
A Black scorpion
A Madagascar ground boa. This reserve in the spiny forest had an amazing variety of fauna!
A Lesser hedgehog tenrec. Getting a good photo of this fast-moving guy was not easy! Although they superficially resemble a small hedgehog, they are in fact the only species in their genus.
An amazingly cute Petter’s sportive lemur in an Octopus tree (photo courtesy of Andrew)

I’m now back in Hastings, England, enjoying the sea and some summer sun. In two weeks I head to Penzance in Cornwall to continue my Southwest Coast Path Odyssey. Before that I plan on publishing a short blog from my 3-week June stay in Abruzzo, one of many regions in southern Italy I had never visited.

Happy trails,

The Vagabond Hiker

Northern Morocco town and country walks

Happy Holidays from Singapore!

I had previously been to Morocco three times with the sole focus on trekking and climbing, the latest in 2023 when I summited Mt. Toubkal. In contrast, my one week visit to northern Morocco in October focused almost exclusively on culture, archeology, and history. Nevertheless, as with nearly all my travels, a walking component was not neglected as our Intrepid Travel group explored on foot: Cape Spartel north of Tangiers, the Blue City of Chefchaouen (and nearby hills), the sacred town of Moulay Idriss, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and the frenetic Medina of Fes, before finishing in Marrakech.

Join me on a short journey through northern Morocco.

Our 8 day itinerary from Casablanca to Marrakech.
Cape Spartel lighthouse, Tangier. While our trip started in Casablanca, to my mind it is not a city worth exploring and the 2 hour high speed train (300 kph!) quickly brought us to Tangier and the northern coast.
View towards Spain and Gibralter at Cape Spartel. Northern Morocco was far greener than what I have experienced in the more arid southern part of the country.
Hotel Dar Mounir in Chefchaouen. My windows are directly above the entrance. Earplugs required!
One other guest and I took a half-day guided hike along some trails into the Rif Mountains. Here is a view back to the Blue City of Chefchaouen, easily my fave on this trip.
Goats along the trail
A street in Chefchaouen
Lush foilage outside the Kasbah of Chefchaouen
Another Chefchaouen street. Though hardly undiscovered by tourists, I never grew tired of walking around this town.
Colorful steps in the sacred town of Moulay Idress Zerhoun. Non-Muslims have only been allowed to visit since early this century.
Sunset over Moulay Idress Zerhoun. The town is named for the father of Islam in Morocco, Idris (I) ibn Abd Allah.
Basilica of Volubilis. Spot the moon. Despite being better known, these Roman ruins were not as impressive as either Dougga or Bulla Regia that I recently visited in Tunisia.
Volubilis in-situ tile mosaic
Intricate zellige tilework on a Royal Palace door in Fes. I had no idea that Fes has about the population of Tangier, the 2nd largest city in Morocco after Casablanca.
Unusual in Morocco are the wooden balconies in the Quartier Mellah, the historic Jewish Quarter of Fes.
Fes Medina. This monstrously large warren of more than 10,000 streets definitely required a guide to explore!
Squeezing down a narrow alley in the Fes Medina
Medina market stall in Fes. Gorgeous!
Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech. Since my last visit in 2019, the Private Garden of the Villa Oasis, where Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent lived, has been opened to the public.

I am working on my next blog post, Walking on Tenerife and Gran Canaria, another in my long-running series on the Canary Islands. As it will be my first post of the New Year, I hope to further update my readers on my 2026 plans at that point.

Meanwhile, enjoy your Holidays with friends and family,

The Vagabond Hiker

A Short Visit to Tunisia – Archeology and Culture

Returning to London from Uzbekistan, the airfare was actually cheaper to go by way of Tunis(!). Tunisia had been on my radar since having to cancel my April 2020 trip there for you-know-why. I spent two days on guided tours: the first of Tunis and its environs, including exploring the village of Sidi Bou Said, the Medina of Tunis, and the ruins of Carthage, as well as visiting the Bardo museum; and the second exploring the farther afield Roman towns of Dougga and Bulla Regia.

Sidi Bou Said

Named after a 12th century Arab Sufi scholar who lived there, this town about 20km northeast from Tunis, is known for its extensive use of blue and white. Wildly popular with tourists, my guide and I got an early start. . .

A typical cobbled street
Bougainvillea and blue doors
Café view with port and Mediterranean Sea

The Medina of Tunis

The advantage (for me at least) of wandering the Medina on a Sunday was that many shops were closed, and the chill atmosphere stood in stark contrast to what I presume is its usual frenetic pace of life. . .

Tunis Medina street with the minaret of Hammouda Pacha Mosque
A fish mosaic in a Medina madrasa. As you shall see, I really love tile mosaics!
Street view of the minaret of Al-Zaytuna Mosque, the main mosque in the Medina of Tunis

Carthage

The ancient Punic (aka western Phoenician or Carthaginian) civilization had Carthage as its capital. The Romans built over the city and little remains from its Punic period. While overall Carthage was a disappointment, it is nonetheless a must-see destination. . .

. . .but first it was time for lunch at a La Goulette (port of Tunis) seafood restaurant! After two weeks in the pescatarian desert that is Uzbekistan, it was a great relief to be on the Mediterranean coast.
The Punic Tophet, dedicated to Tanit and Baal. It is not clear whether the graves are a result of child sacrifice or from other causes such as high infant mortality. It is one of the only areas of Carthage not built over by the Romans or destroyed in later urbanization.
A ground level view of the Baths of Antoninus, one of the largest such complexes in the Roman world

Dougga

The Roman town of Thugga, partly built over Berber and Punic settlements, is one of the best preserved Roman towns in north Africa. In 1997 it achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status (and consequent flood of funds and tourists!). Most of the mosaics and other artifacts from Dougga are on display at the Bardo Museum in Tunis.

Dougga Amphitheater. The clouds and morning light make this my favorite photo in this blog post.
View from the cheap seats at the amphitheater
The obligatory wildflower photo, a squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium). Its fascinating method of seed dispersal had recently been elucidated by researchers at Oxford University.
The Capitolium of Dougga, its most iconic monument
A 600 year-old olive tree at Dougga
The Vagabond Hiker under the Arch of Severus Alexander. The twin forks of an ancient olive tree are in the foreground. In the background in the Capitolium.
A Roman road built over an older Numidian road. Due to the irregular topography, the town was not built to the usual Roman plan.
The Trifolium Villa, the largest structure in the residential area of Dougga. Why doesn’t Wiki, in their otherwise extensive article on the town, call it what is clearly was: a brothel?

For those readers interested, much more of Dougga’s architecture and a bit of its history can be found on this fascinating website.

Bulla Regia

After another 90 minute drive we came to the Roman town of Bulla Regia. That it is not listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a mixed blessing: while much has not been excavated, I had the entire site to myself!

A portion of the residential area of Bulla Regia. The olive trees here and at Dougga are emblematic of much of the northern portion of Tunisia. It’s olive oil industry is extensive, though most is exported to Italy or Spain for blending.
The House of the Hunt, featuring its unusual hexagonal windows. The ground floor of these residences was in fact built underground, likely to keep them cooler in the intense summer heat.
House of Amphitrite floor mosaic. Houses here are named after their major mosaics, many of which are still in situ.
Detail from the Amphitrite House floor mosaic of Cupid riding a dolphin while admiring himself. An interesting and more extensive photo journal blog from another American Abroad can be viewed here.
An emperor sans hands and head at Bulla Regia. Detachable heads – and sometimes hands – made statuary easily modifiable when a new Roman emperor was crowned.
The large bear mosaic from the orchestra floor of Bulla Regia’s theater. From here, in 399 CE St Augustine of Hippo famously excoriated the townspeople for their lack of faith.

The Bardo Museum

Known for one of the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics, to fully appreciate the extent of the collections in The National Bardo museum would require days. I had about two hours, mostly spent amongst the mosaics. . .

A Punic feeding vessel from the 3rd century BCE
An amazing, though incomplete, fish mosaic. . .
. . . and a single fish detail from the mosaic. Most of the fish can actually be identified with some certainty.
Continuing with the piscine theme of this post, a fisherman mosaic detail
Triumph of Neptune mosaic detail, from Neptune and the Four Seasons
The famous mosaic of Virgil, along with the muses Clio and Melpomene. It is the oldest portrait of the poet.

After my short visit to Tunisia, I headed back to London. Now back in Hastings until early November, I am feverishly working to get another two blog posts completed, which will return the focus to more interesting hiking in Portugal’s Algarve and another section of the Southwest Coast Path in Cornwall. Stay tuned!

The Vagabond Hiker

Categories

Subscribe for Updates