The much-needed day of rest came after one of the longest car journeys I have ever experienced. Over twelve hours in a car, on top of around sixteen hours of plane travel in the days before, was more than enough. A rest day was absolutely necessary. Our luggage, left behind in Paris the previous day, only arrived after 1 a.m.! Luckily, we managed to ask the taxi driver who had picked us up to collect it for us, allowing us to go to bed a little earlier.
The road trip started before six in the morning, although the plan had been to leave around five to avoid Antananarivo's traffic. Even with the slight delay, the city was still half-asleep, silent, and dark as we set off. Moving quickly through streets and wide avenues, we only had one brief stop at a police checkpoint before finally leaving the city at dawn. At that moment, I optimistically thought, "At this speed, we’ll get to Ranomafana in no time." Little did I know what lay ahead.
The First Kilometers
The road out of Tana was relatively good, with only a few challenging spots—some potholes that required us to almost stop the jeep to maneuver through. For the first three hours, the drive was easy and even enjoyable. We talked about various topics until we ran out of things to discuss, energy began to fade, and each of us started dozing off. But with all the bumps and constant speed changes, falling into a deep sleep was nearly impossible.
As the first light of the sun spread across the landscape, we finally caught our first proper glimpse of Madagascar’s “stunning” scenery, something we hadn’t had the chance to witness, having landed at night and spent our first day in the city (resting). I must admit, it wasn’t what I had expected—likely due to the many wildlife documentaries I’ve watched over the years. Most of those only showcase the lush green zones, untouched areas, vast forested landscapes, or the more arid and desert-like regions.
But being on the ground offered a completely different perspective! We didn’t see an expanse of forest; the only birds we spotted were chickens and the occasional egret in the rice paddies, but never in large numbers. Most of the houses were made from clay and logs, with the occasional modern structure built from locally produced bricks or even concrete (closer to the bigger cities).
In terms of agriculture, the flat areas at the bottom of valleys were almost entirely covered with rice paddies or clay extraction fields for brick-making. Meanwhile, the mountainous areas were blanketed in trees, which, to our surprise, turned out to be eucalyptus. I had traveled all this way to see eucalyptus trees! It was unbelievable.
The transition in the landscape was immediate: the mountainous terrain gave way to sprawling rice fields flanked by clay-and-log houses, while the roadside transformed into an open-air marketplace selling all kinds of goods.
Street Vendors and Crowds
On our way, we passed through several larger villages and at least two cities. The atmosphere in these places was slightly different, characterized by a chaotic mix of people and activities spilling onto the road. The edges of the streets were lined with makeshift shops and small wooden stalls. Some were extensions of the buildings, with clothes hanging outside, while others were simply baskets of products set on the ground.
Meat was displayed in the open air, often swarming with flies, ready to be cooked. Other vendors sold ready-to-eat food, offering a selection of fruits and fried snacks. Needless to say, I didn’t try anything…
The chaos wasn’t limited to the crowds walking along the roads. There were bicycles, ox carts loaded with bricks, handcarts carrying goods, and even bicycles adapted for passenger transport. I think we saw almost everything during this trip to Madagascar. Meanwhile, our jeep maneuvered through the bustling villages and cities as we made our way to our destination.
It was an interesting journey, not just because of its length but also because of the close-up glimpse it gave us into Madagascar’s daily life. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many photos as we never stopped, except for a quick lunch break. Even then, it was eat-and-go. Most of the images were taken with my phone—which, I must admit, isn’t great—or with the GoPro. Sadly, I haven’t had time to edit any videos yet, but I plan to upload some to YouTube as soon as possible.
The First Signs of Green
There’s so much to say about this road trip, except for the times when I was half-asleep and only felt the potholes growing deeper as we went along. The best part, however, was saved for last. Like in major blockbusters, the most exciting moment only comes when the movie is about to end.
After spending the whole day sitting and waiting for that “eureka” moment, it finally arrived. For us, it coincided with the sun slipping beyond the horizon just as we neared our destination. This could only mean one thing: we were entering the rainforest.
It was our first glimpse of Madagascar’s natural habitat. Crossing the boundary between houses and farmland into the forest felt like stepping into a scene from Jurassic Park. The road seemed to close in around us as the forest enveloped it from both sides—and, in some places, even from above, forming a canopy.
Unfortunately, the sun had set an hour earlier, making it too dark to see much. Exhausted, I barely had the energy to look out the window. Since we were running late, we didn’t stop to look for animals, knowing we’d have plenty of time for that later. None of us had the energy for much of anything, so we drove straight to our destination.
A Predictable End: Bed
We arrived at the ValBio research center well into the night, just after 9 p.m.—a long time since sunset at 5:30 p.m. We were exhausted, with legs nearly paralyzed and hunger gnawing at us. After unloading the jeep, we quickly took our luggage to our rooms.
With no time to spare, I hastily prepared my camera, fitted the macro lens and flash, grabbed my flashlight, and headed out the door—there was a hot meal waiting for us. On the way to the dining area, I managed to photograph a gecko and a few insects.
But it wasn’t until the next day that we would truly appreciate the magnitude of the place where we’d be staying for the next few weeks. At that moment, though, I could only think of one thing: bed.
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