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Published: November 3rd 2023
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As we drove up N7 towards Ranohina large escarpments of sandstone started to appear either side of us. This was Isola National Park.
Our official NP guide, Jose, was a member of the local Bara tribe. He spoke excellent English in measured tones and had exceptional knowledge of the local wildlife and traditions.
The Isola is a long range of sandstone escarpments created by tectonic forces as Madagascar separated from mainland Africa. There are steep cliffs and gorges with wonderful natural swimming pools below crystal waterfalls. When you climbed up the escarpments there were spectacular vistas.
The local Bara people bury their ancestors high up on the cliffs so they are close to the sky. Ancestors are very very important to all Malagasy and many of the local traditions revolve around them. After three days mourning at home the Bara bring the body of the deceased in a coffin to a temporary cave, seal it with stones and leave it for 3 years. The skeleton is then brought back and cleaned and there is a big party where Zebus are killed and rum is drunk. Finally the bones are taken to a family cave high on an inaccessible
Pachypodium in Isola National Park
It is a succulent like it's much large cousin the Baobab cliff which is their final resting place. They may need ropes to get the body down to this cave. It is not unheard of for somebody to fall in the process.
The wildlife in the forest and gorge areas was tremendous. We saw our first ring-tailed lemurs. The webs of the golden orb spiders were catching the sunlight. Jose spotted two cross billed rollers who fly from East Africa to breed in Madagascar for only one month. It just happens to be October.
As we walked along a gorge Jose pointed out a juvenile long eared Madagascan owl; all white fluff and dark black eyes. It seemed quite happy just sitting there as we passed and took photos.
There is so much to see from stick insects to chameleons. The plants are all well adapted to the desert-like conditions. Pachypodium, also called Elephants foot tree, is like a miniature Baobab with bright yellow flowers and grows very slowly ('mora mora' in Madagasy).
Along with ancestors, Zebu cattle are very very important to the Bara. They are killed and eaten at all major life events. Jose said he had two to help him farm in the wet
Juvenile Long Eared Madagascan Owl
It seemed happy to just sit there as we clicked away season when there are no tourists. He said in times past a Bara man had to steal a Zebu to prove you were fit to marry.
It was superb hiking country with the sandstone soft enough to give you grip and hard enough so you did not slip. Yes it is hot and then you cool off under a waterfall with a kingfisher sitting nearby.
Our next stop was the Tsaranora valley. At a crossroads we swapped to a 4x4 because the valley is 12km down a dirty track off the main N7 'trunk' road. By this time we had crossed the 'border' into the region occupied by the Besileo tribe. This is not a distinct border and tribal mix is somewhat fluid throughout the country.
We passed several villages and the arrival at our destination, Camp Catta, could not have been more of a contrast. It sits at the foot of a 500m cliff that turned out to be one of the greatest climbing challenges in the world, the Yellow Wall. We had a well appointed bungalow with views of the mountains and ring tailed lemurs frollicking in the front garden. There was a warm 'eco'
pool filtered using a reed bed.
Like Isola this is superb hiking country. We had arrived early afternoon and the sight of looming mountains inspired me to head up the steep slope at the back of the bungalows. Jane preferred to sit and watch the lemurs. I was glad the trail was already in the shadow of the slabs. I passed a small windsock, there to help any visiting paragliders (we saw none). My aim was to follow the path to the ridge. Near the top it cut over a large exposed boulder with no distinct foot holds. The consequences of slipping off looked disastrous and a little voice on my shoulder told me to admit defeat. The views across to Peak Chameleon, our target the next day and Peak Boby, Madagascar's second highest mountain, were still spectacular.
The next morning we set off at 6.30am to avoid the heat of the day. Peak Tsaranora behind us had clouds swirling around it. Our guide was Mesa who predicted rain later. He was assisted by diminutive Dina, a 25 year old mother, who was training to be a guide like her husband. (Dina's children were 9 and 5 years
old!)
First we walked through a sacred forest with ring tailed lemurs everywhere. It is sacred because further up the slope the local Besileo villagers buried their dead ancestors.
As we started to climb we passed a cave with at least two human skeletons inside. The story according to Mesa was that sometime back Bara men came from the next valley to steal Zebu. They were repelled and some were shot so the villagers put their bodies in this cave.
The path was steep and lead us through irrigated rice paddies towards the back of the peak. We could see down the next valley to the Bara village. We turned for the final ascent and passed a cave and Zebu compound. Half the Zebu for the Besileo village (over a hundred) are brought to graze in a high fertile patch of mountain side near a spring. They are protected by four men armed with guns on a weekly rota who sleep in the cave at night.
The peak is a short arete with panoramic views over the whole valley. The rice terraces make intricate patterns between the scattering of villages in the valley floor. Lizards basked
On top of Peak Chameleon
1580m. They are three eye lizards. They have a third light sensitive organ on the top of their head. on the rocks next to us as we admired the view.
The descent to the valley floor was steep. From the back side you got clear view of why the peak was so named with the 'chameleon' peering over the top.
Mesa took us back via his village. He showed us his house compound (we gather his older brother is a bit of a fixer) and saw the local blacksmith patching a plough shear. The Besileo house construction is two floors, brick columns at the corners and mud walls all finished off with a sand and zebu dung plaster. The animals live downstairs. They have a separate storage room for rice.
Our journey back to the main road was supposed to be straight forward. 3km short of the main road the electrics in the 4x4 failed and it stopped. The windows were down and, yes, just as Mesa had predicted it started to rain. Proper Madagascan rain. You had to laugh rather than cry. Jane crawled in the back to rest on the rucksacks. I sat in the middle watching water puddle on the seats either side. The driver covered two windows in a ground sheet to
stop the worst of it. The village children came out to investigate and we had a scrum down when we gave out some sweets. Zebu carts splashed passed us left and right.
The car would not start. The rain abated for a while and JeanBe's solution was to hire lads from the village to carry our packs to the road. We just had our day packs. It was a pleasant walk if a little wet from more showers and the subsequent puddles in the road.
His spare driver came to pick us up and we had a short drive to Ambalavao. At the hotel there was hot water and an operating shower so we were happy. It had been an exciting day.
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