Northern Madagascar - Madagascar - page 285

the Tsingy Rouges (Red Tsingy; admission Ar10,000). These scraggly pin-
nacles, erosion's work of art, are made of laterite, an iron oxide-rich soil with
an intense red-brick colour.
These surreal formations stand on the edge of beautiful canyons: it's a fragile
environment, and local authorities have thankfully stepped in to protect the site.
There are three areas you can access, including a breathtaking viewpoint. The
most stunning site is at the bottom of a small ravine, where tsingy (pinnacle
formations) line an entire bank like an army of sentinels. If you're here with a
guide, ask him or her to show you the three natural pigments found in the soil -
ochre, vermilion and magenta - which northern Malagasies use for face paints
and natural dyes.
Because of its colour, the Tsingy are best admired early in the morning
(around 7am or 8am) or late in the afternoon (around 4pm), when the light is
low and warm.
You will need a 4WD to access the Red Tsingy: the turn-off on the RN6 is
45km south of Diego and signposted. It's then 20km along a dirt track that's
pretty good in places, dismal in others. En route, you'll cross a number of euca-
lyptus plantations destined for charcoal production. (The majority of Malagasies
use charcoal for cooking and its production is a leading cause of deforestation,
so these plantations help preserve primary forests). You'll also be treated to
sweeping views of the Indian Ocean. The dirt track can be impassable during
the rainy season (December to April).
Parc National de l'Ankarana
Parc National de l'Ankarana is a striking and undeveloped fantasyland that's home to
uniquely Malagasy sights: psychedelic fields of spiky tsingy (limestone pinnacle forma-
tions) sitting next to dry forests. Running through and under the tsingy are hidden forest-
filled canyons and subterranean rivers.
The park ( www.parcs-madagascar.com ) is famed for its bat-filled grottoes and myster-
ious caves steeped in legend and history, where the Antakarana (the predominant ethnic
group in northern Madagascar) took refuge from the Merina (the traditional ruling elite
from the highlands) during the 18th-century tribal wars.