04 June 2016

If you're seeking a rare and mythical journey, the coastal crossing between Tuléar and Fort Dauphin is among those exceptional expeditions we love to share with you. This singular itinerary ventures along the unusual and secret trails of Madagascar's far south, where encounters in these remote lands are authentic, often picturesque, and profoundly human. The great dunes of Androka, undulating endlessly across the horizon, led us in April 2016 to meet an elderly wood sculptor, a master of Mahafaly funeral art.

This elder man perpetuates rituals and customs by carving the various Aloalo and figurines that adorn the burial tombs of this ethnic group. His works, so characteristic of the region, symbolize earth and sky, the real and the imaginary, ancestors and the living. Of immense spiritual value, the Aloalo represents one of the fundamental pillars of Mahafaly culture. As travelers, we are invited to approach the sacred and the timeless with respect. Once, these burial sites were hidden, secret, and few could access them. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case today. Our role is also to encourage respect for these places and to refrain from commercializing these pieces, which hold profound symbolic value. Continuing on our trail, crossing the Menarandra River is, in itself, a singular adventure. The dried riverbed leads us onto the territory of the Antandroy people.

Extremely arid, this region is difficult to cultivate, and the population survives mainly through extensive herding of sheep and cattle. We traverse forests of prickly pear cacti with sharp thorns that leave lasting reminders on the flanks of our Toyota. On the ground, between the stones of the trail, vigilance is essential: magnificent radiated tortoises, endemic to southern Madagascar, move lazily along. There is no doubt—we are at the heart of the "Land of Thorns," Madagascar's most arid region. The multiple species of Didieréacées bear witness to this. Gradually, vegetation and environment change. Around the Andohahela Reserve, we find the convergence of three specific biotopes; arid bush, semi-arid forest, and dense humid forest—which, south of the Tropic of Capricorn, is rather rare. A little further east, the transition is sudden. We cross a ridgeline beneath magnificent flamboyant trees, and before us opens a wide verdant valley.

The Anosy region marks the passage into a new natural and human environment. Here, mountains plunge into the sea, powerful rivers carve through the landscape before reaching the Indian Ocean. With each visit, we feel the same sensation before these elements—an incredible feeling of quiet strength. Fort-Dauphin, or Tolagnaro, nestles at the foot of Pic Saint Louis, facing the Indian Ocean. The tranquility of this provincial town is soothing, conducive to restful repose after this beautiful escape. We are 1,122 kilometers as the crow flies from Tana, the capital perched on the Highlands.

Journey and account by Tolo and Faly
Written by Sylvain ©Détours Madagascar 2016

Journeys traversing the arid land of thorns to lush primary forests: The Great Journey Through Madagascar's Far South Tuléar > Fort Dauphin > Manakara > Antananarivo 16 days - From €2,210 excluding flights. The Splendors of Madagascar's Grand South Antananarivo > Isalo > Tuléar > Fort Dauphin 16 days - From €1,450 excluding flights.

Fauna and Flora Tourism Charlène Nomadays

SEO editor from the very beginning at Nomadays, Charlène evolved into content manager and head of communications, accompanying the adventure since its inception with passion and dedication. After seven years living across Asia—from China to Thailand, through Mongolia and South Korea—she made travel a way of being in the world. A lover of words, nature, and human connection, she strives to convey in her writing a sensitive, engaged, and responsible vision of tourism. Each article is for her a bridge between curiosity, respect, and wonder.