Madagascar

A dirt track lined with ancient baobab trees up to 800 years old and 30 metres tall near Morondava, this is one of Madagascar's most photographed landscapes and one of the most iconic images in all of Africa. At sunrise and sunset, the silhouetted trunks against a burning sky create a scene of extraordinary otherworldly beauty.

A dense montane rainforest in southeastern Madagascar, Ranomafana protects 12 species of lemur including the rare golden bamboo lemur discovered only in 1985. Night walks through the forest reveal dozens of chameleon species, tenrecs, and nocturnal lemurs in trees lit by torchlight.

A forest of razor-sharp limestone pinnacles — the name means 'where one cannot walk barefoot' in Malagasy — the Tsingy is one of the most alien landscapes on earth, accessible via a network of rope bridges and iron ladders suspended above the karst labyrinth. Species found only here, including Decken's sifaka lemur, have evolved in complete isolation within the needle-sharp canyons.

A vast sandstone massif of eroded canyons, natural swimming pools, and wide-open plains in south-central Madagascar, Isalo is known as the 'Grand Canyon of Madagascar.' Ring-tailed lemurs warm themselves on the rocks at sunrise, and the park's natural pools fed by clear streams are among the most beautiful swimming spots in the Indian Ocean region.

Madagascar's main beach destination, Nosy Be ('Big Island') and its satellite islets offer exceptional snorkelling, whale shark encounters between September and December, and a languid island culture shaped by Arab, Indian, and Malagasy influences. Nosy Komba is home to the black lemur, which can be fed by hand in the village forests.

The closest major rainforest to Antananarivo, Andasibe is home to the indri — Madagascar's largest lemur — whose haunting whale-like call echoes through the forest at dawn. Nineteen lemur species live within the park boundaries, along with extraordinary concentrations of chameleons, frogs, and orchids.