The BAOBAB

Beauty is God 's sign
( Charles Kingsles )

The 6 endemic species of Baobab of Madagascar, by Ravo.Madagascar
Birdwatching at 6 a.m. at Kirindy western dry forest
Ravo.Madagascar 2019 ©

Legend of the Baobab tree :

Many years ago, a big tree was very proud. It has boasted about its beauty and has done this against other plants & against God. So God has decided to punish it, He puts its top & its branches into the earth and left its roots in the air.

Adansonia (Baobab scientific name )
is a genus containing 8 species of trees,

Native to Madagascar ( having 6 species ), mainland Africa and Australia ( one species in each ). The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island. The scientific name Adansonia honours Michel Adanson, a French naturalist and explorer who described Adansonia digitata ( see below : the 7 species of Baobabs ).

Adansonia (Baobab scientific name ) is a large wonderful tree,

With massive cylindrical trunks, bottle-shaped or irregularly gnarled. The baobab has 50 cm of high only after 7 years old, but it can last 1500 years old and more ( 3000 years old ). The species reach heights of 5 to 30 metres ( 16 to 98 ft ) and have trunk diameters of 7 to 11 metres ( 23 to 36 ft ). Its root is as deep as its trunk ; and its root is like a carrot under the ground. The baobab increases just 1 mm per month that means the baobab increases just ... 12 mm per year. And finally termites don't eat baobab wood because baobab wood is wet and termites prefer to eat dry wood.

Baobabs of Madagascar by Ravo.Madagascar - Baobabs Avenue

Baobab tree

Has fibrous wood including a high water content ( up to 120 000 litres ). This water helps baobab tree to endure the harsh drought conditions in arid areas, and are deciduous, shedding their leaves during the dry season. So leaves are produced only during the wet season. The bark is smooth. The baobab sets fruits in the late dry season. The fruit is an indehiscent capsule.

The seeds are numerous, enveloping with a cream-coloured pulp which is high in vitamin C. Seeds too are high in protein & oil and may be traded for oil extraction. With its fibrous bark, people make hats, baskets, ropes, clothes, musical instrument strings. It provides a source of fiber, dye, and fuel.

Many thanks to Edward FLETCHER ( from England )
for his precious information

The 7 species of Baobabs in Madagascar are :

1- Adansonia grandidieri ( Brevitubae ) = Grandidier's Baobab
2- Adansonia suarezensis ( Brevitubae ) = Suarez Baobab, in Diego Suarez
3- Adansonia madagascariensis ( Longitubae ) =
Madagascar Baobab, in Anjajavy forest
4- Adansonia za ( Longitubae ) = Za Baobab
5- Adansonia rubrostipa ( Longitubae - alias Adansonia fony ) =
Fony Baobab, in Ifaty area
6- Adansonia perrieri ( Longitubae ) =
Perrier's Baobab, in the North of Madagascar
7- Adansonia digitata ( the one African species ) = African Baobab

This last species was introduced in Yemen, Oman, India, Sri Lanka, ... The only Australian species is Adansonia gibbosa alias Adansonia Gregorii = Australian Baobab.

The Baobab in Africa,

In Africa, Baobab leaves are commonly used as a leaf vegetable, ( in Malawi, in Zimbabwe, and in the Sahel area ). They are eaten both fresh and as a dry powder. In Nigeria, the leaves are locally known as kuka and are used to make kuka soup.

The Baobab fruit is nutritious and having more vitamin C than oranges. Also known as " Sour gourd " or " Monkey's bread ", the dry fruit pulp separated from seeds and fibers is eaten directly or mixed into porridge or milk or water. Sometimes the dry fruit pulp is covered in sugary coating and sold in packages as a sweet and sour candy called " buui ".

The Baobab dry pulp is either eaten fresh or used to add to gruels on cooling after cooking ( a good way of preserving the vitamin contents ). It can also be ground to make a refreshing drink. In Tanzania, it is added to aid fermentation of sugar cane for beer making.

The Baobab of Mahajanga, Madagascar,

( = Majunga, a town in the North West of Madagascar ) is an Adansonia digitata. It's the biggest tree in Madagascar with 21,70 metres of circumference. But it's not tall because it has only 10 metres of high. It can have more than 900 years old ( but only radiocarbon dating may be able to provide true age data ) and it has been planted by Arab traders who used to do this habit in the main place of the region where they passed by.

To admire Baobabs in Madagascar,

The best area is the middle West ; that is to say the region between Belo sur Tsiribihina and Andavadoaka, passing by Morondava, Ankevo, Belo sur Mer, Morombe and the natural reserves & national parcs of Andranomena & Kirindy. You can go there only by using good 4 WD vehicle.

Ravo & the Baobabs of Andavadoaka
Gilles Peltriaux's picture - Aug 2003

A healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a poor tree cannot bear good fruit ( Matthew 7 : 17 - 18 )

The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field. It's the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it's the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nests in its branches ( Jesus in Matthew 13 : 31 - 32 )

But « the Baobabs before to be so big was little » he said with wisdom ( Antoine de Saint-Exupéry )

To discover Madagascar
its Baobabs, and its Lemurs

Madagascar is an island of emotions. Because of its insularity, it kept its traditions, its habits and customs, its fauna and flora with a high endemic character. Madagascar has become very attractive for the amateur in search of new discovery and emotions through hiking and trekking.

I'm pleased to help you and to give you useful advice for a tour in Madagascar and to give you entire satisfaction to see Baobabs. With my experience in tourism through Madagascar's National Parks and Reserves since ... 1993 I'm especially capable of providing all kind of travel arrangements. Please feel free to contact me for a customized itinerary ( individual tours, groups, essentials road trip, treks and adventurous trip, in luxury hotels, in tents and bivouac, etc. ). To organise your trip and to guide you to make your trip pleasing and unforgetable. No one who visits the island is left unaffected either by the warmth and hospitality of the Malagasy people. Madagascar is the kingdom of lemurs, the kingdom of baobabs and the kingdom of chameleons.

Go to Madagascar if you love wildlife nature. With the famous Allée of Baobabs nearby Morondava at sunset.

Proposition of trip to discover
the famous Baobabs Avenue

With amazing and wonderful unique landscapes such as the famous Baobabs Avenue at sunset and in the day, the Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park, the forest of Kirindy Mité National Park, etc. With a lot of day lemurs species and a lot of nocturnal lemurs species. With walking, trekking and beach-time.

D1: Tana – Antsirabe
Arrival in Tana ( Antananarivo ) usually in the afternoon ( p.m. ), if not I will rectify the itinerary. Welcome and change to have local currency at Tana airport then direct drive by night to Antsirabe where we will take dinner.

D2: Antsirabe – Kirindy
A long day drive with an early morning departure, but through beautiful different landscapes. Drive to Kirindy dry forest with a walking-visit through the famous Baobabs Avenue. Kirindy western dry forest nocturnal walk to see nocturnal wildlife ( Kirindy forest is THE BEST place in Madagascar for that activity ), chameleons, lizards, etc. About nocturnal lemurs you can see there :

- the Grey mouse lemur
- the Madame Berthe's mouse lemur
- the Fat-tailed dwarf lemur
- the Pale fork-marked lemur
- the Red-tailed sportive lemur

D3: Kirindy – Bekopaka
a.m. ( morning ) walking-visit of Kirindy dry deciduous forest to see lemurs in the day such as the Sifaka lemur ( the dancer lemur ) and the red-fronted brown lemur. Visits of ALL the main Baobabs interest in the area : the sacred Baobab ( the biggest Baobab-tree in the whole area ) and the loving-Baobabs. The two species of day lemurs at Kirindy dry forest are :

- the Verreaux's sifaka
- the Red-fronted brown lemur

Then continuation drive to Bekopaka with an arrival there at the end of the afternoon.

D4 : Bekopaka
Full day hiking-visit of the big Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park ( NP ), which is a stone forest with limestone uplands, with peaks, with limestone needles, and with clifftop vistas ( need good walking-shoes, sunglasses ).

D5 : Bekopaka – Morondava
Full day drive back with the sunset at the famous Baobabs Avenue.

D6 : Morondava – Belo sur Mer
Go to Belo sur Mer in the morning by little typical motorized dug-out Vezo canoe. After lunch continuation always by little typical motorized dug-out Vezo canoe to the wonderful ladscape of Kirindy Mité NP with its very old and very huge Baobabs surrounded by forest and surrounded by sandy banks. With lakes and sometimes with more than one hundred gregarious flamingoes. I was been there in June 2024 and it's really wonderful to be there before sunset. Go back to Belo sur Mer where we will be there after sunset in the dark.

D7 : Belo sur Mer
Free time in Belo sur Mer at a good hotel in front of the beach with possibility of walking-visit of the village in the afternoon if you want, to see this typical big western Vezo village which is specialist in the construction of dhows.

D8 : Belo sur Mer – Morondava
Go back to Morondava always by little typical motorized dug-out Vezo canoe. Possibility of walking-visit of the little town of Morondava with its market at the end of the afternoon if you want.

D9 : Morondava – Antsirabe
Full day drive back back to Antsirabe.

D10 : Antsirabe – Andasibe
Drive to the East through Tana, drive to Andasibe NP with visit on the way of THE BEST place to see chameleons in Madagascar ( a private Park with different species of chameleons, with different sizes of chameleons, and with different colors of chameleons ). These are the list of these chameleons :

- the Parson's chameleon
- the Elephant-eared chameleon
- the Panther chameleon
- the Giant Oustalet chameleon
- the Warty chameleon
- the Carpet chameleon or Jewel chameleon

And some species of the smallest chameleon in the world such as the Brookesia species ( the Leaf chameleon )

D11 : Andasibe – Pangalanes Canal
a.m. walking-visit of Andasibe National Park ( NP ) which is an evergreen tropical rainforest ; it's to see wildlife such as lemurs, including the biggest day lemur in the world : the Indri Indri and other species of lemurs. Then continuation drive to the East coast of Madagascar with a mini-cruise on little motorboat through lush and peaceful vegetation of the Pangalanes Canal at the end of the afternoon. At night excursion-walking-visit to see the VERY RARE nocturnal lemur : the Aye Aye ; it's the biggest nocturnal lemur in the world. These are the list of species of day lemur that you can see at Andasibe NP rainforest :

- the Indri indri
- the Diademed sifaka
- the Common brown lemur

D12 : Pangalanes Canal
a.m. walking-visit of an EXCELLENT private Park of lemurs ( one of THE BEST Park to see lemurs in Madagascar : the Palmarium ). A lot of species of lemurs in the wild in this private Park ; with vanilla plantation too and with very good vistas ; carnivorous plants ). Because this place is very peaceful and quiet, let's spend a free afternoon there with possibility of swimming at a beautiful not deep big lake surrounded by forest. Possibility of walk following the sandy lake shore. Possibilty of canoeing into another very quiet lake, or just relax.

D13 : Pangalanes Canal – Tana
Full day go back to Tana, with a little motorboat through lush and peaceful vegetation of the Pangalanes Canal first, then by car. Arrival in Tana at the end of the afternoon.

D14 : Tana
a.m. city tour by car and by foot like a local to visit the main town of Madagascar through the most authentic sights of the city : its stairs, its main Avenue, its vistas, the biggest market of Madagascar to know more about Malagasy people and Malagasy custom. Then transfer to Tana airport to catch your international flight.

PRICE for 2 people :

3450 Euros

What's INCLUDED :

- The 4WD vehicle with its driver and its fuel
- ALL means of transport mentioned in the itinerary ( such as the boat, the dug-out canoes, etc. )
- My presence as your private tour guide
- Parks fees and their compulsory local tour guides
- And all activities and visits mentioned in the Itinerary.

What's EXTRA
( that means NOT included in the price ) :

- Your international flights
- Your visa
- Your personal purchases and personal expenses ( phone calls, laundry, souvenirs, etc. )
- Your hotels
- Your breakfasts
- Your lunches
- Your dinners
- Your drinks
- And all activities and visits not mentioned in the Itinerary.

Estimated Cash Needed :
The breakfast is about 11 EUROS
per person per breakfast.

The lunch OR the dinner is about 22 EUROS
per person per meal, drinks included.

And the hotels if it's good and fairly-good mid-class hotels is about a total of 685 EUROS ( for 13 nights ).

But for fairly luxury hotels it can be about a total of 875 EUROS ( for 13 nights ).

You can do too this trip in more than 14 days with the extension to Sainte-Marie island or to Nosy Be island for beach, for beach activities and for relax.

I have worked in tourism in my country since ... 1993 till now as tour guide. So ... a lot of experiences ;-)

I love my country, Madagascar. I love public relations.
I love nature. I love people. I love trips.

These passions are what makes me good at my job. Thomas Peters said: « Success at work depends on passion ». I have passionate interest in tourism. And it's a pleasure for me to invite you to visit my wonderful country : Madagascar thank you.

For more details thank you to contact me at :

Loving Baobabs
( Morondava area )

The West area of Madagascar

has a dry climate and is characterised by wide plains, uninhabitated beaches, rolling hills and deciduous forests. The lack of roads is one of the attractions and is ideal for walkers. The tourism infrastructure is the least developed of the island. The West is a must for adventure travellers.

The two biggest towns in this area are MAHAJANGA which is the most beautiful town in Madagascar ( as for me, a town with full of charm and with the kindest people of the country ) and MORONDAVA. Both are coastal towns and both are the Sakalava kingdoms, the first for the Sakalava of Boina and the second for the Sakalava of Menabe. I've spent my childhood in Mahajanga, so I know the town very well. Hubert & Marie-Colette Dupuis were very satisfied of their trip in this big town ( where you can see the biggest baobab of Madagascar ) in 2008. Morondava is a strategic centre for visits to the baobab forests, to the famous Avenue of Baobabs and to the famous Tsingy of Bemaraha.

Clients' Testimonies after their trips in Madagascar :

• Ravo is a real professional guide, in a country where professionalism is sometimes lacking. He is good at planning a trip, and always seizes an opportunity when there is one. An example : once our small group of eight made a short train journey, just to get the feel of train travel in Mada - as the locals call Madagascar -. It was interesting to see how the arrival of the train shook up the quiet lives of the villagers who came to the station to sell their goods and to watch and be part of the conundrum. After the train journey our two drivers with their SUVs were to come and pick us up. As it happened, they were not there when we got out of the train. Flat tyre ? engine trouble ? out of petrol ? Who knows. To make good use of the time we had to wait, Ravo took us to a nearby health centre. We could see with our own eyes how this centre was lacking in even basic medical equipment. Ravo also seized the opportunity to explain us how heath care works ( or doesn't work ) in Mada, and what the different levels of health care consist of. Ravo is a very congenial man who is always friendly and who never loses his temper. I can recommend him to any possible visitor of the splendid Isle of Madagascar.
René Weemaels ( English teacher )
Laarheide 282 - 1650 Beersel - Belgium

• With 8 friends we toured for 3 weeks Madagascar from west to east. Ravo had organised the trip from A to Z and considering all the imponderables of travelling in Africa, it all turned out just great. What we particularly appreciated : his good humour and his resourcefulness under any circumstance. Just one example, the 8 of us being of unequal fitness, he always managed to find us several guides to walk us on different tracks through the various parks ( Tsingy, Isalo, Andringitra ) such that all of us would equally enjoy the journey, and we did. What to say more : try out Ravo, you won’t regret it, on the contrary, you’ll have not only a lifetime memory of a stunning country but a new ‘friend’.
Colette Billiard & Erik Segers ( Belgium )

• In « LinkedIn » another person has written :
Ravo did concoct us a customised journey to discover Madagascar. He listened to our wishes, gave us many suggestions before and during the tour. He’s very skilled and can adapt to all sorts of clients. We sincerely recommend to all those who would love to discover this big island to contact this outstanding guide.
Isabelle Burcheri & Emmanuel Leborgne ( Canada )

• In « ToursByLocals.com » :
Dear Ravo. Thank you so much. The tour has been really excellent. Your knowledge is fantastic and thanks for your patience and help with our requested focus on plants - you have really found great guides. Thanks for sharing 3 weeks on the road, a long time and lots of adventures but very rewarding and lots of fun ! We have learnt so much about the people, landscapes, plants and animals of Madagascar. Thanks for a wonderful itinerary.
Susan Wake & Mark Locquat ( New Zealand )