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When visitors arrive to Madagascar, they're often stunned by the
beautiful landscapes that await them. Those hoping to get up close and
personal with the wildlife will discover the lush habitats are home to
all the species they hope to spot, and almost everyone on Madagascar
tours can gain a new appreciation for the land itself. Madagascar is a
biodiversity hotspot, and over 80% of its plant and animal species can
only be found on the island. As the world's fourth-largest island,
visitors are often astonished by the range of different habitats and the
diversity of the landscape. Read on to discover a few of the mysteries
of Madagascar's unique landscape and climate.
Geography
There
are three broad geographical zones to be discovered on your Madagascar
tours. The highlands are on a plateau in the middle of the island that
reaches up to 4,500 feet above sea level, and are the most densely
populated region of Madagascar. The area is characterised by
rice-growing valleys lying between the hills. Erosion has exposed the
red soil here, which is from what Madagascar derives its nickname 'The
Red Island'. The second main region is a narrow and steep escarpment
that runs the length of the eastern coast, and contains most of the
island's tropical rain forest area. The third area is a wide, dry plain
which slopes between the boundaries of the western highlands towards the
Mozambique Channel.
Weather
The combination of the
south-eastern trade winds and the north-western monsoon winds produces a
hot, rainy season between November and April, and a relatively cooler
dry season between May and October, when many Madagascar tours arrive.
The climate is often tropical along the coast and temperate when you
venture further inland, while the south is dryer and a little more arid
than the rest of the island. Most rainfall lands on the eastern coast,
from the rain clouds that amass over the Indian Ocean; this has helped
the rainforest along the eastern coast to flourish.
Exploring
There
are plenty of places to explore on your journey across Madagascar. For
example, the Canal de Pangalanes which is a chain of man-made and
natural lakes connected by French canals just inland of the east coast..
The western and southern sides of the island, however, are home to
tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and even xeric scrublands, all of
which offer a dizzying variety of plant and animal life to observe on
your Madagascar tours.
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