Hiking in Andringitra

-->It seems like every time I go to write a blog post, I’m at a loss. Things here have become so “normal” for me that I find myself unable to express how different things actually are from that on the other side of the world. I’m looking forward to my family coming in a few weeks so that they are able to experience the madness that is Madagascar.

Thanksgiving was a few weeks ago and I went down to a city called Fianarantsoa to celebrate with some other volunteers. Afterwards, some of us continued further south to hike in a national park called Andringitra. The landscape changed immensely as we worked our way towards the park – the entrance is located a several hour hike from where the taxi-brousse dropped us off, which gives some indication of the level of isolation of the park, named for the mountain range that runs through it, as well as of the surrounding villages and people that live nearby. I have to admit; we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into, which in hindsight was probably a good thing. After staying at a campsite outside the park on our first day, we set out on a three-day trek to climb the highest accessible peak in Madagascar, Pic Boby.

The different landscapes as we made our way up the mountain were absolutely incredible. I think the pictures tell the story better than I can. The hike ended up being a stair climb for the most part, literally climbing up a mountain within a mountain range and then back down again which hurt even more. It was exhausting, and my body still felt the effects days later, but I can honestly say it was the most awe-inspiring hike I have ever experienced. One of the things that amazed me the most was how variable the landscape was, from what is called the “moonscape” to a green valley dotted with grazing cows that somehow climbed the mountain to sheer rock cliffs, which we zig-zagged our way up as we approached the peak. The climate got considerably colder as we made our way up the mountain, and the cool breeze was very welcome during the hot afternoons. We seemed to follow a mountain stream all the way up that was chillingly cold but incredibly refreshing after a few long days of hiking.

At the peak

Once we reached the top, we were at over 2500 meters, well above the clouds. Other than a few lizards, we were the only living creatures in sight. Supposedly, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Indian Ocean. The way down was considerably quicker, and upon arrival at the base camp we collapsed in accomplished exhaustion. A few days of travel later and I found myself back in Ampefy, as if the whole thing had been a dream if it weren’t for the stress that persisted in my knees.

I’ve now been back for almost a week and my mango addiction has officially been reignited with a vengeance. Peaches are also in season, but nothing quite compares to the lychee – they are everywhere, including in my backyard, and are so sweet and absolutely delicious. I’m discovering the perks of living in a tropical climate during the rainy season.