Choosing my next destination wasn’t exactly straightforward. I spent quite some time looking at and comparing potential destinations – itineraries, activities and, not least, the best time of year to visit. AI proved a useful sparring partner along the way, actually bringing up Madagascar as an option.

The more I looked into Madagascar, the more it stood out. There seemed to be very few places offering such an unusual combination of landscapes, wildlife and ecosystems. A country where you can walk among razor-sharp limestone pinnacles, explore dense rainforests, trek through rugged mountain scenery and encounter wildlife, much of which exists nowhere else on earth.

I wasn’t looking for another trip ticking off famous sights. I wanted an active adventure, discovery and something genuinely different. Madagascar seemed to have all the ingredients. Decision made. Time to go!

And here I was now – leaving the cooling October weather in Germany behind and making my way South – changing planes in Addis Ababa and on across the Indian Ocean to Madagascar. After a first night in Antananarivo (and meeting the group) the journey continued to the island’s west coast and Morondava.

The program here included a trip by pirogue – a traditional small boat – along the Canal Hellot and on into the mangrove forest. While there was very little to see in terms of fauna, the trip was a welcome change from all the travel and a good appetizer for what else was to come on this trip.

After a short cruise through the mangroves, we continued to the nearby village of Betania – a traditional fishing village where life is closely connected to the sea. A first opportunity to get a glimpse of everyday life in coastal Madagascar – quite different from what we are used to back home.

After returning by pirogue, we made it back to Morondava just in time for the next highlight of the day: sunset on the beach. All in all a pleasant way to round off our first proper day in Madagascar.