Ethiopian food is one of the world's most unique, fascinating and delicious cuisines. In addition to its flavorful traditional dishes, stews, and spices, Ethiopian cuisine also features a strong culture around how food is served and shared with friends and family.

This Ethiopian food guide drawn from our food-focused travels across the country includes an extensive list of traditional Ethiopian dishes to try, how to eat Ethiopian food, and what sort of flavors and spices might you find when you visit Ethiopia or an Ethiopian restaurant at home.

When we headed to Ethiopia, I went packing with high expectations of the food. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ethiopian food fresh out of university.

In Washington, D.C., just new to world cuisine, I clearly recall my first pull of a round stretchy pancake-like injera bread, beautifully colored mounds of what looked to me like curries, and a massive circular tin plate from which we all grabbed and chowed down.

The flavors and communal style of eating was cool and unusual, like nothing I had experienced before. I wanted to learn more.

After praising Ethiopian food upon our return from our trip to Ethiopia, I was surprised by how little awareness seemed to exist not only of Ethiopian dishes, but also of the distinct existence of the cuisine itself. This was even among some friends I consider well-traveled and food aware.

This isn’t terribly surprising. After all, how often do you hear someone raving about and posting photos of cuisine from sub-Saharan Africa?

With its rich, spicy stews and diversity of flavors, Ethiopian food surely qualifies as one the world’s great stand-alone cuisines.

Considering the country’s history and geography, particularly in situ, it makes sense. The cuisine follows the culture, formed and informed by millennia of trade and exchange with the Middle East, Asia and the Mediterranean. Amidst this storm of positive culinary influence, acquired spices blend with Ethiopia’s indigenous ingredients.

And, poof! You get Ethiopian food, a unique table befitting the context.

Here’s what we discovered about Ethiopian food during our time traveling in the country: from the basic ingredients and spices that make the cuisine so unique to some of our favorite Ethiopian foods, traditional dishes and drinks.

Let’s dig in!

Note: This post was originally published on June 27, 2014 and updated on August 20, 2022.

How to Eat Ethiopian Food

Eating Ethiopian food is a social event, a shared experience that includes everyone around the table and usually involves eating with ones hands thanks to the use of injera (Ethiopian bread) as a sort of utensil. This is not only delicious but also a shocking amount of fun!

Injera (Ethiopian Bread)

Ethiopian food without injera might be considered heresy by Ethiopians. This spongy pancake-like flatbread made from fermented tef (a gluten-free grain indigenous to Ethiopia) is fundamental to every Ethiopian meal.

Injera features a slightly sour flavor that comes from the fermentation of its primary ingredient, a grain called tef. Although we enjoy eating injera, for some it may be an unusual, if not acquired, taste. The tangy flavor, however, seems well-designed to complement the flavors found in Ethiopian stews.

In traditional Ethiopian restaurants and homes you’ll often find circles of injera rolled out like a natural plate, atop which are arranged a smattering of spicy stews, cooked vegetables and salads (see Mixed Platters below). Although the presentation may appear similar to that of an Indian thali, the flavors and style is uniquely Ethiopian.

Injera is meant to be eaten with your hands. Tear off a small bit with your right hand (as in many countries, eating with one's left hand is a no-no in Ethiopia) and scoop bits of the stews and various dishes into it, forming a bite sized food parcel and gingerly tuck it into your mouth.

Don’t feel embarrassed if you get some of the stew or sauce on your fingers in the process – it’s natural and is part of the fun. Tempted though you may be to lick your fingers, know that Ethiopians don't care for that practice, either.

Injera tip to beat all injera tips: the best bits of injera are the spice- and sauce-infused patches underneath the piles of stew on the tray!

Restaurants will usually bring out baskets full of additional napkin-rolled injera rounds. One thing is almost certain in Ethiopia – you'll never ever have to worry about running out of injera during a meal!

It's unlikely you'll ever emerge hungry from a meal with lots of injera, as it fills the stomach for hours. After a big lunch in Ethiopia, it's rare that we ate a full dinner later in the day, if we ate at all.

Ethiopian Mixed Platters: Meat and Vegetarian

The best place to begin with Ethiopian food is to order a mixed platter – meat, vegetarian, or both — so that you can sample a variety of stews (wats) and dishes at one sitting. Although the mounds delivered to your table may individually appear small, collectively the portions are often staggeringly large. We recommend sharing a plate with others so you don't feel overwhelmed or overeat.

Although some dishes may appear regularly in mixed platters, the ones that comprise yours will likely be based on whatever happens to be cooked fresh that day. Always a tasty surprise!

Maheberawi (Meat Mixed Platter)

Ethiopian meat-based mixed platters usually combine several stews like key wat (beef stew), tibs (lamb, beef or goat cubes cooked with nitter kibeh and herbs like rosemary), and kitfo (raw ground beef). We highly recommend ordering one of these and sharing it with at least two to three people.

Yetsom Beyaynetu (Vegetarian Mixed Platter)

Also known as a fasting platter, yetsom beyaynetu is a mixed vegetarian platter that usually includes several types of lentil and split pea stews (e.g., misir wat, alecha kik or mesir kik) with kale (gomen) and a spicy tomato stew (sils). Talk about a vegetarian – if not a vegan — dream.

Yetsom Beyaynetu is usually available in restaurants in Ethiopia on Wednesday and Friday when practicing Orthodox Ethiopians (the majority of the population) forego meat and dairy products. These dishes are also readily available during the fasting periods before Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas and Easter.

Bigger restaurants that are more accustomed to foreigners may offer a vegetarian fasting plate every day, while smaller local restaurants may not.

Traditional Ethiopian Meat Dishes

Doro Wat (Chicken Stew)

This rich chicken stew is one of Ethiopia’s most famous dishes. We were told that when an Ethiopian girl wants to marry, she has to make doro wat for her fiancé’s family as a demonstration of her culinary proficiency and thus worthiness to be chosen as a wife. While this traditional cooking exam may still hold in rural areas, it is quickly dying out in Ethiopian cities.

Doro wat takes time to make, which is why in Ethiopia it is often only served during holidays and on special occasions. Because it is so tasty, it's a staple in Ethiopian restaurants around the world. It involves slow cooking red onions, berbere spice and chicken parts for hours, until just the right consistency and blend of flavors has been achieved.

We were fortunate to enjoy a home-cooked version of doro wat at our guide’s friend’s girlfriend’s house. Though the connection was tenuous and the meal difficult to photograph, the taste was wonderful.

Doro wat may be difficult to find at restaurants in Ethiopia due to the amount of time it takes to prepare, but it is worth the extra effort to seek it out. Ask your guide, other locals and hotel or restaurant staff well in advance of your meal and they may be able to point you in the direction of where to find it. If it’s not on a restaurant’s standard menu, ask if you can pre-order it for that night or for the following day.

Minchet (Spicy Ground Beef Stew)

Quite often our favorite meat dish, minchet is often placed at the center of a maheberawi (mixed meat plate). This ground meat stew is made from simmered red onions blended with ground beef and berbere. It’s often served topped with a boiled egg or two. Apparently you can ask for a low-spice version, too.

Key Wat (Spicy Beef Stew)

Similar to minchet, but made with meat chunks instead of minced meat. Also served with a boiled egg on top, in the middle of a mixed plate.

Tibs (Stir-Fried Meat)

Cubes of meat (beef, lamb or goat) stir-fried with onions, peppers and other vegetables in niter kibbeh. Quite often, twigs of rosemary or other herbs are added to it. Tibs can also be served spicy with some berbere thrown in. A simple and unassuming dish that's got more flavor than you would imagine.

Gomen Be Sega (Meat with Vegetables)

Beef or lamb simmered in copious amounts of niter kibbeh with collard greens and other vegetables like carrots, cabbage and onions. On the occasions we tried gomen be sega, the meat was tough but the vegetables were absolute perfection thanks to the blended flavor of the meat and spiced clarified butter.

Kitfo

Kifto, raw lean ground beef blended with berbere, is another signature dish of Ethiopia. Think of it as the Ethiopian version of the French raw beef steak tartare. As such, visitors will earn bonus points from locals for eating this. Before you judge kitfo and yell “OMG, raw meat in Ethiopia!”, we suggest you give it try. You may look at eating raw meat – and doing so in Ethiopia — in a whole new light.

Gored Gored

Raw meat fine dining at its best. Gored gored features raw cubes of the highest quality beef warmed slightly in spiced Ethiopian butter (niter kibbeh) and turned with berbere spice. Even if you try kitfo and decide that raw meat is not for you, we recommend that you still give gored gored a try. When done well, it’s a spectacularly flavored and textured dish.

Fir-Fir (or Fit-Fit)

Made of sliced pieces of injera turned in berbere sauce or leftover wat, fir-fir is a traditional and hearty (some may say heavy) way to start your day.

Kolo (Roasted Barley)

Kolo became our go-to beer snack at the end of the day. It’s often served mixed with peanuts and other seeds or nuts. Hearty and healthy, it pairs nicely with a St. George beer at the end of a long day.

Traditional Ethiopian Vegetarian Dishes

Ethiopian food can be very vegetarian and vegan friendly since it features a selection of standard vegetarian dishes that you'll find available at almost every Ethiopian restaurant.

Vegetarians and vegans traveling to Ethiopia should consider visiting just prior to Orthodox Easter and Orthodox Christmas as you will be virtually guaranteed to find vegetarian food everywhere at this time. During these periods, more strict Ethiopians observe a fast and forgo meat and dairy products for upwards of 50 days.

Fasting plates served during these periods are terrifically delicious, and may not always be available in restaurants during non-fasting periods — particularly when locals are ravenous for meat, just after the conclusion of the fast.

Shiro (Chickpea Stew)

Both a fast food and a fasting food, shiro is a vegetarian stew made from chickpea flour mixed with berbere and other spices. It can be served either thick (tagamino) or thin (feses). Although shiro often serves as the center of a yetsom beyaynetu fasting plate, you’ll also find it served on its own. For vegetarians, this is reliable and widely available.

Mesir Wat (Red Lentil Stew) and Kik Wat (Split Pea Stew)

A rich and spicy red lentil stew, mesir wat was among our favorite staples on a fasting plate. Made with sautéed onions, berbere, cardamom and other spices, misir wat is the ultimate vegetarian comfort food.

A similarly styled stew made with split peas is called kik wat.

Kik Alicha (Split Pea Stew)

A non-spicy split pea stew made with turmeric, kik alicha helps balance out all the other flavors and spice on an Ethiopian plate. Although kik alicha does not pack a lot of heat, it still features a lot of flavor.

Gomen (Kale or Collard Greens)

Gomen is a simple, flavorful dish made from kale (or collard greens), onions, niter kibbeh and other spices sauteed and simmered together. Gomen made a regular appearance on vegetarian platters and is a welcome addition amongst all those lentils and beans.

Sils (Tomato Stew)

A savory tomato stew made from blended roasted onions, tomatoes, and berbere, sils provides a one-part tart and one-part sweet balance to the greens and beans on a vegetarian platter.

If you tire of injera and traditional food and order pasta in Ethiopia, it’s likely that sils will form the base of your pasta’s red sauce. A unique and roasted twist on Italian pasta sauce.

Ethiopian Spices, Seasonings, and Hot Sauces

If you enjoy heat like we do then you'll enjoy the spices and that are fundamental to Ethiopian cuisine. And, if you'd like to further spice your Ethiopian meal here are a couple of additional spice condiment items to consider requesting at an Ethiopian restaurant. Not only will your food be spicier, but you’ll also likely impress or puzzle your hosts with the request.

Berbere

The signature red spice mound that delivers magic to most Ethiopian stews, berbere is composed of ground semi-spicy chili peppers (which themselves are called berbere to further confuse) mixed with upwards of 20 individual herbs, spices and ingredients including garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, and fenugreek.

Mitmita

Mitmita is another core spice blend composed of chili peppers (smaller and hotter than berbere), cardamom seed, cloves and salt. While mitmita is often turned in meat dishes to add an extra kick during the cooking process, it's also used as a condiment to lend some additional heat to the meal on one's plate.

Niter Kibbeh

Niter kibbeh, a spiced clarified butter similar to Indian ghee, is one of Ethiopia’s secret, magic ingredients that we all ought to know more about. It's also pure culinary fusion inspiration.

Niter kibbeh is made by cooking butter together with a raft of ingredients including onions, garlic and ginger and spices like fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. After a long simmer, the solids are then strained away from the concoction leaving a delicious clarified butter that adds both richness and distinction to most Ethiopian dishes, especially tibs (stir-fried meat), wats (stews), and gored gored (raw beef).

Awazi

A typical and traditional dark red spice sauce made of berbere blended with water or oil. In traditional Ethiopian restaurants unaccustomed to tourists, it’s typical for this to be served automatically with your meal. In Ethiopian restaurants that cater more to tourists, you may have to ask for it.

Da'ta

A thick, pulverized chili topping. We came across a red chili variety and a green variety that tasted like a blend of Ethiopian low-heat green chilis and green herbs.

Da'ta is especially good if you’d like to spice up western food (e.g., pasta) when you’re taking a break from traditional Ethiopian fare.

Ethiopian Coffee and Coffee Ceremonies

Coffee in Ethiopia, the land where it was first discovered, is a treat not only because the quality of the coffee is very high, but also because its preparation is careful and elaborate.

Regardless of whether you take your coffee in a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony or from an Italian espresso machine (a legacy of the short Italian occupation of Ethiopia during World War II), you are likely to be pleasantly surprised.

A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony will likely take at least twenty minutes from start to finish for the first cup of coffee, but it is worth the wait. It begins with your host, always a woman, roasting raw green coffee beans in a pan over a small charcoal oven.

When the beans have finished roasting, your host will bring the pan to each person present so that he may enjoy the aroma. At the same time, she'll light some frankincense to purify and clear the air. Popcorn is usually served as a snack.

The boiled water and freshly ground coffee beans are mixed together in a jebena, a traditional coffee pot, and a magic process — one that only the host knows to ensure a perfect cup of strong coffee — ensues. The coffee is then poured gracefully into small, handleless cups.

Traditionally, a full coffee ceremony involves three rounds of coffee that proceed from strong (abol) to medium (tona) to weak (baraka), with the final round considered as bestowing a blessing on the coffee drinker.

Coffee ceremonies serve an important social function beyond the actual coffee consumed. Our guide told us that women in the community used to gather each afternoon for a coffee ceremony that takes several hours to finish, thereby ensuring ample time to discuss all news and family issues. Coffee meetings such as these rotate from house to house in a community group, so as to give each of the hosts a break.

Ethiopian Drinks

Tej (Honey Wine or Mead)

An Ethiopian local specialty, tej is a honey wine featuring varying degrees of sweetness. The first batch we tried was almost like a dessert wine (our guide called it “the children’s version”). We took our second taste of a cloudy, earthy and higher alcohol tej in a tej betoch (honey wine house) at Torpedo Tejbet nightclub in Lalibela.

Tej is usually served in a rounded vase-like or beaker-like glass container called a berele. Although it’s typical to order one berele per person, drinker beware if you manage to finish it all.

Tella

A traditional Ethiopian beer made from tef, barley, maize or other grains blended with a green herb called gesho. Tella is usually brewed at home. You'll often find it in grimy, nondescript plastic bottles lurking in the doorways of local homes. Alcohol concentrations vary widely.

Araki

During one of our monster lunch Ethiopian food gorging sessions, I asked Fekadu, our guide: “What do Ethiopians do when they get an upset stomach?”

His response without skipping a beat: “We take a shot of araki.”

Araki is essentially the Ethiopian version of grappa (firewater or moonshine, if you like). If the name sounds like Greek raki or Balkan rakia, that’s because it’s likely descended from or related to the Mediterranean distilled spirits of a similar name.

It’s made from gesho leaves and features an alcohol level of around 45%. No wonder it is good for an upset stomach. It likely kills anything in its path, bacteria included.

Ethiopian Beer

Talk to anyone who likes a beer about their experience in Ethiopia and they might wax long about St. George beer. It’s not an incredible beer — and there are certainly other, more complex beers for those who search — but it is tasty enough, particularly after a long day of rock-hewn church hopping.

Be sure to check out the St. George beer label in detail. It’s one of the more colorful and notable beer labels in this part of the world.

Other Ethiopian beers in order of our preference include Dashen, Bedele, Castel, Harar and Meta.

Ethiopian Wine

Ethiopia makes wine? Turns out that it does. We had no idea, either.

Although some Ethiopian wines are unimpressive — sweet and appropriate for aperitif drinking (e.g., Axumit) — it’s rumored that French winemakers have been brought on board to help.

If the oak aged Rift Valley Syrah 2013 (of Castel Winery) is any indication of the future, the situation for Ethiopian wine is looking up. This wine is drinkable straight out of the bottle (or aired for a bit) on its own or paired with doro wat, mesir wat or shiro.

Less remarkable, though still good, is the Rift Valley Merlot 2013.

Although restaurants and hotels may sell these wines at the equivalent of $15/bottle, we were able to find each of them at approximately $7 from a night club in Lalibela. It never hurts to ask.

Recommended Restaurants in Ethiopia

Kategna Restaurant, Addis Ababa: Highly recommended for gored gored as the meat is high quality and the flavor is incredibly delicious. The maheberawi (mixed meat platter) and gomen be segawere also spot on.

Lake Shore Restaurant, Bahir Dar: The best place (or us) in Ethiopia for kitfo. It also helped that this was Easter day so the meat was incredibly fresh and rolling out of the kitchen as if it were going out of style. Also recommended for maheberawi (mixed meat platter).

Four Sisters Restaurant, Gondar: The best yetsom beyaynetu (vegetarian mixed platter) we ate in Ethiopia. The staff may encourage the buffet as all the vegetarian dishes are there as well, but if you order the fasting plate straight from the menu it is cheaper and prettier, and still quite plentiful.

Seven Olives Restaurant, Lalibela: Some of the best gomen be sega in the country and runner up for yetsom beyaynetu.

Ethiopian Coffee at Tomoca, Addis Ababa: If you are looking for a truly outstanding espresso or macchiato, this is the place to go. This unassuming coffee roaster and café features a decor of a bygone era and serves up an incredibly rich brew at the hands of a couple masterful baristas. It's also a good place to purchase whole bean or ground Ethiopian coffee to take home as gifts.

Conclusion

Ethiopian food demonstrates that we are a product of cultural and culinary evolution. A blend of influences, experiments and vessels carrying flavors that were once unknown.

If you’d like some homework, we have a suggestion: find an Ethiopian restaurant near you, gather together some friends and go. Order a mixed platter, sample widely and marvel at the injera bread with your eyes and mouth.

This will inspire you to travel to Ethiopia one day.

Melkam megeb! (መልካም ምግብ)

Other Food Guides You Might Enjoy

The post Ethiopian Food: A Culinary Guide to What to Eat and Drink appeared first on Uncornered Market.

What is Madagascar food? Or more correctly, Malagasy food? Which dishes should you seek out and what sort of flavors and spices might you find when you visit the country?

Before traveling to Madagascar, we knew little about its cuisine and what sort of food we would find. Then we sought out food in restaurants and local eateries called hotelys, in markets and street food stands, and in a village homestay. With this approach, undertones and influences came through.

Madagascar’s food reflects the country’s cultural diversity. It is influenced by France via its colonial history, by Austronesia (e.g., Indonesia and Malaysia region) through its origins, and East Asia, the Middle East, and the Bantu countries of East Africa through centuries of migration and trading.

These influences show themselves in terraced rice fields, spices like vanilla and pepper, and roots and tubers. Toss in copious fruits and vegetables and a sprawling coastline of the world’s fourth largest island and you have the makings of a culinary surprise.

Here’s a small taste of Madagascar food to keep as a guide when you travel through this fascinating and unusual destination.

When in Madagascar, eat as the Malagasy people eat. Let’s go!

The following Madagascar food experiences, meals and learnings are drawn from our G Adventures Highlights of Madagascar tour that took us around the eastern and southern parts of Madagascar. This tour is part of the Jane Goodall Collection of travel experiences focused on wildlife and conservation. Disclosure: This trip was provided to us conjunction with our long-term partnership with G Adventures.

Traditional Madagascar Food and Dishes

Zebu (Beef)

If you enjoy meat, you’ll find yourself in good stead in Madagascar. Zebu, the local breed of humped cow is everywhere across the landscape and in restaurants. For the most part, its meat is tasty and tender when served. You can find it served as a filet, grilled (aka, brochettes or skewers), or stewed for hours in one of the traditional dishes below, or in the French-inspired favorites further along in this piece.

Romazava

Romazava is the over-the-top national dish of meat (typically made of beef, but it can also feature different types of meat) turned in a sauce of tomato, garlic, ginger and stewed mixed greens. The meat is typically braised for hours so that it is tender and falls apart.

Ravitoto

While the name ravitoto suggests something complicated and exotic, it’s essentially mashed cassava (manioc) leaves. This dark-green spinach-like dish of greens can be served straight-up vegetarian, as it is when turned with coconut milk and some spices.

However, it is traditionally stewed together with meat, as in ravitoto with pork, which offers a very tasty, balanced contrast between the slightly bitter cassava greens and the richness of the meat.

Tilapia à la Malagasy

Tilapia served “Malagasy-style” means a fish cooked in a sauce made from tomatoes, greens (watercress), onions, garlic, ginger and other herbs and flavors. The resulting fish is tender, and the flavors spot on.

Laoka

Laoka is any side dish which is technically to be served alongside rice. Often times, laoka are vegetarian. However, vegetarians be aware and diligent that they may often contain meat or salted fish. You’ll just have to ask.

Laoka are typically sauced or stewed with a traditional blend of Madagascar flavor staples such as tomato, ginger, turmeric, garlic, onion, or even vanilla.

READ MORE: Madagascar Experiential Travel Guide: 25 Experiences to Get You Started

Vegetarian Dishes in Madagascar

Madagascar has no shortage of vegetables that grow heartily. Just take a look at its markets. Although many Malagasy families will eat vegetarian food at home most days because meat is so expensive and valuable, it can sometimes be heard to find vegetarian food at restaurants as the assumption is that when you go out you want to eat meat. But, don't despair.

There are several standard vegetarian dishes that you can almost always find on the menu. The vegetarians in our group always found something on the menu to eat, and it was usually pretty tasty at that. In addition to vegetarian ravitoto and vegetarian chopped vegetable laoka side dishes, vegetarians in Madagascar ought to also keep an eye out or ask for the following dishes.

Lasary

Vegetarians traveling in Madagascar ought to commit this term to memory. The Malagasy term lasary essentially implies vegetables. In menus or on the table, it means pickled vegetables or mixed sautéed vegetables served with rice.

Lasary Voatabia is one of the more popular versions of lasary that you’ll find on the table, typically served as a side. Vegetarians take note: you can always request it from the kitchen. It’s essentially a Malagasy version of tomato salsa, but dashed with chopped parsley. Always tasty and fresh.

Madagascar beans

Though they may not be called out as “Madagascar beans”, you will often find a bean dish (typically mixed white bean or Madagascar lima beans) on the menu. Beans are often served simmered soft and savory. Although they'll often be served heaping on the plate, consider ordering them as a side or pairing with some other vegetables.

Minsao (Misao)

Minsao, as it name suggests, is a Chinese-Malagasy fusion found on most restaurant menus. Minsao is another good go-to dish for vegetarians traveling in Madagascar as it is essentially ramen noodles stir-fried with vegetables. Meat eaters can opt to add beef, pork or chicken.

READ MORE: How Your Travels in Madagascar Can Support Conservation and Communities

Importance of Rice in Madagascar Food

When I asked our taxi driver from the airport about food in Madagascar his first response was “Rice!”

Sensing my confusion, he continued, “Most Malagasy people eat rice two times a day, sometimes three. Meat, vegetables, beans, and other foods go with the rice. But, rice is very important. Maybe most important.”

As you make your way across the country, and in particular across the rice terrace decorated highlands, this will come as no surprise. The word for “to eat a meal” in the Malagasy language is literally “to eat rice.”

In traditional Malagasy cuisine you’ll find that rice forms the center of the plate. Meat, cooked or pickled vegetables, and other sides are then served with and around it.

Madagascar Hot Sauces

Sakay (Madagascar hot sauce)

Malagasy dishes are themselves rarely served hot or spicy. We found this somewhat surprising given the range of spices and hot peppers in markets.

So where did all that spice go? It ends up as a side dish or condiment in something called sakay.

If you enjoy spice and heat, you must ask for it by name, or ask for it more generically as hot sauce. Every restaurant ought to have its own home-made version of sakay, the orange-hued chili-ginger-garlic hot sauce.

Without exception, all versions of sakay we tasted were on fire. Spoon and sprinkle sparingly.

Achard

In the tradition of what some might recognize as Indian pickle, achard features green mango or vegetables marinated in blend of spices. It is said to have come by way of influences from the island nation of Réunion. Counter-intuitive to this geographic arc, it is often found in the northwestern parts of Madagascar.

French Cuisine in Madagascar

Although we were aware that Madagascar was a former French colony, we were still surprised by the influence of French cuisine in the country. This impact on the Malagasy table was found not only in the appearance of bakeries churning out baguettes and French pastries everywhere in the country, but also in how many restaurants across the spectrum served variations on savory French classics.

Zebu au Poivre Vert

Many restaurants offer French-inspired sauces like poivre vert (green pepper) or tangy mustard sauce to go with your zebu filet. We found both of these sauces consistently tasty. This should not come as a surprise. When you visit local markets, you’ll find heaps and bunches of fresh, green pepper pods.

Magret de Canard and Confit de Canard

Given both the French colonial influence and how prolific ducks are across the countryside, it all fits. Two very traditional French dishes – roasted duck breast and slow-cooked, preserved duck – can also be found in regular rotation in Madagascar. Both dishes proved solid and tasty each of the times we tried them.

Foie Gras

Yes, the tradition of foie gras (duck liver pate) lives on in Madagascar. We were surprised as well. Our final meal in the country, taken at Sakamanga in the capital of Antananarivo, featured it. When we noted on the menu that the home-made foie gras recipe had been used for 28 years, we couldn’t resist. It was the real deal and surprisingly good.

Madagascar Seafood

Once you get close to the coast, we recommend you switch to a fish and seafood-focused diet. Food along the coastline typically features whatever the local fishing boats happened to catch that day. Fish is often served grilled whole or as a filet, and also in skewered cubes (brochettes). Seafood is often served grilled or fried, and also in specialties like lobster with vanilla sauce.

If squid, prawns, or lobster interests you, the restaurants along the beach in Ifaty will keep you busy. Food is fresh, and the grilled flavor is hard to beat. Nearby Toliara also has some great options for seafood, especially at Le Jardin de Giancarlo (more on this in our Madagascar Experiential Travel Guide).

Popular Snacks in Madagascar

Mofo and Mofo Anana

The most delightful of all snacks in Madagascar are called mofo, the country’s signature savory spiced beignet fritters. Though you can find these in markets, in street stalls, and in hotelys and restaurants, the best versions we tasted were served as a late afternoon snack at the Arc-en-Ciel homestay in Fiadanana village not far from Antsirabe.

There, we tasted mofo anana (literally, leafy green bread), bread fritters with leafy green strips and spices. The closest comparison I could make is to a pakora, the spiced Indian fritter. The mofo anana were served alongside mofo voatavo, or pumpkin beignet fritters, a variation which offered contrast to the savory. The latter were especially decadent when dosed with a bit of condensed milk on top.

Market and Supermarket Snacks

When buying snacks at supermarkets, give the spotted taro root “elephant ear” chips a try. Fried plantain chips are also a favorite. You’ll also find an ample supply of peanuts and cashews everywhere you go.

Street food stands sell small fried samosas and spring rolls. Just be sure that they are fresh and hot. Otherwise, make certain you have a strong stomach.

Madagascar Desserts and Sweets

Not surprisingly, many of the best desserts in Madagascar use local fruit as their base.

Mofo Akondro (Banana Beignets or Banana Fritters)

In markets, hot banana fritter beignets straight from the stove are among the most delightful (read: fattening) and hygienically safest treats. Eat them when they are hot!

Flambée

Banana and pineapple flambées are an entertaining experience. A slice of fruit is often further sweetened, doused in local rum, lit on fire, and sometimes topped with sprinkled cinnamon. Whatever you do, make sure all the rum burns off, as it’s often cheap and not of sipping/drinking quality.

Koba Akondro (Steamed banana and peanut cake)

Koba akondro is a dense steamed cake made with rice flour, crushed peanuts, bananas and a molasses-type sweetener. Its density and texture is the result of steaming in banana leaves. It’s typically steamed in cake rolls or logs, then sliced for serving.

You’ll find it in markets and on streets, as we did in Antsirabe. Ask for a small slice at the market as the cake is quite dense and rich.

Crepes (Pancakes)

Taking another page out of the French colonial cookbook, many restaurants in Madagascar serve crepes as dessert. These are typically filled with bananas or other local fruit, then drizzled in chocolate sauce. This is another traveler favorite.

Madagascar Chocolate

It turns out that Madagascar is a major producer of cacao, too. All manner of Madagascar chocolate is worth a taste. What we found worked best was teaming up with others in a group so each person bought something different and we could sample as many chocolate bars as possible. You can find the higher quality chocolate at larger, more formal grocery stores.

Among our favorites was the Tsara Ecláts de Fèves Chocolate, a 63% chocolate dusted with cacao and sea salt flecks.

You might also want to try a piece of 100% chocolate, just for the experience. But be sure to bring a few gallons of water to share and chase it with.

Buying Madagascar Vanilla Beans and Spices

Madagascar is the world’s largest producer of vanilla bean, with most farms and production concentrated in the north end of island. Madagascar also produces many other sweet and savory spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, and clove.

Where to find Madagascar Vanilla Beans

When buying vanilla (available in dried beans or moist beans) to take home, consult your guide on where along your trip you’ll find the highest quality-price ratio. Upon recommendation, we bought ours outside our hotel in Ranomafana National Park and paid 20,000 (about $6) for three packets of vanilla beans.

Prices start much higher. Bargaining is welcome, but up to a certain point.

If you’re about the leave the country and you still don’t have your stash of vanilla beans, head to the main market in Antananarivo. There, you’ll find people selling packets of vanilla beans. The prices were a bit higher than in Ranomafana, but not by much.

Buying black pepper and other spices in Madagascar

Just about every market in the country features a stand or two with piles of spices so you can just select from there.

At Analakely Market in Antananarivo, tables are stacked high with everything, including fresh green pepper pods, black pepper, mixed pepper, cloves, and chili peppers. Be sure to look out for Madagascar 4-spice, a blend of black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, and coriander.

There’s also a big Indian spice store in Toliara filled with locally sourced spices and pepper corns.

Drinks in Madagascar

Coffee and Tea in Madagascar

Madagascar coffee is generally decent, though it may not quite live up to the strength and style of your favorite coffeehouse back home. It's usually made with a cloth bag filter or strainer. Often, condensed milk is served with coffee instead of regular milk.

Tea in Madagascar is often a better, more unique bet. Try various flavors to see what suits you. The most notable flavor we tasted was citronella tea. A little strong, but certainly distinct.

Madagascar Beer

THB (Three Horses Beer) is a decent lager that you’ll find just about everywhere. Beware that Three Horses Beer “Fresh” is a very low alcohol shandy.

Madagascar Rum

Many restaurants and bars will feature a lineup of bottles or jugs of rum infused with vanilla, various fruits, jasmine, and ginger, among others. A small glass is usually inexpensive and surprisingly good. But, be careful…it's potent stuff.

The locally available Dzama Rhum, even in its less expensive versions like Cuvée Noire (as in $2-$3 for a small bottle), is a surprisingly good rum to be consumed straight. This served as an “aperitif” for our group on several occasions.

If our experience is any measure, be careful about any big swigs of homemade local rum at markets sold out of random bottles. It’s often stiff and akin to the kerosene-quality rum used to top flambées.

Disclosure: G Adventures sponsored our Highlights of Madagascar tour. This trip is conjunction with our cooperation in G Adventures' Wanderers Program. Check out this article for all the different G Adventures tours we've taken and recommend. As always, the thoughts contained herein — the what, the why, and the how — are entirely our own.

The post Madagascar Food: A Culinary Travel Guide appeared first on Uncornered Market.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your travels can make a difference, here's a case study from our recent trip to Madagascar. It shows just how tourism can support conservation, sustainability and community development.

In Madagascar we witnessed an environment under pressure from deforestation, expanding population and poverty. At the same time, we visited lemur-loaded rainforests and parks whose preservation is motivated in good part by the economic potential of tourism — a potential which enables animals and ecosystems to be worth more alive than dead.

Considering that 80-90% of Madagascar's wildlife and plant species cannot be found anywhere else in the world, the island’s 110 species of lemur are only the beginning. In this mega-diverse (a technical term, in fact) country, there are dazzling chameleons, hissing cockroaches, ancient baobab tree species, glowing frogs, and medicinal plants that seem to cure everything.

Yet as we celebrate that beauty and diversity and the incredible travel experiences one can have there, we must also give ink to Madagascar’s challenges and struggles.

Those challenges offer context as to why travel and tourism, when done right, can have such a positive impact.

Madagascar's Challenges…and a Look to Sustainable Tourism and Conservation

Depending upon the criteria one uses, Madagascar stands between the 5th and 10th poorest country in the world. Access to clean water and adequate nutrition is a challenge for much of the population. Deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture and desertification remain huge problems.

Habitat depletion is a threat to lemurs, the most endangered primates in the world, and to other endemic wildlife and plant species. In the not-so-long term, these environmental problems also post an existential threat to the people living there.

Our aim is not to be negative here, but instead offer a realistic view and context. This is perhaps best summarized by: “Madagascar is a rich country [in terms of natural resources], but it is filled with poor people.”

We heard this sentiment echoed by several Malagasy people we encountered on our journey.

It would be naive to think that sustainable tourism can solve all the environmental, economic, educational and social problems in Madagascar. There are broader, interconnected issues across societal and economic dimensions.

However, during our G Adventures tour in Madagascar we visited innovative community-driven conservation projects and organizations registering a positive impact on the local level. They did so not only in terms of conservation, reforestation and increasing animal populations, but also in providing income generation opportunities and investment in education and health initiatives.

Money from tourism — travelers taking tours that choose these experiences and organizations — makes this happen and helps keeps these organizations sustainable.

Micro to macro. Local to regional. Regional to national.

According to the Lemur Conservation Network:

Many conservationists agree that ecotourism is the number one thing that can ensure the survival of lemurs in Madagascar. The local Malagasy people need to see that lemurs are more valuable alive than dead. Tourists will come to see lemurs in the wild.

When travelers align their travel and purchasing decisions with their values — choosing tours, activities, itineraries, and experiences that support animal conservation and community development — positive change can happen.

Here are a few ways travelers can do that in Madagascar.

How Tourism in Madagascar Can Support Conservation and Communities

Book a Walk at a Community Park

Our experience around the world tells us that conservation efforts which don’t engage local communities and actively ignore local economic realities do not work in the long run.

That’s where the model of the community parks in Madagascar aims to operate a little differently, combining the goals of sustainable conservation with the local interest of community development.

Recommended Community Parks in Madagascar

Here are some of the Madagascar community parks we visited on our tour, that we can recommend. At each community park an authorized guide is required to take you around. In addition, an advance team of spotters helps find where the animals are hanging out that day.

This system provides additional employment and income for the local community and connects them to the activity and to tourists.

Anja Community Park

Anja Community Park offers one the best opportunities to see ring-tail lemurs in Madagascar. It wasn’t always this way.

Nore, our local guide at Anja Community Park, explained that when the community park began in 1999, much of the forest in the area had been destroyed through slash and burn agricultural practices. The approach of the community park was to begin by planting trees in order to expand the forest and to put a stop to lemur hunting. The aim: to grow lemur populations to attract travelers to the area to see the wildlife.

The result, less than 20 years later?

The ring-tail lemur population has grown from 20 to over 400 thanks to their reforestation and conservation efforts. And it offers an outstanding lemur encounter for travelers. It’s outrageous, actually.

The lemurs were playful and fun, jumping over us, around us, between us. They were clearly in the wild, in their element, in their habitat. But they had grown to trust and understand that humans were no longer a threat.

In addition, Anja Community Park involves over 600 people from the community to work as guides, scouts, cooks and other service providers. Profits from selling tours and guided tourist walks are reinvested into the community. The proceeds aren’t only for reforestation and animal conservation efforts, but also for environmental education, secondary school construction, health clinic maintenance, and other local projects.

V.O.I.M.M.A Community Park

This place will always have a special spot in our hearts; it was the first location where we came face to face with lemurs.

At V.O.I.M.M.A. the local community of around 4,000 people decided to dedicate some of what was once their agricultural land to reforestation – so as to expand the protected rainforest area around Andasibe-Mantadia National Park.

Leva, our community park guide, explained that lemur families require a lot of territory. The endangered indri, in particular enjoy space. The additional rainforest provided by the community park now offers the space and corridors for the various lemur species and families to move about.

This has contributed to an an increase in various lemur populations in the area, including the indri, sifaka, bamboo lemur and brown lemur.

In addition, V.O.I.M.M.A. reinvests half of its profits into community development projects, including building water taps to access clean water and supporting a medical clinic.

Reniala Spiny Forest Reserve

Although Baobab Avenue in western Madagascar is the country’s most famous destination for baobab trees, the Reniala Spiny Forest Reserve near Ifaty in the south is a close second. The name “Reniala” means “mother of the forest,” which is how baobabs are referred to in this area.

Desertification has hit this part of Madagascar hard. As a result, agriculture and cattle farming have become increasingly difficult. People once used the inside of the baobab trees to feed their zebu (a local style of cattle) during the dry seasons. Since 2001 a parcel of 45 hectares of spiny forest has been protected, and the area’s unique nature flourishes once again.

Some of the baobabs in the community park are over 1,000 years old and believed to be among the oldest in all of Madagascar. In addition, the park features over 2,000 plant species, of which more than 90% are endemic, suited to grow only in this particular arid environment.

The area is also a haven for bird watchers. Some species – like the beautiful long-tailed roller – can only be found here.

We chose the longer of the two walking tour options (approximately 2.5 hours) with a local guide through the community park. This allowed us to get up close to some of these ancient baobab trees, the octopus tree and some of the park’s other endemic plants and insects. We even got a glimpse of the rare long-tailed roller as it crossed our path.

As several villages had to be relocated to create the park, a portion of the entrance and tour fees goes to supporting displaced families. In addition, the park also runs environmental education programs and employs twelve local people as guides, scouts and other staff.

Visit Madagascar’s National Parks

Although we’ve just sung the praises of Madagascar’s community parks, don’t neglect the country’s network of 42 national parks. These also play a crucial role in protecting rainforests, wildlife and other species because of the scale of land and space they protect.

Not to mention, they offer excellent opportunities to encounter different species of lemurs and other wildlife – often in the context of fun day hikes and beautiful landscapes.

The entrance fees to these parks contributes to continued conservation and research efforts. A portion of national park fees is also intended to support nearby villages since many communities and families have also been displaced by the conservation and rainforest reclamation effort.

National park employment programs also require visitors to hire a park guide, who is usually accompanied by a team of wildlife spotters.

Recommended National Parks in Madagascar

Here are a few of the national parks we visited in Madagascar we can recommend.

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

For viewing indri, the largest and apparently most intelligent of all lemur species, this is the place to do it. Not only is it impossible to keep and breed indri in captivity (you'll never find them in a zoo), but indri really only inhabit this tiny area of Madagascar.

We recommend at least a half-day guided walk at Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. This will allow ample time to find the indri and spend time observing them and listening to their unique call. The sifaka and other lemur species also call this park home.

Ranomafana National Park

Ranomafana National Park is home to over eleven lemur species, but is most famous for the very rare golden bamboo lemur. The park features thick rainforest. In order to track wildlife, you must pull yourself through trees and vines. There are walking paths, but the real tracking here begins off path.

At one point, our guide Hery explained, as he pointed to a lush section of rainforest, “You’ll notice that the land is a bit flatter here. That’s because thirty years ago there was a village here. I remember it from when I was a kid.”

When left alone to its own devices, it's remarkable what Mother Nature can do. We saw no signs of human habitat. Trees, vines, ferns, bushes and all the wildlife that comes with it had simply taken over.

Isalo National Park

This is one of the Madagascar’s oldest national parks. It’s also its most popular. For good reason.

Sure, you can see a few lemurs, colorful birds, elephant foot plants and other endemic creatures and flora, but the real draw here are the day- and multi-day hikes through sandstone canyons, caches of rainforest oasis and hidden waterfalls in-between.

The stark contrast of sandstone desertscape and oasis-like swimming holes right next to one another is remarkable. This is not a constructed environment, either. It’s just how Mother Nature came together. That’s why our day hike at Isalo National Park remained a highlight for many in our group.

Community Homestay Programs in Madagascar

Although much of our Madagascar trip was focused on lemurs, wildlife and national/community parks, an essential highlight for most everyone in our group was a village homestay in Fiadanana in the highlands of Madagascar.

What made this experience so memorable wasn’t only the beautiful, serene setting of the village outside of Antsirabe. It was also in part because our host, Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow) Community Association, and its founder, Yavansu, delivered a unique, engaging experience.

Yavansu had studied sustainable tourism and was a guide in Madagascar for over twenty years. Then he decided he wanted to show travelers a different side of Madagascar than the animals, national parks and beaches. He wanted to focus on its people, culture, and rural areas, and do so in a way that benefited Madagascar’s villages. Five years ago, he decided to bring a community-based tourism approach to his own village where he grew up.

It wasn’t easy at first, he admits. Local people didn’t understand the concept of tourism and were skeptical of travelers. Local superstition fed the notion that foreigners (particularly light-skinned ones) would steal their souls. Locals also couldn’t understand why any traveler would choose to visit their village, to learn about their lives. Finally, how would any of this actually benefit their families and their lives?

Good questions. And a few leaps.

Slowly, Yavansu worked through these challenges and began bringing travelers to see and experience a day and overnight in his village. The association reinvested profits into building primary school buildings, sponsoring children’s school fees (over 80 students now), and improving roads, thereby working together with and earning the trust of the villagers.

Today, 42 people in the community are association members and involved in its tourism and community development activities. The organization also provides work to 14 people who support the travelers’ visits by cooking food, cleaning, playing music, and guiding. The villagers now welcome travelers and are happy to share their culture.

For us travelers, this was a unique experience. Over the course of the day our host fed us some incredible home-made Malagasy food (“this is really farm to table!” someone in our group said, mid forkful). We had a guided walk through the village to explain everything from house design to superstitions. Later, some local musicians gathered for a jam around the bonfire.

A group of G Adventures travelers (usually 10-16 people) visits this village each week from April to November, helping to provide a sustainable source of income for the association so it may grow and pursue its projects. After our village walk Yavansu brought us all into one of the primary school classrooms built by the association over the years.

He shared the association’s goals and how they cooperate with the community: “In Malagasy culture it’s considered disrespectful for your family if you get something for free. It’s necessary to work for it, to earn it. That’s why with all the projects we do — like this room — the community is also contributing, whether it’s providing labor, transport, materials or something else.”

He pointed to the bare hills across the valley. “When my grandfather grew up here, there used to be a forest there. He remembers the lemurs. Now, all the trees are cut down and the land is arid. Children listen more than adults, so we work with the children to try and change behaviors. We ask them if they want the lemurs to come back and how they need to plant trees and protect those trees for life. Once they rebuild the forest the animals will come back.”

After witnessing the Madagascar countryside mainly from the window of our van, we really appreciated this experience. Visiting a local village enabled us to get up close and to better connect with Malagasy culture and people. To know that the tour fees were targeted to educational, conservation and community projects made it that much better.

Plant Trees with a Local Environmental Association

At the end of our day at Isalo National Park our group met up with Delana, one of the founders of Soa Zara Environmental Association, and her local team.

Last year the association purchased a plot of land just outside the national park. The focus of this parcel of land: to plant trees in an effort to reforest and extend the habitat for lemurs and other animals in the area. In addition, Soa Zara also runs sustainable charcoal production and environmental education projects in nearby communities.

For the last year, G Adventures has partnered with Soa Zara and uses a portion of tour fees to buy 150-200 saplings from its nursery located at ITC Lodge for the tour group to plant at the end of their day at Isalo National Park. The association cares for the saplings, with an eye to a new forest growing there in ten years.

Do the math. A tour group a week for eight months of the year equals around 55,000 trees planted by G Adventures travelers in one year.

Challenges notwithstanding, a pretty good start for a forest.

For us, it was a fun and enriching experience to get our hands dirty, plant a few tiny trees, and imagine what it might look like ten years from now.

Conserve and Distribute Clean Water

This item is less an itinerary suggestion, and more about trying to do the right thing, to perhaps make life a little better or easier for a few people that day.

As we departed beautiful Isalo National Park behind to head south, our tour leader, Jose, collected any plastic water bottles we’d used (and saved for days) and filled them with clean water at our lodge in Ranohira.

He explained: “In the south, people are really poor. It's like a desert now after decades of deforestation. It's hard to find water, and much of it isn't clean. So, with each tour group we fill as many bottles as we can with clean water and give them to families along the way who live near the road.”

A few hours later we noticed the land had become even more arid, trees even more rare, homes more fragile. The precariousness of life became clearer. On hut-dotted stretches of road between towns, our bus slowed down and our driver's assistant yelled something to indicate we had clean water.

He handed bottles and jugs of clean water out the window to mothers and children emerging from their homes.

“It's not much, but it helps a bit. At least for today,” Jose said.

Perspective.

This wasn’t an official community-based project or some sort of development program with long-term goals. Instead, it was the initiative of an individual, Jose, who knew the difficult reality of the situation in the south, and who cared and wanted to help.

He was able to use the infrastructure that our tour provided — that we were coming from a location with water and had lots of empty bottles to fill (because travelers can afford bottled water), and were driving through an area without clean water — to offer a little something to those who needed it.

Responsible Travel Tips for Traveling in Madagascar

These responsible travel tips are not meant to limit or restrict what you do in Madagascar. Instead, they are aimed at providing advice for travelers to engage and connect in a meaningful and enriching way that also benefits the local environment, culture and economy. You can read more responsible travel tips here.

1. Don't visit animal parks that offer photo opportunities as you handle lemurs or other wildlife

Although it may be tempting to goose your social media feed with a selfie as you hold a lemur, think twice about what you are doing. Consider avoiding animal parks where the main focus seems to be photo opportunities and selfies that involve handling lemurs or other wildlife.

These animals are not meant to be held or positioned for your convenience; they are meant to be in their natural habitat, in the wild. Often, these animals kept in captivity aren’t treated very well, and are broken by fear or sedated with drugs. Spend your money at one of the national or community parks instead.

2. Bring a refillable water bottle

Unfortunately, the availability of purified water dispensers to refill your water bottle is limited mainly to a few places in big cities. However, you can still reduce your plastic bottle footprint by purchasing large containers of water (e.g., 5-7 liters) from the grocery store and refilling your bottle, rather than purchasing a bunch of single use 1-1.5 liter water bottles.

Even better, use a Steripen (or similar) to sterilize water from the tap.

Note: If you do purchase bottled water, remember to save the bottles and refill them if you're going to a place that might need clean water. See #5 above.

3. Understand child welfare issues and don’t give to begging children

Children are everywhere in Madagascar. You’ll almost certainly be faced with children begging or selling things. Although it’s difficult to say no in the face of such poverty, don’t give directly to these children. This article explains why and offers alternatives, including how to find reputable organizations or associations that are working with local families and investing in local communities.

Here's another good resource on child welfare in travel.

4. If you want to volunteer, ask a lot of questions to ensure you’re not doing unintentional harm

Madagascar receives a lot of international volunteers each year. During our trip, we witnessed a fair number of them doing a variety of projects and tasks. If you are interested in volunteering in Madagascar, we recommend that you read this article first and ask serious questions of the host organization before you make any decisions.

It’s essential that you ensure your volunteering “work” (e.g., painting houses, etc.) does not take away employment or jobs from local people. While we understand the motivation to help behind volunteering, many of us wondered about the actual lasting effects and impacts of the “work” being done. It's also often unclear where the very high voluntourism fees paid by the volunteers — in Madagascar and elsewhere — go.

Madagascar Small Group Tours Focused on Conservation

G Adventures Tours in Madagascar

These G Adventures tours in Madagascar focus on conservation, sustainability and community development. They are part of the Jane Goodall Collection which are tours that are specifically focused on wildlife preservation, awareness and learning.

Highlights of Madagascar

This is the 2-week G Adventures tour that we took that focuses on tracking lemurs in national and community parks, a village homestay and some days of relaxation at a beach in the south.

Book this tour

Madagascar - Baobab & Tsingy Explorer

Photo Credit: www.gadventures.com

If we had more time we would have added this tour as it goes north in Madagascar to see the epic Baobab Alley and the natural phenomenon of Tsingy National Park.

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Ultimate Madagascar Adventure

If you have three weeks, this is the tour to do as it covers so much of Madagascar. It combines everything experienced on the Highlights of Madagascar tour with Baobab & Tsingy Explorer.

Book this tour

Madagascar: Tourism to Its Future

While it’s true that Madagascar's economic and environmental challenges are much greater than what sustainable tourism can solve, it’s important to understand how tourism does make a difference in the lives of individuals and local communities. Travelers can and do play an important role in Madagascar in lemur and wildlife conservation, as well as in community development.

Our recent trip to Madagascar underscored this reality.

All the different ways in which parks and community organizations engaged throughout our G Adventures tour itinerary demonstrated the effects and the interconnection. Together, these initiatives can have a network effect, too. When tourism engages and works with local communities and people around the country, money, resources and impact is spread, including to rural areas that are often forgotten. It’s a reminder of the impact sustainable tourism can have — not only in providing an immersive experience for the traveler, but also on local individuals, communities and a country.

The post How Your Travels in Madagascar Can Support Conservation and Communities appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Madagascar travel. While lemurs and Madagascar's unique wildlife and nature are what usually draw people to visit the country, that's just the very beginning. Here are our top travel experiences and recommendations from traveling through Madagascar to go deeper into the country's unique nature, cultures, food, landscapes, and more.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of traveling to Madagascar? For most, lemurs and a verse (or two or three) of “I like to Move It, Move It!” from King Julien, the ring-tailed lemur star of Madagascar, the movie.

Me, too. The name Madagascar always held mystery, something of National Geographic documentaries. Exotic, remote. Travel to Madagascar and I figured I’d find strange animals and vanilla beans on a rugged island cut loose from the African continent millions of years ago. When our guide asked what we wished from our time in Madagascar, Dan joked: “To go a little deeper, to know Madagascar beyond “I like to move it, move it.”

So we did. We traveled two weeks in Madagascar with G Adventures. Wildlife, people, landscape, geology, spirituality, culture, and history – it all came together. Our journey mesmerized just as it demystified.

The following experiences are drawn from the Highlights of Madagascar tour (2 weeks) that took us around the eastern and southern parts of Madagascar, presented in chronological order. If you are considering booking a Madagascar tour with G Adventures and want to know what to expect, here’s an overview and review of the itinerary, activities and destinations you'll experience. This tour is part of the Jane Goodall Collection of travel experiences focused on wildlife and conservation. It is also now part of the new G Adventures Travel with Confidence Plus Collection that includes smaller groups, private transport and more personal accommodation space. If you choose to travel Madagascar independently, use this guide as inspiration to piece together experiences and destinations for your own itinerary of eastern and southern Madagascar. Disclosure: This trip was provided to us conjunction with our long-term partnership with G Adventures.

About Madagascar: Biodiversity, History, and Cultures

Madagascar, it turns out, is one of the 17 nations of the world considered “megadiverse” because of its biodiversity and concentration of endemic species. In layman terms, 80% of plants and animals in Madagascar cannot be found anywhere else in world. All of this snaps into place with the Gondwana supercontinent: Madagascar lost contact with Africa (160 million years ago), then with Antarctica, Australia and finally India (84-95 million years ago).

Madagascar’s human population knows a similarly diverse history. Although Madagascar is physically closer to the African continent, its first permanent human settlers are said to have arrived nearly 2,000 years ago from Austronesia (near Malaysia-Indonesia). Layers of migration and cultural evolution followed: textures of Bantu tribal East Africa, signs of French colonialism, echoes of Middle Eastern trading, and Asian-style rice terraces. The national language – Malagasy – most resembles those of Malaysian Borneo. Fascinating and complex.

There’s something about taking it all in firsthand to assemble your own sense of the meaning of the Madagascar. And also understanding how tourism there can have a positive impact and support conservation and community development. With this experiential guide to traveling Madagascar, we aim to give you an idea of what you’ll see and what to seek out.

Madagascar Travel: A Two-Week Itinerary

For those of you who love maps — as we do — here is a visual of the two weeks of our route we took through eastern and southern Madagascar on our tour with G Adventures.

25 Things to Do, See and Experience in Madagascar

1. Come face to face with a brown lemur at V.O.I.M.M.A Community Park in Andasibe

You’ll never forget your first lemur encounter. I mean, just look at that face!

Within minutes of setting out on the rainforest trail with Leva, our local guide at V.O.I.M.M.A. Community Park, a family of brown lemurs appeared in the tree branches above us. As we quieted down, they approached us, almost to eye level. Then, they were up and off again, leaping amongst the high branches.

A note on V.O.I.M.M.A and Community Parks in Madagascar: The initials stand for “Vondron’olona Ifotony Mitia sy Miaro ny Ala”, meaning “Local people love the forest.” It’s a fitting name for the park, a community-driven conservation and sustainable tourism program launched in 2012 by 4,000 villagers living near the Andasibe-Perinet National Park area.

The goal of the local community: to work together to protect what rainforest remained, using proceeds from park fees and walks to fund guide training, continued reforestation, and efforts to provide more space and protection for lemurs and other endemic wildlife. About half the money generated through tourism activities goes to fund medical care, clean water and other life improvement initiatives for villagers in the area.

A network of community parks, operating outside the national park system, exists throughout Madagascar. These local parks serve as an excellent example of how community-based conservation and care can work when paired with the power of increased income generation and life improvement initiatives funded by tourism activities. This not only engages local people as part of the conservation process, but it also provides them with an income source alternative to hunting, poaching, and wood harvesting. Meanwhile, pressure on the environment and local wildlife is slowly reduced.

READ MORE: How Your Travels in Madagascar Can Support Conservation and Communities

2. Admire the largest and smallest chameleons in the world

It’s hard to have an encounter with a Parsons Chameleon — considered the largest chameleon species in the world by weight — and not emerge with a grin.

Look at the nose, the tail, the eyes, the color. These and other endemic species unique to Madagascar will make you wonder, “Why?” “How?” “Here?” Mother Nature certainly had fun with this one.

For some contrast, narrow your eyes and squint if you must, and take a look at the 3-4mm long Madagascar dwarf chameleon, Brookesia minima. Note that it was recently usurped by the slightly smaller Brookesia micra. How local guides are able to zero in on these tiny creatures in midst of the lush forest amazes.

3. Listen to the call of the indri at Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

The indri (also known locally as babakoto), found only in this region of Madagascar, are the largest of all lemurs, and are considered the freedom fighters of the species. When placed in captivity, the indri essentially go on a hunger strike, starving themselves until they are released back into the wild. While admirable, this indri behavior makes it difficult for scientists to conduct research and all but impossible to increase indri populations through captive breeding.

The unique appearance of the indri is only outdone by their call. The rainforest canopy echoes with an eerie, dolphin-like sound the indri use to communicate with other members of their family (typically between 2 and 6 members) and with other families to mark territory and signal danger. As you walk Andasibe-Mantadia National Park with your guide, you’ll follow the call of the indri to find them.

When we eventually found “our” indris in the high trees, we were treated to an extended chorus between a male and female. Between the ambient sounds of the rainforest and the calls of the indri, we felt as though we were in our very own episode of Wild Kingdom. A beautiful, long moment to enjoy.

Numbering in the thousands, the indri are still considered a critically endangered species (sadly, as are most lemur species). However, our guide explained that indri populations have increased in recent years. Due to tourism, conservation and educational efforts, the local practice of hunting them for their meat has abated. The results of reforestation efforts also continue to provide them with additional range to expand their habitat. The challenge is ongoing.

4. Crash a party of Sifaka Lemurs

The sifaka, known as the dancing lemur, is another fun, social species of lemur that you’ll find in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Though we encountered multiple diademed sifaka families (usually 9-10 strong), one family in particular rewarded our group for being patient, silent and still.

They entertained us high in the branches, putting on an elaborate grooming show, and paying a visit to us near ground level. When they’d had enough of the human encounter, they leapt back up into the rainforest canopy to continue their morning escapades of movement, tree-to-tree.

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that it really wasn't a party, but rather a conspiracy, of lemurs. This is now one of my favorite collective nouns.

5. Tuck into zebu, ravitoto and traditional Malagasy Madagascar cuisine

When in Madagascar, eat as the Malagasy eat. If you eat meat, you’ll find yourself in good stead. Zebu, the meat of the local variety of cow is everywhere, and is generally quite good. If you find it, try zebu filet or steak served with mustard sauce or zebu au poivre (pepper sauce), both of which are quite tasty.

Or try romazava, the over-the-top national dish of varied meats turned in a sauce of tomato, garlic, ginger and stewed greens. Another local favorite is ravitoto, mashed cassava leaves. This is often turned with coconut and spices for vegetarians. Meat-eaters, try the ravitoto with pork, which offers a little bit of richness and balance.

READ MORE: Madagascar Food: A Culinary Travel Guide

6. Walk through Andasibe town for a glimpse of local life

The town of Andasibe, just outside the nearby national and community parks bearing its name, is a walk through everyday Madagascar. You'll find stalls selling a random assortment of vegetables and foodstuffs, mothers drawing water from the pump, two-story homes with colorful balconies, a football pitch filled with boys playing a game of pick-up soccer, rice and agricultural fields in all stages of cultivation, and non-proverbial chickens crossing the road.

Bonus: Find the young boy who fashioned a foosball table from scrap pieces of wood. So cool, and it actually works surprisingly well.

7. Visit the Anziru weekly market

Weekly markets are a main event, no exception in Madagascar. Many local schools even take that day off so children can join their parents on market day. The weekly market is not only about buying and selling food and goods. It performs an important social function, too.

Weekly markets are about catching up on local news and seeing friends and family from nearby villages. If you’re single, they offer the opportunity to check out who’s available and in search of a mate.

Finally, they’re also places where you can enjoy a shot of local home-brewed rum with a side of crayfish to chase it down. And if gambling is your vice, try your hand at cards or at the hand-carved roulette wheels.

8. Make a Circular Economy purchase at the artisan workshops in Antsirabe

When we consider recycling, our minds run to putting recyclable trash into a bin for someone to carry it away, for it never to be seen again. In Madagascar, recycling means taking the used, broken, and out-of-date and finding a way to make something new from it all.

In the town of Antsirabe, a group of artisans and craftspeople collect metal from around the country, melt it down, and create the standard cooking pot that most in Madagascar seem to use. To be honest, the old-school technology doesn’t look particularly healthy for the those working. However, it’s remarkable how quickly this workshop can transform a pile of old metal junk into hot liquid and in seconds turn that liquid into a pot to cook that evening’s meal.

Another of our favorite artisans in town is an engineer turned bicycle enthusiast who found ways to recycle old bits, including fashioning fishing wire from old nets and re-purposing the metal and plastic from expired medical supplies into very cool hand-crafted model bicycles.

9. Fix your broken heart with a visit to a local Shaman

Even if your heart is not broken, it’s still worth visiting the local shaman, or healer. We paid a visit to one on the morning of our village homestay experience.

After a climb up a wooden ladder staircase to the village consultation room, we learned about traditional and natural medicines and how they are used to treat different ailments, both physical and emotional. Services include mending a broken heart, whether it be from unrequited love or a relationship forced to split because of parents.

The forests of Madagascar are flush with endemic trees and plants used over the centuries for medicinal purposes. This knowledge has been passed on from one generation of shaman to the next, usually within the family. As it was explained to us: you don’t really choose to be a shaman; the vocation chooses you.

10. Walk the terraced rice fields en route to Fiadanana village and stay the night

One of the big surprises for us in Madagascar: artfully terraced rice fields in the country’s highlands. Everywhere you go in the hills, you’ll find the terraces and cascaded pools of highland rice cultivation similar to what you might see in Southeast Asia and China. Why? The technique and approach of rice cultivation arrived with the island’s first inhabitants from Austronesia (Malaysia and Indonesia) almost two thousand years ago. Terracing took hold in the 1600s, and it’s still in use today.

After seeing terraced rice fields along our ride across the highlands of eastern Madagascar, it was worthwhile to see them up close during our 1.5 hour walk to the village homestay where we’d spend the night.

11. Get a taste of village life at a community homestay in Fiadanana

After a home-cooked and delicious lunch (many considered it the best meal in the country), our local guide also took us on a walk to the village, through and along the edges of the fields. There, we witnessed daily life: farmers carefully planting new seeds, zebu-drawn plows turning over the soil for the next planting, and villagers stepping through the stillness of their everyday, yet beautiful, landscape.

After which, we returned for citronella tea and pumpkin beignets (fritters) with a beautiful view of the terraced fields below.

Our host, Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow) Community Association uses the money earned from tour fees (for an overnight visit, including meals) to help provide job opportunities, sponsor school fees in primary and secondary schools, improve infrastructure, and fund environmental education and activities. The organization’s founder, Yavansu, grew up in the village and returned five years ago with the goal of using sustainable tourism to benefit his community.

As fun as it is to wander and say hello to people, it’s even better with a local host who shares stories and context. It also helps to feel some connection along with a welcome from local people who are involved in the project and know that the money from the experience is being used for the improvement of their community and education of their children.

READ MORE: How to Use Social Enterprises to Improve Your Travels…and Make a Difference

12. Join the community in a bonfire dance

We admit, we are skeptical of singing and dancing “shows,” especially when people get dressed up in traditional outfits and drag tourists into it all in a way that can feel a bit forced. That’s where the Arc-en-Ciel community homestay bonfire music jam broke the mold.

A few local musicians showed up, kids gathered and dance-jumped around, a bonfire burned brightly. Before long, more people from the village appeared to see what was going on. Staff from the homestay kitchen came out during their breaks, and the beats grew faster and louder. Yes, there was dancing, laughter and fun. None of it was forced, it all felt natural. Nobody put on a show, except maybe for themselves.

That is, everyone had fun. Locals, too.

Bonus: Watch a World Cup game on a generator-powered TV
If your visit happens to coincide with the World Cup or another football tournament, ask your host if anyone in the village is showing the game. Since the village has no electricity, televisions are powered by generators. For us, we climbed up through several terraced rice fields to watch the World Cup Semi-final game between England and Croatia in the back courtyard of a local home.

Sure, the generator ran out of diesel fuel before the end of the game. That just added to the experience and built suspense to know the result the following day.

13. Trek lush rainforest and find the elusive golden bamboo lemurs at Ranomafana National Park

When it comes to tracking lemurs and other wildlife in the rainforest, prepare to get dirty, particularly when the skies open up at Ranomafana National Park. Yes, you feel a bit like a crazed biologist pulling yourself up the hills through brush and vines, craning your head up to catch a glimpse of the golden bamboo lemurs above.

Then, after the frenzy of finding one comes the silence and stillness of observing and admiring these rare, tiny creatures above you. Less than 500 of them remain.

It’s worth the effort, the mud, and the sweat. In fact, that’s all part of the experience.

14. Surround yourself with playful ring-tail lemurs at Anja Community Park

It’s hard not to visit Madagascar without keeping fresh in mind an image of King Julien, the dancing ring-tail lemur from the movie Madagascar. Turns out ring-tail lemurs really are as playful and fun as the movie lets on. Especially so at Anja Community Park.

Within just ten or fifteen minutes of our group entering the forest area of the park, we were surrounded by a ring-tail lemur family. Just five minutes away, another. They jumped around on the ground, hung out on rocks, groomed themselves on branches, chased each other across the trees, and just seemed to enjoy themselves.

We all enjoyed them, too. If it were up to our group, we might have stayed there all day.

Turns out that when Anja Community Park began in 1999 there were only 20 lemurs living in this patch of small forest. In less than 20 years, the community-led conservation efforts have expanded the size of the forest through yearly tree-planting campaigns and continued education of local people in the benefits of conservation and the economic potential of sustainable tourism. Lemur hunting has been eliminated. Their population in the park has grown to over 400 as their habitat has grown and the imminent threat to their existence has abated.

Around 600 local people are involved in the community park and earn additional income from its various tourism activities. Profits from park tour fees are now being used to construct a secondary school and local hospital. As tourism grows, so too do the other ways the community can direct its own investment and improvement.

15. Take advantage of an impromptu roadside repair stop to stock up on sweet papayas

One never wishes to hear a strange noise coming from one’s transport. It does happen from time to time, though. It’s a pleasant surprise when the repair stop happens right next to a tiny village featuring a roadside papaya stand.

As our group exited our van for a stretch, the local people sitting nearby wondered, not knowing what to make of all the foreigners descending on their little papaya stand. We began by buying one. Our guide and we sliced it and passed it around as an afternoon snack, including to one of our group who’d never before tasted a papaya! Then we bought another, passing around some more slices. Finally, we bought a couple more to take with us on the bus.

Not only were these the sweetest papayas of our trip, but everyone – travelers and locals alike — got a good laugh from the scene. Because of the setting and circumstances, and perhaps the turn of opportunity from temporary misfortune, everyone came away from our unplanned stop pleased with the unexpected yet authentic turn of events.

It was memorable for sure, and as real an experience as one might imagine on the roads of Madagascar.

16. Explore the canyons and sandstone cliffs of Isalo National Park

Madagascar’s environmental diversity shows itself across the country, but also in pockets, as it does at Isalo National Park where arid deserts yield to waterfall-draped oases via river-carved canyon paths. Our local guide, Hery, pointed out medicinal trees, elephant foot plants, wild silk worms, and fabulously camouflaged chameleons and stick bugs. He also shared stories about the local Bara tribe and their unique traditions which have been shaped by the area’s geology and landscape.

Unsurprisingly, our Isalo National Park day trek turned out to be one of our group’s favorites of the trip.

17. Take a dip in an oasis waterfall (or 2 or 3)

We admit to having a conflicted relationship with waterfalls, their often being oversold. However, the waterfalls you’ll encounter along the walk in Isalo National Park are well-placed, and worth a shot and a dip. The lush green surroundings also provide a nice break from the sun and heat.

18. Enjoy a sundowner, Madagascar style. And plant a tree…or five

At the end of our day at Isalo National Park, our tour leader told us we were in for a surprise. We walked up onto a nearby hill where we met with Delana, cofounder of Soa Zara Association, a local NGO and Planterra Foundation partner working on environmental protection and reforestation in the area. Over the last year, each G Adventures group ends their day at Isalo by planting 150-200 trees on a plot of land with a sprawling view to a table plateau and the sunset west.

Considering that a group visits each week between April and November, that’s a lot of trees in just one year. The goal: in 10 years, the once empty arid patch will become the makings of a forest once again, giving the nearby lemurs and wildlife more room to grow and expand their habitat.

Then, we walked to an overlook and enjoyed a celebratory drink watching the sunset over the Isalo mountains. Now, that’s a proper sundowner.

READ MORE: 20 Sustainable Travel Tips: How to be a Good Global Traveler

19. Hug an ancient baobab tree at Reniala Spiny Forest Reserve

Although the baobab trees of Baobab Avenue in western Madagascar get the most attention, the south also features its fair share of baobab caches. The Reniala Spiny Forest Reserve is one such area featuring a cluster of baobabs of all sizes, shapes and ages. Our group’s favorite of the baobab bunch was this bulbous baobab, estimated at over 1,000 years old (baobabs only grow 12mm each year).

As is the case with other community parks, Reniala Spiny Forest Reserve operates with local people serving as guides and spotters. A portion of the tour fees is used to fund conservation projects in the community and to help protect these ancient trees and their habitat.

20. Take a ride in a Bollywood-style Zebu cart

Get to the baobab forest by local transport, a zebu-drawn cart. If you’re really lucky, your zebu cart may also be adorned with Bollywood-style art and imagery.

Admittedly, your bottom may suffer a bit for the bounce, but the experience is one you’ll likely never forget.

21. Kick back at Mangily Beach, Ifaty

After your head is full of all the interactions, imagery and impressions of a busy trip through eastern and southern Madagascar, a couple of days at the beach makes for an ideal way to relax and wind down. While snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving, whale watching (seasonal) and other activities are on offer, we took a more laid-back approach and simply chilled out.

Our ideal mix of relaxation included sleeping in, relaxing by the pool or on the beach, taking an occasional dip (the water is a little chilly in the Austral winter), reading a book or two, playing a round of boules/petanque, gazing out on the horizon at sunset, and feasting on seafood. It was hard to leave our beach-side Bamboo Club bungalow after only a couple of days.

22. Get your lobster and seafood fix

If anything like lobster, squid, octopus, prawns or fish is your taste, the restaurants along the beach in Ifaty will have you covered and well-fed. Nothing fresher than this. And it’s hard to beat a touch of the grill to draw out the flavor.

There are a number of restaurants along the beach, as well as pop-up style lobster roasts run by locals. Among our favorites was Chez Cecile, for its copious breakfast, very good coffee and a long, drifting lunch of barbecued lobster served with a nicely chilled white wine.

Along your way to Ifaty and the southern beaches, you might travel through the bustling city of Toliara. If you do, be sure to drop in on Le Jardin de Giancarlo, a decades-old restaurant run by an Italian character who got lost in Madagascar decades ago. Mixed seafood plates (less than $10) are excellent and abundant enough for two to share. Vegetarians in Madagascar will also be delighted by the fresh vegetable-loaded pasta dishes and fresh ravioli.

23. Take in the diversity of Madagascar fruits, vegetables, and spices at Analakely Market in Antananarivo

Analakely Market in Madagascar’s capital city Antananarivo shows off the agricultural richness and diversity of the country. Tables are stacked high with vegetables and fruits, baskets overflow with beans and rice, and piles topple with black pepper, cloves, and chili peppers. Some of it you may recognize, much of it you may not. It’s a colorful island nation feast.

We can highly recommend picking up some Madagascar whole black pepper to use at home or to give as gifts. It has a sort of nutmeg flavoring to it that it rich and unique. Our foodie friends loved it as their Christmas gift.

The streets around the market are busy and bustling, but don’t let that scare you away. The alleys and lanes of fruits and vegetables are out in the open and pleasantly calm in comparison. They are also pretty much hassle-free.

24. Treat yourself to Madagascar-French cuisine.

Fancy yourself some foie gras? Maybe some magret de canard? Duck confit? Don’t be surprised to find French restaurants, specialties of French cuisine and even French-inspired Madagascar fusion cuisine. Madagascar was a French colony until 1960, and the French clearly left their mark.

There are a number of restaurants in the capital city of Antananarivo focused on French cuisine. We dropped into Sakamanga, an upscale yet reasonably-priced restaurant serving Malagasy and French dishes. If you're winding up your time in Madagascar, are looking for a nice, relaxing bite to eat and to taste a dish you’d missed out on during your travels across Madagascar, give it a look.

25. Dance with the dead and other unique Malagasy cultural traditions

One of the more unique cultural facets that we've come across in our travels is that of exhumation ceremonies in Madagascar. Malagasy people have a strong connection to their ancestors, believing that they represent a spiritual middle ground between earth and God, very far above. Many of Madagascar's 18 ethnic groups practice some sort of exhumation ceremony to celebrate their ancestors and create a connection between the generations.

Usually practiced every three, five or seven years (it depends on how much money a family has) an exhumation ceremony will bring family members from throughout the country together to the family tomb. Tombs are sacred places as they hold the remains of several generations collectively in one location.

During the exhumation ceremony, the stone tomb is opened and skeleton bodies are wrapped in new silk fabric and papyrus mats. A party ensues outside the tomb as everyone gathers together, eats a big feast, drinks rum, plays music and eventually dances with their ancestors by embracing the skeleton's silk wrap.

As our tour leader explained, being able to dance with a deceased great-grandparent is a way for families to keep alive the connection between generations. While dancing with dead relatives may sound strange to many of us, I understand it as a means to sustaining family identity and belonging, and cultivating a relationship with death.

A cultural tradition that I didn't quite connect with as much with was that of the male circumcision ceremony, conducted when a boy is 1-5 years old. The paternal grandfather spills some of the blood and foreskin from the circumcision atop a banana and consumes it to demonstrate his acceptance of his grandson.

For the Bara tribe near Isalo National Park, their tradition is to shoot the foreskin into the air…perhaps to set it free?

This is only the beginning of the fascinating traditions of the ethnic and cultural mixing bowl that is Madagascar. We were fortunate to have tour leader in Jose who was not only knowledgeable about all these ceremonies and traditions, but welcomed our curiosity and fielded our many questions.

Traveling Independently to Madagascar vs. Taking a Madagascar Tour

Of course, it's possible to travel Madagascar independently. However, it isn't always the easiest in terms of transportation, logistics and available information. We researched this in advance as we determined whether to travel independently in Madagascar or choose to take the Highlights of Madagascar tour with G Adventures.

After traveling through Madagascar and witnessing a variety of travel options and styles, we're happy with our decision to take the G Adventures tour. The reasons are many, but the main ones include the fact that the tour's itinerary included activities we would not have been able to arrange on our own, logistical support, and comfortable and reliable transportation (distances are vast in Madagascar). Most importantly, our high-quality local G Adventures CEO (guide), Jose, made all the difference in our understanding Madagascar in all of its complexity.

If you choose to travel independently, there is public transport around the country via minibuses. However, be prepared for these buses to be stuffed. The other option is to hire a private driver and car to take you around (going rate is €50-€100/day we hear). Obviously, if you can share the car with other travelers this will reduce your travel costs. Air Madagascar also flies domestic flights, which is a good option if you've got long distances to cover. Domestic flight tickets are not particularly cheap, however.

As you'll see below there's a range of accommodation around the country, so you'll likely always be able to find a place to spend the night. Here are more tips on traveling Madagascar independently.

When to Visit Madagascar

April to November is considered tourist season in Madagascar, with July to October as the high season. The rainy season is December to March. This time can be wet and also incredibly hot in some areas.

Our visit in July coincided with winter in Madagascar. It was surprisingly cold (e.g., down to 45 F at night in the eastern highlands). Be sure to pack several layers of shirts, fleece jackets, and rain gear if you visit during this time. That said, we enjoyed traveling at this time as the temperature was comfortable during the day and insects and mosquitos were much less than they'd otherwise be during hot season.

If your focus is strictly lemur tracking, consider visiting Madagascar in October-November. During this time, many of the lemur species give birth to their babies. They also apparently spend more time lower to the ground, rather than tucked into the canopies. That said, our experiences and images show plenty of lemur encounters in winter.

Madagascar Visas

It's easy to purchase a 30-day tourist visa upon arrival at Antananarivo Airport. At the time of our visit in July 2018 the cost was $37 or €35. Although we were not asked for a copy of our return flight from Madagascar, it's good to have this on hand as we hear that sometimes immigration officials ask for it.

In addition to the visa and immigration form you'll need to fill out a health form. If you arrive from a country where yellow fever is prevalent, officials will check your Yellow Card to be sure you have a valid Yellow Fever vaccination.

Flights to Madagascar

Members of our group came from Europe, North America and Australia. Since we flew to Madagascar from Berlin, Germany the easiest (and cheapest) connection was on Turkish Airlines. We also heard good things about connections from Norway and other parts of Germany via Ethiopian Airlines. Americans and Canadians in the group flew Air France, since it seemed to offer the best connections.

If you're already traveling in Africa at the time, Kenyan Airlines, South African Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines seem to offer the best flights to Madagascar from the continent.

You can check the best flights to Madagascar (Antananarivo Airport – TNR) using Skyscanner (it also includes all low cost airlines) or Expedia (usually a 24-hour cancellation period).

Accommodation in Madagascar

Although our accommodation was included along the trip, we can recommend the following hotels and lodges throughout the country for accommodation that is clean, has hot water, and is mid-budget (e.g., $20-$50/night). These aren't the cheapest accommodations options (hostels or very basic guesthouses), nor are they the most expensive lodges and hotels.

Here's where we stayed in Madagascar:

• Antanarivo: Chalet des Roses Hotel. Nice rooms and good location. Easy to walk down to the main square, old train station, and main market. In the other direction the hotel is close to Jardin Antaninarenina with a nice overlook over the city (especially nice at sunset) and good restaurants and cafes.
• Andasibe: Feon'ny Ala Hotel. Sleep in your own little hut not far from Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and V.O.I.M.M.A. Community Park.
• Antsirabe: Hotel Hasina. An OK hotel that serves as a quick overnight.
• Ranomafana: Manja Hotel. Nice collection of bungalows close to Ranomafana National Park with a good view over the river.
• Ambalavao: Aux Bougainvillees Hotel. A simple hotel that serves as a good overnight en route to Anja Community Park.
• Ranohira: ITC Lodge. Nice, clean bungalows close to Isalo National Park. Good restaurant as well. The lodge owners started Soa Zara NGO that works on reforestation projects in the area and there is a tree nursery on the grounds.
• Ifaty: Bamboo Club at Mangily Beach. Pleasant bungalows with a beachside pool and restaurants. A great place to relax and come down after a full tour around Madagascar.

All of these hotels and lodges also have restaurants. Be aware, it's customary for breakfast NOT to be included in the price of the room. So you'll need to budget for it and order it separately each morning for about $3-$5.

If you are extending your stay in Antananarivo after your tour and looking for a way to relax and wind down, perhaps with a massage or spa treatment before departing Madagascar, reliable sources recommend Le Relais des Plateaux close to the airport.

Safety in Madagascar

We felt very safe during our tour and we never had any safety issues. However, it's always best travel safety practice to stay aware of your surroundings, keep valuables locked away (e.g., like your passport), and be mindful of cameras, smartphones and other expensive gear when you're walking around. This is especially true in Antananarivo, the capital city, and particularly at night.

You may notice safety warnings for Madagascar from time to time, especially around elections and political events where there may be demonstrations or protests. These are usually held in the bigger cities are are not geared towards travelers. However, it's still wise to steer clear of them all the same.

Health Considerations for Madagascar

Before traveling to Madagascar consult a travel clinic and research recommended vaccinations and malaria medicines. Many of the standard vaccinations for tropical countries are recommended: hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tetanus, MMR. Although yellow fever is not present in Madagascar, you will be required to show proof of a yellow fever vaccination if you are traveling from another country that does have yellow fever.

Although we were traveling in the winter months when malaria is not as prevalent we still decided to take anti-malarial medicine to be on the safe side (mosquitos love Dan). We took Doxycycline (be extra careful with sun as your skin becomes more sensitive) while others in our group took Malarone. Consult your doctor as to what works best for you.

Money in Madagascar

Expect to pay for everything in local currency called the Malagasy Ariary (MGA). It's around 3,750 MGA/€1 or 3,300 MGA/$1. We used ATM machines at the Antananarivo airport and in the bigger cities and towns around the country to get local money and we never had a problem. Visa ATM cards seem to be more accepted than Mastercard. We also brought cash (Euros and USD) with us as an emergency in case the ATMs were broken and we had to exchange money.

We've been told that the best rates for exchanging cash are at the Antananarivo airport so if you do need to exchange your euros or dollars that's the best place to do that. Otherwise, banks around the country also offer currency exchange.

Disclosure: Our Highlights of Madagascar tour was provided to us by G Adventures as part of our partnership under the Wanderers program. Check out this article for all the different G Adventures tours we've taken and recommend. As always, the thoughts contained herein — the what, the why, and the how — are entirely our own.

The post Madagascar Travel: 25 Experiences to Get You Started appeared first on Uncornered Market.


There’s nothing so rare these days as time to one’s thoughts and sensations.

As we descended I could see tiny elephants, almost toy-like in their proportion at this height, gathered around a vanishing watering hole. These creatures once appeared huge, yet now appeared as dots on the landscape below, set pieces in a game of life that played out below.

I often advocate on-the-ground travel to avoid the conflation of flyover. However, flying between remote safari camps – Camp Xakanaxa, Camp Okavango, and Leroo La Tau in northern Botswana’s Kalahari Desert and Okavango Delta — was required to expediently cover distance. It also lent perspective to what we’d witnessed on the ground and enhanced our comprehension of the contours and remoteness of the geography.

In retrospect, that was the point of this segment of our journey in Botswana: five days to unplug and pivot the focus, to tune into sensation.

Camp Xakanaxa: Choosing to Disconnect

Our bush plane touched down on a dirt runway cleared of animals by the driving gusts from the aircraft that landed just before ours. This somewhat primitive process is requisite when you wish to share an environment with wildlife. It’s their home turf, after all.

From the dust of the runway, we transferred by 4×4 over hardened Kalahari sand to Camp Xakanaxa in the Moremi Game Reserve.

Later, we floated straight into the waters of Xakanaxa Lagoon and Khwai River in the Okavango Delta. The hippos we searched for, those who helped carve the so-called “hippo highway” channel waterways by their trampling of pampas grass and depression of the root systems underneath, elude us. 

As we crane our necks and search for them in the waning light of the afternoon, we are awarded something else: birds.

Crossing our own wake, we notice the shallow delta waters rise and fall across the tops of tall grass. In an almost-too-perfect landscape, we watch in silence, in respectful awe, the fading sun whose refraction turned shades of violet in a darkening horizon.

Amidst final light, we coasted on what seemed like liquid glass toward home.

I wonder: What comprises ‘absolutely necessary’ anyway? Taking time away from non-stop digital connection calls that into question. I chose to leave connectivity behind, even if for a few short moments in an otherwise fully connected life. This is a respite to reboot and to clear the mind.

Just then, Big Ben — as everyone in the camp affectionately knows him — invites us to sit by the fire pit under the canopy of shade trees at the water’s edge. Audrey and I join the gathering. Some guests are newly arrived while others have adjusted to the nightly routine. In the process of exchange, we get to know the stories of the people around us, not only where they were from, but also why they are here in this remote area of Botswana.

No one has a smartphone in hand. No heads tilted, no notifications. No interruptions, except silence. Here, lulls in conversation aren’t awkward spaces to be filled. Rather, they are more like an invitation to appreciation: to note the stillness, the moonlight reflecting off of the water, the passing breeze, or the rustle of tall grass indicating that a bird or other animal lurks nearby.

I would not connect to the internet during my time here, or at the other camps. And I would see few others do so in those five days. For this, I was grateful. And for the ambience of conversation unimpeded by digital interruption, I was more grateful still. I have the feeling it made us more attuned to our surroundings and more thankful, even for “small” things.

For this luxury, the news and the rest of the world could wait.

Xakanaxa: A Lesson from Lions

I wake up in our tent cabin — to call it such isn’t even fair for the luxuriousness in which I find myself. If ever there was an image of a far-off African safari lodge in the middle of nowhere, well-appointed, whose nights and early mornings knew sounds of wildlife moving about in the dark and plying the nearby waters, this was it.

A few minutes into our early morning game drive, Conrad, our guide, stops abruptly and looks down at the road. He surveys the tracks in the sand: “The ground, it’s like the morning newspaper. It tells the movements of the night — which animals were here, where they came from, where they are going.”

His read: a pack of wild dogs had come through recently. Lions passed last night, too. He translates, then offers perspective. “This is Mother Nature, there are no guarantees. Let’s see what we will see.”

I’m not sure why — maybe because I’d missed the kill itself — but the word ‘massacre’ struck me as odd. Those dogs didn’t massacre. They really just needed to eat, as wild dogs do. They kill, but they do so discriminately.

After a few days, you come to accept that whatever you witness — violence among it — is just the cycle of life in the wild.

We're interrupted by radio chatter in the local Setswana language: a new animal sighting.

As we approach our target, we see a male lion sprawled in the tall grass aside a lioness. A couple, maybe?

As Conrad tells it, a male lion killed her previous set of cubs because they were not of his stock. Now she defensively mates with – and manipulates — all the males in the area. This way, each is tricked to think he's the father of the newly arrived cubs, so he won't kill them. There’s so much more to what we see than what first meets the eye.

And we humans think dating is difficult.

Camp Okavango: Life in the Eyes of Delta John

We make our way deeper still into the Okavango Delta, this time aboard a smaller, 5-seat airplane. The waterways beneath us are carved of runoff. The volume of water from the Angolan Highlands is just enough to fill the plains of the delta each season. Yet as it moves further south it finds its terminus in evaporation in the Kalahari Desert, just as the flow finds its stride.

We take a ride in a mokoro (dugout canoe), launched from the tall grass of the banks at Camp Okavango. A man I’ll call “Delta” John Carter takes the lead with Audrey forward in his canoe. His gentle demeanor belied a plain wisdom drawn straight from a life amidst the rising and falling water cycles of the delta.

His colleagues throughout the region don’t call him Delta John. They have another name for him instead: Legend.

John never received a formal education, but instead learned from his surroundings and his elders. Kops, our other guide, explained, “He has encyclopedias of wisdom inside of him about this land, the animals, the plants, this earth. You can’t teach that in schools.”

No, you can’t.

In the day’s waning light, our mokoros glide through papyrus and tall grass that just days before were dry, illustrating how quickly the delta fills as the Angolan floodwaters arrive.

The following morning we set off for something completely new: tracking animals on foot. A walking safari.


It's one thing to see the paw print of a lion in the sand when you're in the safety of a 4×4 vehicle capable of a quick getaway. It’s another entirely when you're on foot, wondering whether the lion you hope to spot is instead watching your movements from within the tall grass nearby.


For visitors like us, this was the nature of adventure. For John’s family living on the delta, this was survival.

I may not be able to smell the animals like John, but I could take a page from his book of observation to deepen my own life experience.

Leroo La Tau: Beauty in Numbers

To the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, we flew to Leroo La Tau, a camp whose lodge and rooms were positioned atop the bank of the Boteti River on the edge of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.

Our aprés-lunch routine revolved around a dream-like nap on our veranda overlooking the river basin. As each day advanced, the area would turn into a playground for zebras, elephants, cows that drifted in from a nearby village farm, and maybe a predator or two. Mid-nap, I might catch a glance of a dozen zebra down by the water taking a drink and grazing on fresh patches of green.

Yes, the bull elephant and zebra were still there below me. This wasn’t a dream, but rather the view from our back deck.

I could have stayed there for hours, drifting in and out of sleep and watching the scene at the river, but our afternoon game drive was waiting.

“What would you like to see? This is nature, so there are no guarantees. But if I know your interests I can try to focus our drives,” Lasty, our guide, asked just as we departed on our first afternoon game drive together.

“If it walks, runs, flies, buzzes…I would like to see it!” Berndt, a fellow traveler from Germany, called from the back seat of our cruiser.

His request was almost cliché. But it wasn’t. He opened like a child, spreading wildlife and bird guides across seats amidst the excitement. His energy was more remarkable still that he was a safari veteran of over twenty years across Africa.

He didn’t carry a camera. Only binoculars.

When the late afternoon light softened, Lasty perched our cruiser on a hill overlooking the river valley. As we set off to descend for a closer look at the animals taking their final drink of the day, Berndt took a sweeping look around him, as if he was taking everything with a single inhalation.

“It’s beautiful! This is so beautiful! Thank you, Lasty, for bringing us here.”

While I had been enjoying the scene until then, I looked at the view below me with fresh eyes, with the aid of joy and innocence by osmosis, and realized just how correct Berndt was. In its smallness, in its vastness, in the truest sense of the word, this was beautiful, as in “full of beauty.”

The next afternoon we descended into the river valley for one last time, the final game drive of our visit to Botswana.

Just as I’d grasp the scale and volume of animals, more would seem to pour into my field of view. I noticed the odd bark of the zebra, something you’re more likely to hear amongst such numbers of them, their varied markings, their tendency to skittishness in this environment.


Lasty provided context: “If you think this is a lot, you should see this in a month. We will have 25,000 zebras here.”

A few hours later we stopped on the other side of the river for our sundowner, one final drink to mark the end of the day. As we enjoyed our gin and tonic — glasses to the sunset — I noticed Lasty’s gaze jump from a spot on the bank above us down to the last of the zebra at the watering hole below.



“Do you hear that?” Lasty asked.



I heard nothing.

Try again.

Nothing.

“I think it was a grunt of a lion.” Lasty said. “The zebra are looking that way, at attention. There’s something moving down the hill. See it?”

At first I saw nothing. Then I narrowed my gaze in dust of the waning light. Eventually, I could make out a shadow moving through the bushes.

We followed the lion’s tracks, right to him. Under our gaze, in the faintest shadow of our cruiser, a juvenile male lion nonchalantly took a drink of water, enjoying a sundowner of his own, with a view of the zebra.

From the dining room that evening, I glanced up at the lodge laptop connected to satellite internet in the loft reading room. In all our meals, I’d barely noticed the space as peaceful as it was, let alone the computer.

No one was on it. Apparently, the world could wait.

The post Disconnecting to Reconnect: A Journey Into the Okavango Delta, Botswana appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Late afternoon to an approaching sunset on Botswana’s Chobe River. As I leaned back in one of the director’s chairs on the deck of our boat, I had what I might refer to as a “Pale Blue Dot”* moment.

“What’s a Pale Blue Dot moment?” you might ask.

Allow me to explain the circumstance, the reference and the connection as best and briefly as I can. Then we'll go into the experiences in the area that led up to this.

A “Pale Blue Dot” moment is one where you regard a powerful experience you’re having, overlay it onto the canvas of your life, then consider it in the vastness of the universe. Not small stuff, admittedly.

Simultaneously, your immediate surroundings draw your attention to the emotional magnitude of the sensations at hand — in this case: the glass-like surface of the river, the birds of prey aloft, the gradient of a setting sun. Then, just as I found myself on the emotional brink, a family of elephants bounded down over a hill to take the day’s final drink on the bank of the river.

This moment would serve as a fitting conclusion to the sum of our experience in Chobe over the previous four days. If I didn’t know any better, I might imagine someone scripting it all, playing me for the choked-up fool I was about to become.

Certain contexts in life seem to catalyze such Pale Blue Dot moments. Chobe, in all its dimensions, was one of them. The landscape, the humanity, the scores of other living inhabitants — in concert with the cycle of the rising and setting sun across the Chobe River — struck simultaneous chords of admiration and concern.

I relished the beauty of what was at hand. It reminded me that we have something special on our planet, something I myself admit to occasionally taking for granted. Additionally, I feel that if we are not more mindful, that beauty is among which we stand to lose.

In the words of Carl Sagan:

“To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”

It’s likely that you’ll visit Chobe, an area in northern Botswana with a national park and river of the same name, motivated primarily by the draw of game drives and the cycle of wildlife along the river’s edge. However, thanks to some select activities we not only had a unique safari experience, but we also emerged with a sense of Botswana’s history and a deep taste of its local culture.

To help plan your trip we created this experiential travel guide to Chobe. Our intent is to offer some diverse inspiration and practical advice to plan your Chobe itinerary by adding new experiences to an existing trip or to help you sculpt one if you happen to be assembling one from scratch.

Skip Ahead to:

• Chobe Experiential Travel Guide
• Practical Details for Traveling to Chobe

1. Watch a Family of Elephants Take a Sundown Drink From the Chobe River

Admiring elephants from our boat felt more intimate than other elephant sightings we’d previously experienced. Perhaps because we were less intrusive to the elephants on the water than we might have been to them on land, they seemed to go about their work and play without paying us any mind. Meanwhile, we'd had what felt like a front row seat.

Their agility and playfulness often seem to defy their size — most of the time, that is — until you witness a baby elephant doing a face plant.

2. Enjoy a Local Feast, Including Baobab Yogurt

Botswana’s cuisine reflects the local land, and features a focus on staples that perform well in the seasonal semi-arid climate: maize, sorghum and cattle. In addition to Botswanan standards such as seswaa (pounded beef), samp (maize) and morogo (greens, bean leaves) our home-cooked feast also included treats like tswii (water lily with beef), mabele (sorghum porridge), mopane (worms – in full disclosure, we had a hard time getting these down, but you must try them at least once), madila (sour milk yogurt), and for the grand finale, a sweet-tart yogurt made from the fruit of the baobab tree.

We enjoyed all of this in the village of Kachikau in the Chobe Enklave (near to Chobe National Park). We gathered — in a pleasant, informal environment — under the shade of a tree outside the home of Mma Mercy, our host for the afternoon. As we floated questions about food, conversation topics naturally drifted to family, community, weddings and how, or if, traditional knowledge and ways are being lost in the transition to the “new” generation. This last bit, we've found in our travels the world over, serves as an item of universal debate.

Note: This experience is a component of the Chobe Game Lodge cultural exploration day.

3. Hop In An Electric Vehicle and Enjoy a Game Drive…In Silence

Electric cruisers: not only good for the environment, but also better for the game drive experience.

Why? Animals appreciate the silence, too. You’ll really notice it the next time you’re in or next to a gasoline or diesel powered Land Cruiser (or similar 4×4), particularly after its engine starts. The sounds of an engine, cranks and roars, can sometimes startle the animals.

4. Learn About Chobe’s Past, Present and Future from a Local Legend

“I remember Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor when they were here for their honeymoon (in 1975). Their plane had a rough landing; he was particularly shaken up. Rumors are that’s why they decided to get married again so soon,” Albert explained.

Having grown up in a nearby village that was resettled after the Chobe National Park was established, Albert has seen it all. He possesses a deep well of local knowledge and pairs it with a remarkable ability to connect the past, present and future with a dash of a good story or two.

Albert was a member of the original construction crew at Chobe Game Lodge when it was first erected in 1971-72. Today, he gives eco-tours of the lodge’s sustainability initiatives, from chronicling the lodge's efforts to reduce its environmental footprint to how it provides environmental education and job training to youth in the nearby town of Kasane.

To provide perspective on all that has changed in the lodge these last years, Albert goes on: “We used to dig big holes and bury the garbage in the ground. The baboons would always dig it all up. The next day it would all be spread around. They’d throw bottles at each other, and at us.”

He gazed over at the bio-gas system, incinerator, and recycling operations: “This is much better. Nothing wasted. And no baboons.”

5. Enjoy a 17-Lion Morning

“What time do you need to return? I’ve just heard there’s a large pride of lions nearby. Shall we go?” Lynn asked.

Would we like to see more lions?!

Yes, more lions please.

Our morning up until that point was remarkable enough. We’d earlier seen a pride of five lions that included a mother and four cubs. We took in plenty of fabulous new bird species. In other words, we would have returned to the lodge more than satisfied.

But, an additional pride of 12 lions, including some very playful juveniles, really put a notable and unexpected touch on our morning game drive experience.

What a morning, indeed. A 17-lion morning.

6. Watch the Sun Rise Over the Chobe River from the Deck

Although we don't usually consider ourselves early risers, the early morning canvas of life on the river gave us plenty of reason to change our ways. Most guests are on early morning game drives — or under the covers — so if you go out to the deck at sunrise you'll likely have the area to yourself. Only the grunts of the hippos below may break the silence of first light.

7. Get a Different Perspective from an All-Female Guiding Team

“I am always learning. That’s what I like about this job. Things happen in nature here that you can’t read about in books. And I get to share this with visitors from around the world and learn from them,” Lynn explained.

As unusual as it was to have a female guide in Africa, it was even more so that Lynn was one of an entirely female guiding team of 16 women at Chobe Game Lodge. As we learned about the hunting habits of the fish eagle, how long lionesses care for their cubs and why Secretary Birds are called as such, Lynn also shared with us her journey of becoming a guide as a Botswanan woman – including the challenges, and also the support she’s received along the way from her family, fellow guides, and guests.

8. Watch the Elusive Honey Badger Dart Away in the Early Morning

Visitors are all about the big game: elephants, giraffes, and the big cats. It’s natural. Don't forget the small game, lesser known animals you might otherwise overlook.

Take, for example, the elusive honey badger. They are considered one of the fiercest animals around. It even earned itself several entries in the Urban Dictionary. My personal favorite is “The Chuck Norris of the animal kingdom.”

Sadly, we have no photo. He dashed away before we could catch him in the frame.

9. Try Your Hand at Basket Weaving

Ever watch something you've never given particular notice to before and think, “Looks simple enough”?

That is basket weaving. There's a reason for the liberal arts college cliché of a basket weaving course: it's exceptionally difficult.

Audrey attentively watched Lillian perform her work. Her hands moved the reeds, straightening and weaving them together in a forever battle of close-up work. From a distance, the steps looked pretty straightforward. There was even a 2-year old child next to her who seemed to have picked it up.

Then it was Audrey's turn. Lillian patiently gave her a crash course in how to use the tiny awl, at the same time keeping the reeds wet so they could bend. Pull them tight, follow the two-colored pattern.

Easy? Not so. I couldn't bring myself to the embarrassment of trying. Let’s just say I have a whole new respect for these traditional baskets — and the women weaving them — as I now know firsthand what goes into their creation.

10. Ride a Bicycle to the Four Corners Where Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana Meet

We have a soft spot for memorable land border crossings. There’s a thrill of possibility and unknown when you pass between two nations on foot, or in this case, by bicycle.

Our bicycle ride to the Four Corners began at Bakwena Lodge on the edge of the town of Kasane. After a pedal through a quiet village, we reached the main road where trucks were lined up for as long as the eye could see.

“Sometimes they wait here for weeks, sometimes a month, to cross the Zambezi River into Zambia. The truck drivers can’t leave their trucks. If they lose their spot they won't get it back. All they can do is wait,” Steve, our guide, explained. Movement of goods across borders in this part of the world: glacial.

Fortunately, for the rest of us on foot, bicycle or car, you can board the ferry with little wait. During our quick ride across to the Zambia side, we attempted to note which country was where, pointing accordingly. Even the experienced among us seemed challenged by the task.

Full Disclosure: There is a 100-meter gap between the borders of Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Note: Bakwena Lodge organized our bicycle trip to the four corners. They offer cycling day trips to nearby villages as well.

11. Watch Birds Steal the Show

We hadn’t expected birds to be such a significant component of our experience at Chobe. However, from our first boat ride on the river to our final game drive in the park, they played a critical role in the show.

Birds are easy to overlook in the shadow of big game, but don't let their size fool you. They are gorgeous, varied, vocal and most of all, absolutely crucial to the ecosystem.

Stop, look around, and listen. And, your senses will be heightened to the birds and their song.

From giant birds like eagles, storks and cranes…

to the small like rollers, swifts, and bee-eaters.

Big thanks to Lynn for helping us to appreciate the beauty of the small, including Chobe's birds. She was a master of bird knowledge — not only their names, but their behaviors, calls, and migration patterns. Really remarkable.

12. Drink Sorghum Beer the Local Way

Beer. It's universal. In Botswana, the traditional brew is made from sorghum. To drink it properly means to politely slurp (gulp?) from a big clay pot and pass it around the circle to everyone in the group. Sip without spilling. Not easy for this novice.

How did it taste? Slightly sweet, yeasty, and mildly effervescent. Refreshing on a hot day, but also deceiving, as it is often more potent than the flavor suggests.

13. Enjoy a 100-Giraffe Afternoon

Watch a giraffe walk across the plain, carrying its lanky body in this oddly graceful stride that seems to demand its own theme music. Try to keep a straight face. Then watch a herd of them. Harder still. Behold one of the most artistically rendered, yet gawky safari animals around.

But don't get me wrong. I appreciate the giraffe.

If your afternoon game drive piles on the giraffes, you begin to count. Then you reach 100 giraffe, and you start to lose count. Does that constitute peak giraffe?

14. Learn the Meaning Behind the Design

Yes, it turns out even baskets can tell a story.

“Tears of giraffe, head of a zebra, running ostrich.” Mma Mercy sorted through the baskets on the ground, indicating the meaning of each traditional design.

We looked for a basket to take home with us. One in particular stood out.

“Tortoise knees,” Mma Mercy said as we held up our basket. We looked at her, confused. She went on to explain, offering a physical demonstration of how tortoise’s legs and knees work. “I don’t know why they call it this, but this is what our grandparents told us. And we carry on the tradition.”

Now, I can’t look at our basket — one we now use for holding sliced bread in Berlin — without seeing those tortoise knees and recalling Mma Mercy’s laugh as she pantomimed her version of a tortoise.

Lesson: The opportunity to tell a story is never wasted. Next time you buy a basket — or anything, really — ask if there’s a story.

15. Listen to the Call of the Jackal

Listen to the call of each of the animals. Visitors are often understandably focused on taking photographs and watching wildlife, but it's just as satisfying to put the camera down and simply listen, separating the various animal calls. Notice also how an animal call may change depending upon its purpose: to connect with others socially, to alert and warn others of danger, or to indicate interest during mating season.

One morning, we learned that the jackal issues forth a beautiful bark when he wishes to make contact with other jackals nearby. Communication is universal in the animal world.

16. Pay an Impromptu Visit to a Family Farmstead

Since sorghum had been such an integral ingredient of our Botswanan feast, it was fitting to pay an impromptu visit to a local family farm on our way back to the lodge. Harvest season had just passed, so the family was drying, separating and sorting the pods to prepare them for sale and for use at home.

The visit also illustrated how work is divided in rural Botswana. Women usually take control of agriculture as men take control of the animals. On this farm we met three generations of women working together and saw just how the baskets we had seen earlier in the crafts shop get used in their traditional and intended way.

17. Find the Sable Antelope Through the Tall Grass

If it weren't for Lynn, we would never have spotted a small herd of sable antelope hanging out in the tall grass on the edge of the road. She warned us that they are skittish and might run when we pulled up to take a closer look. Most of them took flight, but the male pictured here watched us just as we watched him.

It's probably fair to say that antelopes aren't as appreciated as other wildlife on game drives. They are beautiful creatures, however. And the sable is one of the more unusual among them.

17. Count the Stripes on Botswana's National Animal

After your eyes recover from seeing so many zebra at once, look again and you'll realize that no two zebras share the same markings…or number of stripes.

One might imagine the elephant to be Botswana's national animal, given their numbers in the country. Why then the zebra? Several Batswana told us that it was chosen as the national animal because, like the black and white bands on the national flag, the zebra's stripes symbolize racial harmony and the diversity of the nation.

18. Spot the Ancient Predator at the River's Edge

After all the scenes of animals drinking from the Chobe River, a crocodile on its shores reminds us that the animal world also knows its cycle of life and death, of predator and prey. Whether it's apparent or not, most animals are on constant lookout to avoid being eaten by predators. At the same time, predators spend most of their hungry, waking lives pondering and seeking their next meal. Such is life in the wild.

19. Let the Mongoose and Warthogs Take Care of Your Lawn

Although it can be a bit startling at first to exit one's room and witness a sounder of warthogs (yes, that's the collective noun — oh, the joys of a travel writer writing of his safari) munching the grass and packs of mongoose (I so wish they were called mongeese) wondering what their purpose is, there's good reason to also appreciate their presence and their function. Think of them as natural lawn mowers and pest control. They are pretty cute, too.

20. Have a Drink During a Sundowner on the Chobe River

For a safari-goer in southern Africa, the sundowner is the defining ritual to mark the end of the day. The defining prop: a gin and tonic or glass of wine in hand.

As deep shades of red and orange take over the sky and reflect off the water, a quiet descends and engulfs our electric boat. We float as the sky transforms into something almost molten, then retreats to the deepest ends of the color spectrum.

Some moments later, Mother Nature’s show is over. However, the peace and serenity of the moment remains.

Note: Chobe Game Lodge is the only lodge located inside Chobe National Park. As a result, its boats can remain on the river longer at sundown because they do not have to spend time leaving the park before its official closing time.

Practical Details for Visiting Chobe National Park

When to Visit Chobe National Park

We visited in early June. It was still relatively early in the dry season, which typically lasts from May to October and just on the edge of Botswana's high tourist season (July-October). We were impressed with the volume and diversity of wildlife we saw, but we’ve been told that as the dry season wears on, the concentration of animals along the Chobe River increases as it becomes the only available water source.

We’ve also heard that the rainy season (November – April) can be an excellent time to visit, as the area is green and lush. Don’t let the “rainy” part deter you, as we’ve been told the rain typically lasts only for an hour or two every three or four days. Additionally, you can often find discounts during this time.

Note: Botswana is in the southern hemisphere, so May through July is winter.

What to Pack for a trip to Chobe National Park

The Chobe area is on a dry, desert plain. It's often cool in the morning and night, while the weather warms up during the day. Temperatures vary depending on whether you visit in June (winter) or September (summer), but layers and sun protection ought to be your focus.

• Fleece Jacket: Nice to have a warm layer for the early mornings and late nights. If you visit during the winter consider bringing a windbreaker as well.
• Long-sleeved shirt: Good for sun protection and warmth. Keeps the mosquitos away in the early evening, too.
• Trousers: Comfortable and light. We're partial to these his and hers Clothing Arts travel pants. We wore them daily.
• Hats: A hat is always a good idea as the desert sun is powerful. If you visit during Botswana’s winter then a warm cap or [easyazon_link keywords=”beanie” locale=”US” tag=”uncormarke-20″]beanie[/easyazon_link] will do wonders to keep you toasty warm on breezy early morning game drives.
• Sunscreen: The higher the SPF, the better.
• Lip balm: The dry desert environment can do a number on your lips. Carry plenty of lip balm with you.

Do not worry about bringing lots of clothes as the lodges usually offer laundry service free of charge.

Luggage

If your trip to Botswana includes taking a bush flight to some of the more remote camps, be sure to bring a duffel bag or backpack (we carried our Eagle Creek backpacks so we could enclose the straps in a zippered cover). Suitcases with wheels are not allowed on bush planes. Also, the maximum weight per person on these small aircraft is 20kg per person total, not only for checked baggage.

Medical Considerations for Chobe

If the time of year of your visit coincides with the wet season, you may want to consider taking or carrying anti-malarial medicine. Since our visit (in June) coincided with the dry season, we opted not to. If you have any doubts, consult the lodge and/or your local travel clinic prior to your visit.

How to Get to Chobe

If you're flying then the easiest options is to arrive at Kasane International Airport. It is a 30-minute drive from the entrance to Chobe National Park and is also a good jumping off point for visiting Victoria Falls in neighboring Zambia and Zimbabwe. There are several flights per day from within Botswana, as well as from nearby countries (e.g., South Africa). Our route took us from Germany to Johannesburg on South African Airways and then on Airlink to Kasane. We recommend Skyscanner or Expedia to compare flight prices and book tickets.

Alternatively, you can cross by land (or ferry) from neighboring Zambia, Namibia, or Zimbabwe.

Visa and Money

Most visitors to Botswana do not need a visa prior to entering the country. For the official word, consult this Botswana tourism visa page which includes a list of countries whose citizens can visit Botswana visa-free. The length of a standard tourist visa is 90 days.

The national currency of Botswana is the Pula. If you anticipate staying in lodges where food and transport are inclusive, it may not be necessary to change money. Most lodges accept U.S. dollars and to a lesser extent, Euros. Credit cards are also often accepted. It is recommended to bring $USD cash for staff and guide tips and other incidentals.

* Read Carl Sagan's words regarding our Pale Blue Dot and listen to them in this video.

The post From Wildlife to Village Life: An Experiential Guide to Chobe, Botswana appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Prior to our visit to Botswana, I pondered a 1959 East German school map of Africa hanging on our living room wall. I traced the red lines of its borders until I landed in a central patch of southern Africa.

There it is. Bigger than I had imagined: “Betschuanaland (Brit.) Protektorat.”

So much has transpired on the continent in the last 50+ years since this map was created. Some countries have declared independence or changed names while others no longer exist, but the land and people remain through these changes. And that is why, although no longer current, this map still stokes curiosity.

Botswana is in the thick of it. Small amidst the vastness of the continent, its landmass is bigger than we imagined – just about the size of Texas. Tucked between South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, there it is.

But, how did it get there? What defines it and made it what it is today?

Although our stay in Botswana would not render us experts, our conversations with local Batswana (that’s what people from Botswana are called) and Africa-experienced visitors from other countries filled us in during our recent visit. Before, during and after our trip we've been asked questions about Botswana, the country itself — characteristics, distinctions. So, before we dive into what we experienced there, we share some of the more enlightening observations.

1. Botswana Was Never Officially Colonized

Although Botswana celebrates 50 years of independence later this year — on the same date as our wedding anniversary as it turns out – it was technically never a colony.

“How does that work?” you might ask. We asked the same thing. The process by which Botswana became a British protectorate in 1885 and became an independent country in 1966 says a great deal about its people and their sense both of harmony and good timing.

In the 1870s and 1880s, in order to avoid the expansionist inclinations of the advancing South African Boers, the three main chiefs came together to appeal to the United Kingdom for protection, which in a game of African geopolitical chess helped them declare the Bechuanaland Protectorate (1885). Decades later, on September 30, 1966, the Republic of Botswana quietly became a fully independent country in a peaceful transition that involved democratic elections, a rarity in this part of the world. Together, these events seem to have set the prevailing tone of peace and stability in Botswana.

During our visit, despite the actual anniversary being months away, walls and buildings throughout the country were painted with Botswana’s tri-colored flag in preparation to celebrate. On several occasions, Batswana proudly explained to us the symbolism: blue for water, and black and white bands to depict the country’s diverse ethnic makeup and the harmony of different races.

On more than one occasion, we also heard an emphasized distinction: “Our flag looks very different from other flags of countries in Africa.”

2. 2.1 Million People in a Country the Size of Texas (or France)

For as large as Botswana is, it’s home to less than 2.1 million people. Given its place in Africa, this struck us as remarkable. However, it began to make more sense once we considered how little fertile land was available for farming. This also explains how you can drive across the country for hours or fly over vast tracts of land without ever seeing another human being.

If you wish to feel the vastness of open space devoid of human touch, then Botswana might be a good travel fit for you.

3. High on Safety and Stability

A few years ago, a color-coded world map of travel safety – colored green for the safest countries, red for the most dangerous — made the rounds. Although we took issue with the map, one aspect stuck out: the only “green” country in Africa was Botswana. To the point, Batswana proudly point out that their country has not experienced wars, insurgencies, or instability within its borders for decades.

Safety is a matter of circumstances and perspective — and nothing is ever guaranteed anywhere, really. However, during our time in Botswana, we felt perfectly safe visiting local villages, flying the bush plane routes, and moving to and in the camps themselves.

Batswana pride themselves on this safety and this stability; it's something they place high value on as part of their own society. As one person joked, “Even with politics, some people get angry on Facebook for a day but that's it. We're laid back like that.”

4. Low on Corruption and the “Resource Curse”

Whether stability is the cause or effect of this, I’m unsure, but Botswana also ranks near the top of the list of countries in the world for transparency and low corruption. This may surprise you when you hear that Botswana is also the world’s largest producer of diamonds.

“How does that work?” you ask? How did Botswana avoid the “resource curse” that sends other countries in Africa into the kind of fits of violence and wealth-controlling corruption that often accompanies the discovery and exploitation of oil, diamonds and other minerals. Apparently, and this is where the “good sense of timing” I alluded to earlier comes in, the country’s public announcement of its discovery of diamonds – was made after its declaration of independence. This meant that a purely Botswana government had control, and made investment in things like free education and health care. This took the country from one of the poorest countries in Africa at the time of independence to one of the most prosperous today.

One of my favorite stories of anti-corruption and rule of law, not involving diamonds:

After a fairly deep conversation about corruption and the country’s history, we were given a timely introduction to a young man named Limbo, one of the Chobe National Park guards. He seemed a sort of local celebrity. “Notice his presidential medal,” James, one of our hosts, said.

The story goes that Limbo was working the gate one night when the presidential convoy pulled up, seeking entry into the park after closing hours to make a short cut to their destination.

Problem was: Limbo was instructed not to let anyone in the park after dark. He took this instruction literally. Even after the president’s team asked Limbo to make an exception considering the request came from the president himself — “This man’s the president,” they said — Limbo did not budge. He refused the convoy entry, explaining that the rules said no vehicles allowed in after 6:30PM. These were the president’s rules after all, so the president himself ought to respect them, too.

After realizing that Limbo wasn’t about to change his mind, the convoy turned around and continued on its way, having been denied their evening short cut.

Not long after the incident, Limbo received a letter from the president inviting him to Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city, where the president awarded him a medal – one he now proudly wears — in recognition of his commitment and adherence to the rules.

5. 85% of Botswana: Kalahari Desert

Botswana is not covered in huge iconic sand dunes, but instead the very fine sand and brush of the Kalahari Desert. Counter-intuitively, animal life thrives in this arid environment and the various patches of water sources that come and go with the seasons. The adaptation of vegetation, animals and humans to an often harsh and demanding environment – one that sees warm days and cold nights and no rainfall for months on end — is a remarkable story.

The cycle of the survival of herds to the final days of the dry season just before life-saving rains is life-and-death drama at its most intense.

6. Okavango Delta: A Fascinating Flow of Flood Waters Into the Desert

But there’s water, too, in Botswana.

Even after seeing the waters of the Okavango Delta from the window of an airplane and witnessing it up close in a mokoro (dugout canoe), I’m still trying to get my head around how its seasonal mechanics drives the rhythm of animal and human life.

As the Angolan highlands and Okavango River flood during their rainy season, water slowly begins to make its way into Botswana, forming the Okavango Delta from the “panhandle” to its “fingers”. This movement of water, from its origin to its most outer reaches, can take up to six months.

As many of Botswana’s rivers and waterholes empty with the dry season, other nearby areas fill with water, and lagoons and waterways re-emerge. Eventually and simultaneously, much of the water evaporates into the Kalahari sand and the cycle begins anew. Locally, the changes are quick, seeming to take place overnight or in only a few days.

During a walking safari at Camp Okavango, Kops, our guide, pointed to a large pool where impala were taking a drink: “That was not there a week ago; it was just sand and brush.”

This annual flow of water brings high concentrations of animals to drink from the network of rivers and lagoons that make up the Okavango Delta, thereby serving up the ideal circumstances for a seasonal variety of safari experiences.

7. Botswana Banned Game Hunting in 2014

Despite the recent attention on the Southern African hunting scene with the killing of Cecil the Lion in neighboring Zimbabwe and the black rhino in Namibia, I really had no idea about the big money in this business until I began to speak with locals and visitors well educated in this topic. (For an interesting examination of hunting and discussion as to whether it hurts or helps conservation, listen to this Radiolab podcast.)

Botswana made a bold but difficult move. In order to focus on conservation and to increase wildlife populations where it was seeing a decline, it banned game hunting in 2014. (Note: the ban is technically temporary so the government may re-evaluate the effectiveness of the policy in terms of animal population and the replacement of lost hunting income with alternative tourism income.)

In contrast, the stories from neighboring countries of declining animal populations, increasing sales of hunting licenses, big money and companion corruption stand in stark contrast. This point was driven home when we happened to be watching elephants on the Botswana side of the Chobe River. In just a few steps over an invisible border with Namibia the rules are different.

One explanation for the country’s focus on conservation: Botswana’s president, Ian Khama, is a wildlife activist and the person once responsible for Botswana’s anti-poaching unit. The focus on sustainable tourism aims to protect animals and their environment (38% of land is national parks and reserves), and provide a foundation for a viable, lasting source of tourism income.

Just as one would expect, however, wild animals do not obey national park borders. Lions, in some cases, have figured out that donkeys and cows from nearby farms are an easier feed than a zebra or wildebeest. Conservation efforts must also be paired with co-habitation education. To avoid the common response of a farmer shooting the offending predator (e.g., the lion), the government aims to compensate families for the loss of domesticated animals due to wildlife incidents. The idea: while a the death of a cow is a loss, it’s easier to re-produce another cow than it is another lion.

All this underscores in action that conservation and sustainable tourism efforts are never really sustainable without the active attention to and involvement of people and local communities.

8. 120,000 Elephants!

At 120,000, Botswana’s elephant population is among the largest in Africa (whose estimated total is 470,000 according to World Wildlife Federation). In Botswana’s Chobe region alone, the elephant concentration is considered to be among the highest in the world at approximately 30,000 elephants.

So it was no surprise that throughout our time in Botswana – from the Chobe River to the Okavango Delta — we saw elephants, and plenty of them. They were a defining feature. Forgive my anthropomorphizing, but elephants seemed the unofficial welcoming and farewell committees everywhere we went, from the opening morning game drives to the late afternoon boat rides. Whether enjoying a morning feed, an afternoon sand bath, or final riverside sunset drink, elephants struck me as remarkable, nimble, and playful.

Visitors like us enjoy watching elephants roam freely. However, local farmers sometimes hold a different view, particularly after an elephant wipes out a field of freshly grown maize that was meant to feed a family for the year. That’s where organizations like Elephants Without Borders (EWB) work with communities to develop “elephant corridors”, paths organized around wildlife habit that enable movement of animals to water sources while minimizing destruction of privately owned farmland. EWB also sponsors programs to educate local families on the principles of wildlife co-habitation.

The idea: simultaneously respect the needs of the community while recognizing the importance of wildlife to the country’s ecosystem and economy.

9. People: laid back, with a sense of humor

“Goodbye, Danny,” Lynn leaned in with a mischievous smile that spread to her eyes. She knew the name she had been playfully calling me for days wasn’t quite what I preferred to be called. But with Lynn, our guide from the all-female guide team at Chobe Game Lodge, it was said with warmth and a dose of good-natured fun. It also reflected the rapport she developed with me in just a few days. Lynn was such an integral part of what made our experience in Chobe so memorable, not only because of the extensive wildlife knowledge she shared with us (her bird identification abilities were outrageous), but because of her desire to connect as we learned from one another.

At all the Desert & Delta Safaris lodges and camps where we we stayed, guides and staff shared the same table with visitors, allowing more time to informally interact outside of scheduled activities. I cannot speak to whether or not all camps in Botswana operate this way, but we appreciated how this approach facilitated connection and a sense of shared humanity between visitors and staff members drawn from across Botswana and its various ethic groups.

Sure, wildlife is the primary draw for most visitors to Botswana. But for us, and for many we spoke to, it was the laid back but attentive nature of the Batswana that made the experience.

10. Botswana: Not Really a Budget Travel Destination

For travel planning purposes, it’s important to note that Botswana is not a budget or inexpensive travel destination. The country features a few budget travel options (e.g., 4×4 self-drive and camping), but clearly positions itself for low-volume, high-end travel. To support the national park system and tourism infrastructure, costs are higher on a per traveler basis.

We’re told this is a result of a deliberate approach to tourism development which aims to minimize the impact on Botswana’s environment and local communities. Based on our experience, this tends to yield something more personalized where, for example, a safari game drive is less likely to feature dozens of land cruisers circling the same pride of lions.

The challenge of the country’s landscape – vast and characterized by the Kalahari Desert – also dictates cost. Sealed roads are few and infrastructure is limited, so many areas are accessible only by bush plane or boat. We witnessed this firsthand in some of the more remote camps (Camp Xakanaxa, Camp Okavango, and Leroo La Tau) we visited, where costly, logistical gymnastics are required to transport guests and stock lodges with fresh food, fuel and other supplies. Additionally, many of the camps are deliberately small (e.g., the ones we visited had just twelve rooms each) so as to provide visitors with an intimate experience with nature, staff and other guests.

Not to mention, these remote locations allow a traveler to shift her brain into neutral, to disconnect and let the mind wander.

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“There’s a circumcision party in a nearby Maasai village. Mela is inviting us to join her. Do you want to go?” Kisioki asked in the sort of unassuming manner one might use to ask a friend to a new restaurant around the corner for lunch.

Circumcision party?

After repeating the phrase and looking at my shoes, I ruminated on this concept, turning my knees inward just slightly, clenching muscles in my pelvic region I never knew I had.

“Sure.” I mean who in their right mind says ‘No’ to a Maasai circumcision party?

Note: If prose isn’t your thing and video is all you're after, click here.

Along the way, as we wended our way through an acacia-dotted clay track creviced by recent storms, Kisioki offered a bit of background. Earlier that day, at dawn, in the village where we were headed, a group of Maasai boys aged between 16 and 18 years old had just been circumcised. More specifically, as the boys were cut, they were expected to stand perfectly upright unflinching and tear-free in front of a group of warriors and elders — all in a hopeful first step on the journey to becoming Maasai warriors themselves.

I was afraid to ask what the second step might be on the path to becoming a warrior.

Arrival, The Veldt

Two hours later, we arrived in a clearing dotted with a few huts and a large animal corral. Maasai villagers of all ages walked about perfectly upright with unassailably good posture. Men were dressed in dark cloth — red, blue, purple, some checked. All carried ceremonial fighting sticks. Women were decked out in bright, colorful jewelry made of tiny stringed beads — just as Mela, our host, had been.

Remember the first party you ever attended as a kid? Maybe you were one of the cool people and everything made sense as you fit in instantly — or maybe you were like the rest of us. Our arrival in the village carried for us the same uncertainty of being perfectly out of place. Audrey and I were the only visitors, and amidst the lithe and remarkable bodies of the Maasai who surrounded us, we felt awkward, travel pants, goofy one-dollar bush hats and all.

“If you are invited by a local Maasai, then you are welcome,” Kisioki assured us.

“But you need to split up. Audrey go with the women, Dan with the men.”

“But wait,” I said in my head, feeling cut loose.

Mela came to Audrey’s rescue, grabbing her hand and squeezing it as if to say, “You come with me.”

Dan: A Man’s World

I was whisked away, or rather drifted away to a section of open field where men gathered and puttered in the sort of managed chaos that no outsider could reverse engineer. Amidst the veldt and scrub, men talked, drank, and danced occasionally. A few tended to large meat hunks smoldering on grills.

“The village chief tells everyone what’s next — when to eat, when to dance.” Kisoki explained.

A few minutes later, it was time to dance — or rather to practice. The real moves were for the benefit of the women of the village. (We humans have a lot more in common with one another than we’re often aware.)

Men gathered closely, their fighting sticks echoing the leanness of their bodies. This is the Maasai warrior dance I’d seen before on previous trip to Tanzania. This time was different, though. This wasn't a performance for my benefit, it was all theirs.

For as out of place as I was, the men paid little attention to me. Until, that is, someone handed me his stick. Unprepared, I moved forward, stick in hand. In response, the men laughed in anticipation of how much a fool I would make of myself.

“It’s time to eat,” the chief announced.

Bullet dodged.

Just like that, dance practice was over. Men scattered; meat was grabbed, pulled, torn and cut from the makeshift lattice-work grill stretched across a segment of creek bed. An entire cow whose skin and bones lay deflated, discarded just a few meters away. Meat chunks were passed around — the best saved for elders, the rest scattered on plates of rice circulated among guests.

Kisioki and I sat down with two other men and ate from a heaping plate shared between us. “Do you have that hand disinfectant with you?”

“No,” I said.

“Hmmm,” Kisioki replied, looking mildly concerned for my well-being.

We ate, passing the plate, taking a handful, scooping it into our mouths, passing again, repeating.

In taste it was nothing remarkable, but in ceremony it was something to savor.

I hoped that my digestive system would find itself on the right side of hygiene.

A few minutes later, mid-scoop, it was time to move on.

“Let’s join the women.”

Audrey: A Woman’s World

After Mela grabbed me she led me to a place behind the corral where the women were gathered. They told stories, laughed, and motioned others to join in.

Though I felt a little out of place with nothing to add, I could read the body language clearly – hushed voices, pointing, explosions of laughter, more gasps. Some things are universal. This was a gossip circle.

Infrequent occasions and celebrations to catch up on the latest news, I know them myself.

Then at once, the women turned and piled into a nearby hut. Aware that I was clueless, Mela grabbed my hand and led me inside. She found a small stool for me to sit on as people poured into the space around me. Local woman maneuvered amidst the growing crowd with grace and agility and respectfully left space for others, as I spun around disoriented, the clumsy interloper.

Several plates were passed into the room — meat soup and a pile of rice mixed with meat. Mela made certain to give me the best chunk of meat she could find. I felt guilty, but also knew that refusal would offend her hospitality. Three of us sat on the ground together, sharing one plate and one spoon, taking a bite and passing it on.

The process exhibited a simple rhythm and fairness. Simultaneously, the women made me feel like a guest yet also one of them.

Bottles of Coke and Fanta were handed into our space. Problem was, no one had a bottle opener. Mela motioned to the carabiner hanging off my camera bag.

I shook my head, “No, this is not a bottle opener.”

But it was. A few failed attempts later I finally got the hang of angling the carabiner and I took on a new, important role in my group: bartender. There I was opening bottles of soda for a group of Maasai women in a hut in the middle of Tanzania.

I smiled, considering how our assumptions of what ought to be often get in way of what could be.

Then another sound, indiscernible to me, that apparently indicated it was time to gather by the corral.

The Dance

In the distance, Maasai women descended from the hills. They sang, their voices carried. They bounced, undulated, their wide beaded necklaces mesmerizing, synchronized. I learned that Maasai women announce themselves on their approach when visiting another village. Should a woman find herself alone, she'll wait to join a group so she doesn't join the party by herself.

Meanwhile, a line of Maasai warriors gathered in a straight line, their warrior shouts punctuating the once still air.

Mela pointed to our camera, tucked away in Audrey's bag: “Pictures OK.”

“Where are the boys from the ceremony?” I asked Kisioki, noting that none of the boys in front of my appeared as if they had just been circumcised that morning.

“Recovering in nearby huts as their friends and family party into the night,” he replied. Raw deal, I'd say.

We followed the group into the open-air corral and moved to the edges, positioning ourselves to absorb a widening scene in front of us. Grunts followed chants, harmony mimicked heartbeat. On the opposite side, a competing village began their own dance circle. The men jumping in the middle shot higher, their shouts growing more pronounced.

A fleeting beat, a universal rhythm.

Video: Maasai Celebration, Singing and Dancing

Goodbye

Kisioki tugged at each of us, indicating we had to leave; it was late and the sun would soon set.

I was aware how fortunate we were — to be there, to be humbled by the generosity of this Maasai community to welcome two foreigners like us into a piece of their private world, their celebration.

Mela was the instigator, in all the right ways. She grabbed Audrey’s hand one final time, as if to squeeze it goodbye — for now.

And somewhere nearby a group of young boys nursed their wounds as their family and friends celebrated them.

The post A Maasai Circumcision After-Party [VIDEO] appeared first on Uncornered Market.

While mountain gorilla trekking is the big draw and anchor experience for many people visiting Uganda, the country offers a lot more in terms of atmosphere and experiences. Prior to our trip to Uganda, we’d heard from other travelers that the country was among their favorites in Africa due to its friendly people and laid-back feel.

Beyond the critical human element, you have rafting through Nile River rapids, exploring sprawling markets, hopping a back-seat motorbike tour around the capital city of Kampala, and taking mini animal safaris across the country.

So if you’re wondering which travel experiences in Uganda to consider beyond the mountain gorillas, here are a few thoughts.

Note: If you are interested in learning more about mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda, read this article with all the details you need to plan and prepare.

1. Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi served as our base for gorilla trekking. While its location made for a long drive on the morning of the trek, it made for a great place to reflect, recharge and soak up the surrounding natural beauty of the lake and its many islands. Particularly if you’ve been on the road and are moving at pace, it’s an excellent spot to relish in some down time. Horizons and the surface of the water seem to have a meditative effect.

Although we mainly relaxed at Lake Bunyonyi, we also took a short hike up to Arcadia Cottages for a fantastic mountaintop view across the lake and the islands. We can definitely recommend the restaurant's crayfish curry, with crayfish caught fresh from the lake. Top that off with a cold beer and the view and you’ll have one of life’s “it doesn't’ get any better than this” moments.

If you wish to get out on the water and visit the nearby islands, you can rent a canoe or kayak. There’s also no shortage of men with dugout boats to take you island hopping. Just remember to negotiate a fair price.

2. Rafting (or Flipping One’s Raft) on the Nile River Rapids

We’ve rafted Class V rapids a number of times – New Zealand, Costa Rica, among others – but none of that quite prepared us for the joy-meets-terror experience while rafting the Nile River rapids near the town of Jinja. These rapids are an intense adrenaline rush, often complete with several raft flips and a fleeting sense of your own fragility. We won’t lie to you: flipping is exciting, but it’s also frightening as the current is strong and you must keep your wits about you. In many ways, it’s life affirming.

We recommend it.

Be sure to ask questions of your river guide as you’re floating along in-between rapids. Juma, our guide, was an Olympic paddler. Beyond his skill on the water, he was a wealth of great stories, fabulous humor, and cynical insight into Ugandan politics, corruption, religion, foreign aid and more. His perspective alone was worth the price of admission.

Note: If you have not been rafting before or are not completely comfortable in the water, consider taking one of the other more mellow boat rides offered. You can also let your guide know at the beginning of your paddle which level of adrenaline you’d like. There are measures the guide can take to ensure a smoother ride over the rapids – or a rougher one. If you are already out there and find that the rapids become too much — as they were for one woman in our group who had never been rafting before — there is a safety boat that you can hop on to float over the more unnerving segments of the paddle.

Details: We rafted with Nile River Explorers. They run a hostel in Jinja town and a campsite out by the river. We would have preferred to stay out by the river but during our visit the roads were too washed out for our truck to pass. The cost: $110 for a half day, $125 for a full day, which includes a lunch and a beer (or two, or three) at the end. Given the price and the fact that the most memorable rapids are in the afternoon, we recommend the full day experience. The price also includes transfer from/to Kampala and a night’s accommodation at the Explorers Hostel or campsite. Even if you don’t require the transfer and free accommodation, the price remains the same.

3. Boda Boda (Motorbike) Tour of Kampala

Kampala is a big, sprawling city that can feel nothing but overwhelming when you find yourself in the middle of it. Locals affectionately refer to it as “organized chaos.” We think of it as something a bit simpler: chaos.

One of the women in our rafting boat, a public health consultant working in South Sudan, knew Kampala quite well from frequent rest and relaxation visits. When we asked her how best to explore and approach Kampala, she responded immediately: “Take a boda boda (motorbike) tour with Walter. I learned so much about Kampala on that tour, even though I had visited the city several times before. And, being on the back of a boda boda, it’s just a lot of fun. In fact, I’m thinking of doing it again this visit.”

We were sold.

Walter’s boda boda tour quickly breaks the city down into a series of manageable and enlightening experiences over the course of one day. Your motorbike driver will double as a guide, so be sure to bring your curiosity. Ask him anything about his home city and country and he will likely be glad to share.

You can customize your motorbike tour experience to your interests. We spent the morning visiting traditional sights like the Hindu Temple, National Mosque (including its panoramic views of the city and its “7 hills”), and the infamously crazy Kampala central taxi and bus park.

The typical tour continues with historical sites like the Royal Palace and National Museum, but we were more interested in going local by visiting markets and neighborhoods. We visited Mengo Market, small and local, and spent the rest of the day in several of the sprawling downtown markets (e.g., Owino Market), and neighborhood “slums” (our driver’s words) on the city’s edge.

Don’t fear the word slum. These neighborhoods aren’t frightening, but in the words of our motorbike drivers, are instead “the real Uganda.” Being on the back of a motorbike allows you to cover large parts of the city while enjoying a reasonable pace and the flexibility to cut through narrow alleys and market spaces.

Details: The easiest way to book: send an email to Walter through his Facebook page or website. Tours run between $30-$45/person, depending upon the number of people in the group, time of year, etc. Walter, the founder of the company who adores motorcycles himself, has an interesting story and tries to help foreign visitors experience his country in different ways. Check out his other tours.

Find accommodation in Kampala

4. Fresh Markets

Fresh markets are usually where the action, people, and food are. Whether we found ourselves at a weekly market on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi or in the middle of Kampala, it’s no different. As English is spoken by many people in Uganda, it is relatively easy to ask questions about vegetables, roots, fruits, smoking implements and other bits and bobs that were previously unknown to us.

Though sometimes the exact meaning of the name of a vegetable was lost on us. We picked up kilos of “sweet potatoes” and “bitter tomatoes” for our group thinking they were one thing, only to be enlightened by our guide that they were not at all potatoes or tomatoes but cassava-like roots and a rough local version of an eggplant. We found a way to cook and eat them anyway.

The best-known markets in Kampala are the Nakasero fresh market (partially covered) and the Owino goods market, both of which can feel overwhelming because of their intensity and sprawl. For a smaller and more personal market experience, consider checking out the smaller neighborhood markets (e.g., Mengo Market).

5. Chimpanzee Trekking

Although Uganda’s mountain gorillas usually steal the traveler spotlight, chimpanzee trekking is also pretty cool and provides an opportunity to learn about these intelligent yet conniving, meat-eating apes.

Our chimpanzee trek began early in the morning from Kalinzu Forest National Reserve and our challenging climb followed the sounds of the chimpanzees in the trees above us. Along the way, we also spotted Colobus monkeys.

The chimpanzee jungle guides have highly tuned senses and can pick up chimpanzee sounds that are imperceptible to the untrained ear. The chimps usually hang out high in the canopy, so they are hard to see up close, but if you are quiet you can watch them as they feed on the leaves of the trees above and occasionally make their way to the jungle floor.

Be sure to take a moment to enjoy the sounds, including a chorus of birds like none you’ve heard or seen before. This is the jungle — enjoy the entire show.

6. Eating a Rolex

No, this is not about downing a luxury watch. In Uganda, a rolex is a chapati (Indian flatbread) filled with eggs, onions, tomatoes, and cabbage. It’s quick, tasty and cheap street food that fills you up. And it’s fun to chat with vendors and watch as they make them. Particularly at less tourist-trafficked markets, take a photograph and the cooks will really think you’re crazy.

Kikomando, a Ugandan dish composed of beans tossed with slices of chapati, is also worth a try. We were told that the name of the dish is inspired by scenes from action films like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Commando. The idea: eating kikomando will make you strong like Arnold. I’m not certain about that, but this dish proves exceptionally efficient at filling you up for the rest of the day.

And if you love avocados like we do, be sure to stock up on them in Uganda. They are delicious, cheap and not prone to browning like the avocados you might be accustomed to. When ripe, they can be spread like butter over a chapati. Oddly delicious, especially when hungry on a nine hour bus ride through the border to Rwanda.

7. Ugandan People

Finally, we close with the lasting impression that Uganda often gives: the warmth of its people. From the endless groups of kids waving from the side of the road or the all the people who helped us with directions through Kampala while retrieving our bank card from Barclays Bank in Entebbe (it was swallowed by the ATM at the Kampala/Entebbe airport…beware), the people are the country.

English serves as one of the country’s national languages and people will often greet you, ask where you are from and inquire as to how you like their country. We found that people were rather open to talking about life, politics, challenges, hopes, and more. So don’t be afraid to follow your curiosity respectfully.

As a foreigner, you’ll likely find yourself attracting touts aiming to sell you something, or otherwise attempting to extract money from you. One of the twists in Uganda, however, is that often these touts are representing a nearby “orphanage” or similar heart-tugging NGO, employing what our guide called “sympathy tourism.”

We found that asking a few questions regarding the organization’s operations, allocation of money, and contact information would usually leave touts speechless and with no other choice than to move on. We don’t want to discourage giving in general, but suggest you give responsibly by researching organizations and avoiding indiscriminate giving on the street.

A note on seeing the mountain gorillas

This piece aimed to highlight what to do and see in Uganda outside of the mountain gorillas to create a well-rounded itinerary. For all you need to know on this topic, check out our Gorilla Trekking Beginner’s Guide.

In full disclosure, the highlights of our Uganda travel experience represent only the beginning. Had we more time, we would have trekked the Rwenzori Mountains, taken a wildlife boat tour in the Kazinga Channel, and spent a few days at Murchison Falls on safari, as was recommended by another traveler we’d met.

We often leave a country with more things on our wish list than when we first arrived. Uganda is certainly no exception. We’re already imaging how we’ll return.

The post Uganda Beyond the Gorillas: From Boda Boda to Bunyonyi appeared first on Uncornered Market.

“You can call me Airport,” Esupat said, laughing.

She sat atop a Maasai hut with her legs crossed, straddling a half-built chimney. Small piles of bricks surrounded her; wet cement fell from her hands.

She was dressed colorfully, ornamentally. But this is how she goes to work. When she smiles, it is wide. Wide from unforced practice. Wide with pride, wide with ease.

Her given name was Esupat, meaning “the one who cares for others.” She was considered a master among a team of Maasai women installing clean cookstoves in Maasai huts in the hills outside of the town of Arusha, Tanzania.

More importantly, however, she was known by everyone in her village as Airport, the woman who went through the sky and returned to tell the tale.

But before we tell that story, some background.

Accidental Women’s Empowerment

We recently visited the Arusha area to see in action a new Planeterra Foundation project, a partnership with Maasai Stoves and Solar Project. The project mechanism: G Adventures travelers who are on safari in Tanzania have a portion of their tour fees go towards buying and installing a clean cookstove for a family in a Maasai village.

The travelers then have the opportunity to visit the village, see a stove installation, and learn more about why this simple stove design can be life-changing, especially for children.

During our visit, we spent a day with a young Maasai man named Kisioki, the local project coordinator who had been with the program from its inception.

“One of the things that makes our clean stoves project unique,” Kisioki said, “is that we empower women as a core component.”

“Why did this project choose to include women’s empowerment?” Audrey asked, leaning in.

“Well, it was actually an accident,” Kisioki laughed.

We appreciated his honesty. And we figured there was a good story behind it.

Several years earlier, Robert Lange, a professor from the United States, successfully designed a new type of “clean” cooking stove for a community on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. He was then invited to bring his concept to the Maasai villages in the Monduli district near Arusha, a jumping off point for either climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or going on safari.

But there were problems: the Zanzibari stove design didn’t fit the cooking needs of the Maasai community. It would need significant adjustments.

In the beginning, the Maasai village men together with the women were involved in discussions and community events about the stoves. But the men quickly lost interest; things moved too slowly for them.

The women remained steadfast, however. They cooperated with the organization’s engineers, testing and providing feedback on several stove design iterations until nearly 18 months later, the design of the clean cookstove – a stove that women in the village would actually use — was complete.

When talk turned to training, organizing and paying stove installation teams, the men wanted back in. The women held firm said no. Their rationale: We participated from the beginning and we ought to be the ones to manage the project and, more importantly, to earn our own money.

And so the Maasai Clean Stoves project remained one led primarily by women, with women’s empowerment as one of its de facto core components.

Training Women, Esupat Rising

When the project first got underway, each village was asked to recommend ten women to be trained in stove installation. A young woman named Esupat was among the first selected.

When women like Esupat received training, it provided them not only with practical skills, but also a source of income in a society where men traditionally earned the money. Esupat estimates that she has installed over three hundred stoves in the five years she has been involved with the project.

For a bit of perspective, a clean stove costs around 95,000 Tsh ($56) to produce using local materials and labor. A family is then expected to contribute 25,000 Tsh ($15) to cover some costs. This contribution includes the fees paid to the local women-run installation teams. It also ensures that the owner is personally invested in her new stove.

Eventually, the project took off. This system gradually meant greater economic empowerment for the women involved and also a societal shift in perspective regarding the capabilities of women in the village.

But Wait, How Important Can a Clean Stove Be?

Earlier that day, we'd visited a village to see a new stove in action and compare it with a traditional one.

“Stove in action?” you say with a yawn.

This is a stove that reduces 90% of the smoke released into a hut and uses only 40% of the firewood of a traditional stove. Sure, this sounds mundane. Numbers are, after all, a bore. And stoves aren’t very far behind.

Firsthand experience is a different matter, however.

In the village of Enguiki, Kisioki led us into a hut with a clean stove. A few bits of wood poked out from a circular opening as a fire crackled away to heat a pot of water on top. Mela, the owner of the hut, was a mother of nine children, four of whom still lived with her. She earned the money for the down payment on her stove through her work as one of the installation assistants.

“I didn't have to depend on my husband at all,” she noted with a bit of restrained pride. “Now my children have fewer health problems. The food even tastes better without all the smoke.”

Sounds good. But how bad could the smoke from a traditional stove really be?

Kisioki took us to see Mela’s neighbor, Nagoyoneeni, just down the village path. She had a traditional stove. Before entering her home, I could see smoke seeping out from around a blackened door jamb.

Kisioki looked at me, “We only need to spend a few minutes in here. Just let me know when you can’t take it any more.”

C’mon. How bad could it be? I mean, a family of eight lived there.

Awful. I couldn’t take it, almost instantly. From the moment I ducked my head to enter the hut, my eyes, nose and lungs were accosted by acrid smoke, making it difficult for me to see and breathe.

I blinked repeatedly to clear the soot from my eyes, to relieve the stinging feeling. Our host went about her daily business, making porridge for her children. Not wanting to be rude, I attempted to suppress a cough. It was impossible.

We sat on little wooden stools and had a conversation about the so-called three-stone fire, the traditional Maasai open pit stove with a pot placed on top. Nagoyoneeni explained that there were eight people, children mainly, living in her hut. She planned to save money from this year’s corn harvest to help buy a clean stove.

Though we were there only for a few minutes, I was certain I could feel my lungs blacken. Imagine what the smoke must do to the health of the newborn at Nagoyeneeni’s side, or the children shyly gathering around us.

OK, Dan. I'm getting antsy. What does this have to do with a woman nicknamed “Aiport”?

Breaking the Blue Sky

As Esupat slapped concrete into the gaps of the bricks, I tried to get a handle on the pronunciation of her name.

“E – su – pat. Is that right?” I asked.

“Airport,” I heard one of the village women mumble behind me. Others laughed.

“Ooh, a story!” I said.

“You can call me Airport,” she laughed.

“Airport? What’s this?” I asked.

After the project got traction in northern Tanzania, Esupat was invited to share her stove installation techniques with a group running a similar project in western Uganda.

“The problem,” Kisioki said “was that nobody from the village had ever been on an airplane before.”

Esupat jumped in, “The plane keeps going up and up. And I think, ‘Are we going to see God?'”

Maasai belief is that the world ends with the blue sky and clouds, beyond which their god resides.

I imagined what this looked like to a person who perceived the sky as a sort of ceiling. I remembered my own first flight, as I clung to the hand rest wondering how this hulk of a thing was going to stay in the air. I didn't fear the ceiling in the sky, but rather the force of gravity.

Esupat paused laying bricks, her joy at the memory of flying unabated, “I think we are very close to God. Are we going to see him? The plane keeps going up. I thought I was going to hit God and make him angry. And not come back.”

Esupat did not hit God, and she lived to tell the tale. She did something that no other villager had done, men included: she not only saw the airport, but she also flew in an airplane. Her social status was elevated.

When she returned to the village, she told everyone about it — with a smile each time, I’m certain.

The Future

In the last five years Maasai women have installed over 1,000 stoves in villages around Arusha. When you consider that each hut is home to somewhere between seven and ten people, you can begin to appreciate the impact of this project. This is hopefully only the beginning.

The goal of the Planeterra Foundation and Maasai Stoves and Solar partnership is to provide a sustained, reliable source of funding for the local organization drawn from a portion of the tour fees of a steady supply of travelers coming through the area. In this way, together with the family investment contribution, each traveler helps purchase a clean stove. G Adventures travelers will also have the opportunity to visit one of the villages impacted, and have an experience that will hopefully be as eye-opening for them as it was for us.

Maybe they’ll have a chance to meet Esupat or another trail-blazer who will never forget her chance to know that the world doesn’t end with the blue sky.

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