The Tsingy of Behamra are not nicknamed “the place you cross on tiptoe” for nothing. This veritable mineral labyrinth is made up of 157,000 hectares of razor-sharp rock. It was the monsoon rain that sculpted the limestone into a jagged landscape with a look unique in the world. The place is also a refuge for lemurs, the furry animal popularized by the film “Madagascar”. The site was listed in 1927 and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1990.
A natural refuge with a unique physiognomy
The Tsingy are home to different ecosystems, offering both dry and wet habitats to the different species present on the island. Besides the colonies of lemurs that thrive here, the Brookesia perarmata , a type of tiny chameleon, is found here. Recent scientific work has revealed new species such as a very small lemur and a new type of frog . Madagascar is known for its biodiversity and for being home to an impressive number of endemic species. If a large part of the nature reserve is occupied by a forest cover of more than 85,000 hectares , it also includes a landscape of savannah in the north. The flora is not left out: there would be 300 species of plants , sometimes also endemic, present in this sector.
Explorer les Tsingy
The Tsingy also served as a refuge for the Vazimba, the original inhabitants of Madagascar. They are still the object of legends and cults from the local population , even if at present these curious geological formations are above all a financial manna since they attract many tourists . Thus the Tsingy de Behamra park is one of the island’s flagship destinations. To facilitate the exploration of this complex and difficult to access area, cable bridges have been installed . Vertigo guaranteed!
