This road is known as the Madagascar Avenue of Baobabs. The towering baobab trees along this road have attracted visitors from around the world, making it one of the most visited sites in the region.
The road was put under temporary protection by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Forests in July 2007 – a significant step towards making it the first natural monument of Madagascar.
Madagascar Avenue of Baobabs
Along this 260-meter stretch, there are about 20 to 25 giant baobab trees, each reaching a height of around 30 meters. These trees, locally known as “the mother of the forest,” can live for up to 3,000 years.
These trees originally did not stand isolated as they do now but lived in dense forests.
These stunning baobab trees are remnants of the lush tropical forests that once thrived in Madagascar. Initially, they did not stand alone but were part of dense jungles. Over the years, as the population of the country increased, forests were cleared for agriculture, leaving only these giant baobabs.
About 7 kilometers northwest of this avenue, there are two baobab trees intertwined as they grew. According to legend, these two baobabs grew together over centuries. They found themselves after an “impossible” love between a young man and a young girl from a nearby village.
The couple were both already betrothed and had to marry within their village. Unable to wed, they sought the help of a deity. Subsequently, the two baobab trees sprouted and now stand there as a testament to the love of the lovers who could not be together.
The scenery here is very captivating.
The Madagascar Avenue of Baobabs has been a protected natural monument since July 2015, but the trees are still threatened by deforestation and wildfires. Despite being a popular tourist destination, the area lacks a visitor center and entrance fees are not charged for visitors.
Fanamby, a non-governmental organization, launched an ecotourism project aimed at preserving the area and improving the economy for local communities since 2014 and inaugurated infrastructure to help promote tourism in the region in 2018.
The baobab tree is a unique species that grows in low-lying areas of mainland Africa, Madagascar, and Australia. It can grow to gigantic sizes and live up to 3,000 years. There are eight species of baobab, six from Madagascar and two from the African continent and Australia.
The greatest threats to baobabs are drought, flooding, lightning, elephants, and black fungi. Baobab trees store a large amount of water in their trunks, which is why elephants and other animals chew the bark of these trees during the dry season.
