Lake Kariba & Siavonga

Deep in the south of Zambia, Lake Kariba is situated as a result of staunching Zambezi River just downstream Victoria Falls. In 1958, the dam was finished, and the impounding of water in the lake commenced. Official opening took place in 1960, carried out by Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mum. It is not quite 100 […]

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is Zambia´s smallest National Park with a size of only 66 km2. It is nestled between Livingstone and Zambezi River upstream of Victoria Falls which are also part of the park. The landscape is stunning with lush vegetation, rolling hills and the majestic stream as a background. Because being situated at a […]

Mosi-oa-Tunya – The smoke that thunders – Der Rauch, der donnert (Victoria Falls/Victoriafälle)

Modern-day Livingstone is located where once Constitution hill had been, only a few kilometres from Victoria falls and the original settlement. That settlement had been founded in 1898 but was relocated to the present place as early as 1901 because of the problematic climate conditions right at Zambezi River. Das moderne Livingstone liegt heute dort, […]

At Lilayi – Im Lilayi

South of Lusaka, Lilayi Lodge is set in the middle of the eponymous, privately managed and 650-hectare large Game Reserve with more than 25 different species of mammals as well as more than 300 species of birds. Part of the reserve has been the Lilayi Elephant Orphanage, where young elephant orphans are prepared to enter […]

Daraina & Loky Manambato

When we finally reached the edge of the dry deciduous forest, Amidou, our guide and somehow lonesome manager of Loky Manambato Protected Area, and his two friends, the Aye-Aye trackers, had already spotted the first group of Golden-crowned sifakas or Tattersall’s sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli) up in the branches of a grove of trees. We followed […]

Vohemar (Iharana)

Vohemar, also referred to as Iharana, is the northernmost town in Madagascar’s north-eastern SAVA region. It is located right at the Indian ocean and vast Iharana bay which is subjected to the tides. Historically, Vohemar seems to be one of Madagascar´s oldest settlements, if not the oldest, where Swahili merchants installed a port for trading […]

Bobangira

If you are looking for a last unspoilt piece of paradise, it is unavoidable to come across Bobangira, even though there are only few people right now who know about that place. The local residents for sure, some expats, and a few adventurous travellers who came upon the name accidentally and were open enough to […]

Macolline, Antalaha

Right before entering the southernmost town of the SAVA region, Antalaha, there is a steep hill that once had been intensively used for agricultural means. More than ten years ago, Marie-Hélène Kam Hyo, a Malagasy pharmacist, and her german dentist husband Bernd Zschocke have bought those 10 ha of land. Both are passionate about conservation, […]

Marojejy

A good 60 km southwest of Sambava lies Marojejy National Park in the eponymous Massif de Marojejy, a mountain range with its highest point at 2.132 m altitude. Those mountains are covered by dense rainforest as well as montane rainforest and cloud forest on the higher levels, and the forest is one of the top […]

Vola Maitso, Bemarivo river & Soavoanio Coconut plantation – Vola Maitso, der Bemarivo-Fluss und die Soavoanio Kokosnuss-Plantage

Vola Maitso is a cooperative of farmers growing and selling cocoa, vanilla, pepper, cloves, coconuts, and fruits in a picturesque landscape a few kilometres north of Sambava. They practice a sustainable form of agriculture, combining the cultivation of different plants in an ecological way – without chopping off trees till there is nothing left. Unfortunately, […]