The Makay, terra incognita

East central Madagascar

In Madagascar, perfect spot for adventure, there are still unexplored areas where nature has all its rights.
The Makay – call it "makai"– is 7,500 km2 of canyons carved by the erosion of crystalline rocks over millions of years.

Makay

 

A labyrinth of sandstone dotted with arid plateaus, forests and rivers. For comparison, the American Grand Canyon makes it 4,926 km².

Makay

It's difficult to realize the vastness of this territory and, above all, to believe that man has not yet appropriated it, in the era of unbridled tourism. And yet, this region is still very little explored, even unknown by the Malagasy themselves.
Its extremely difficult access (no roads, trails to clear, no maps), due largely to its geology, protected the species of this massif from the threats of man. The entire island already has exceptional biodiversity, but the Makay is downright considered an Eden, a paradise for scientists and explorers, where nearly 100 new species have been discovered, and where others are still waiting to be.
In 2011, a first expedition of 60 scientists, led by Evrard Wendenbaum, filmed his 3D exploration of Makay species.

The documentary was broadcast on Canal + :

 

The Earth may have been traveled in all directions and scrutinized in its smallest nooks and crannies by satellite imagery, but there are still virgin territories to deflore.

Evrard Wendenbaum.

Makay

 

The explorator (and former French Minister for the Ecological and Solidary Transition) Nicolas Hulot flew over it in 2002 for his show Ushuaia, but no real exploration had been undertaken until then. Today, the tour operator Nomade Aventures offers a trek through the massif, where it takes a hundred people a year in an adventure that makes pass Koh Lanta for a thalassotherapy stay.
Two days of trails (so bumpy in Mada) to get to the site. Walk 8-10 hours a day, climb, crawl, swim, abseil, bivouac. If you are not very sporty, if you like comfort, if you have vertigo or are claustro, don't go that way lol

Makay

Otherwise, embark on an unusual adventure that few people can't even imagine in their lives. Think of it as an unexplored area with fascinating biodiversity on a site that dates back millions of years. How could we better reconnect with nature and learn to know ourselves, to push our limits? It’s not even “stepping out of your comfort zone” – a fashionable term in recent years – it’s about transcending yourself!
Well, you mustn’t be poor either: 4599€ for 20 days. But at this price, it is Evrard Wendenbaum himself, the Indiana Jones (as handsome as the original) of the 2011 expedition, who will accompany you.

Evrard Wendenbaum

NOTE – Evrard Wendenbaum

Because the goal of this approach is much more ecological than tourism: deforestation doesn't affect only the orangutans of Indonesia and the Amazon; only 10% of the primary forests remain in Madagascar! And the Makay is not left behind, nibbled by the fires caused by the burning crop.

Carte Makay
Carte Makay

 

Naturevolution also offers an 8-day trek in the massif (2 weeks in Mada in all), at a more affordable price (2500 € for a single person without flights), whose benefits are used to protect the site : your holiday is tax-free!