Makay Massif

The Makay is a sandstone plateau cut by erosion into hundreds of narrow canyons, so tangled that parts of it were not scientifically surveyed until this century, when expeditions found species new to science in isolated valleys. Inside the canyons are gallery forests, permanent streams, waterfalls and pools; on top is bare rock and grassland. There are rock paintings and burial sites in the caves, and Bara herders live around the edges. Nothing here is set up for visitors: reaching the interior means a multi-day trek with porters, river crossings and camping, arranged with the few operators who work in the region. It is one of the last genuinely remote places in Madagascar and is treated by those who go as an expedition rather than a trip.

Highlights

• Canyon labyrinth - hundreds of narrow sandstone gorges.
• Hidden forests - gallery woodland and pools inside the canyons.
• Rock art and burials - painted and used caves in the walls.
• Bara herding country - the cattle culture on the plateau edges.

When to go

May to October, the dry season, when rivers are crossable and canyons are not flash-flooding. Expeditions are organised for these months only. Nights are cold on the plateau despite the daytime heat.

What to expect

This is a genuine expedition: a week or more of trekking, camping and river crossings with porters, and no evacuation options. Costs are high and departures are few. Physical demands are serious. Nothing is signposted and independent travel is not realistic.

Nearby

The Tsiribihina country lies north; Isalo is southeast.

Key facts