Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, National park in Melaky, Madagascar
Tsingy de Bemaraha is a national park featuring vast limestone plateaus where sharp rock needles rise densely from the ground in intricate patterns. The landscape consists of deep canyons, caves, and narrow passages carved between the stone formations over millennia.
The limestone formations originated about 200 million years ago when ancient seabeds rose above water and began eroding. Over millions of years, rainfall and underground water carved the sharp-edged structures that define the landscape today.
The name Tsingy comes from the Sakalava language and refers to walking barefoot across the sharp rocks, reflecting how local communities experience this landscape. The formations hold deep meaning for people in the region as part of their natural heritage and way of life.
Exploring this place requires certified guides who know the terrain, as the sharp limestone and uneven ground need careful navigation. Bring sturdy shoes, plenty of water, and be prepared for extended walks across the landscape, as trails can be physically demanding.
The park shelters 11 lemur species and the Antsingy leaf chameleon, an animal found nowhere else on Earth except these limestone formations. This unusual landscape has created a home for wildlife that exists in no other place in the world.
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