The misty rainforest of Andasibe...

From the dry, hot heat of the desert south of Isalo and Ifaty we took a short flight from Toliara back to the capital, Tana. We were on the next leg of our trip heading east to Andasibe. Completely unlike from where we had come, it was an area of lush rainforest which I was most looking forward to visit. As you'd expect with it being rainforest its inhabitants are vast in variety, ranging from tiny and brightly coloured tree frogs to the largest lemur alive in Madagascar, the Indri. Because of its biodiversity it was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2007. It is one of the most visited parks in Madagascar as it is easy to get to from the capital. Around a three hour drive east from Tana and you're there. Don't let the volume of visitors put you off though, it is an enchanting place. Early morning mist shrouds the rainforest and the hauntingly beautiful sound of the Indri calling gets your goose bumps going. Every morning I'd hear them call out their territorial call and I could do nothing but smile, it was magical. If you've not heard the sound go to YouTube and search for it, or better still book a trip to Madagascar and hear it for yourself. It sounds rather like whale song and pierces through the forest, it's unmistakable. In fact, the first time I heard it was arriving at a local restaurant for lunch just before getting to the hotel. We were sat on a balcony overlooking the forest and, as Common Brown Lemurs jumped through the trees, the sound hit my ears. At first it was quiet and I wasn't sure if my ears were playing tricks with me, but then it grew louder and louder. I looked around and everyone sat in the restaurant was smiling in awe at it. It was tantalising as, while we didn't see the Indri then, it didn't matter and was made all the more ethereal for that very reason. Our first proper sighting of the Indri would come later that afternoon.