Tsingy de Bemahara National Park, Wales Coast Path

Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, located in western Madasgascar, is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its dramatic limestone formations known as Tsingy.

These formations are karstic plateaus where groundwater was eroded the limestone, carving out caverns and fissures. Over time, the combination of vertical and horizontal erosion patterns has resulted in towering “forests” of limestone needles, creating this surreal landscape. The work “tsingy” is derived from the Malagasy language, meaning “where one cannot walk barefoot”, a fitting description of the jagged, sharp terrain that defines the park.

Spanning over 150,000 hectares, the park is home to many unique flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to Madagascar. Among its most notable residents are the Decken’s sifaka, a type of lemur, and the elusive fossa, a carnivorous mammal. Within the park, plants like Euphorbia viguieri, a spiny succulent, thrive in its limestone cracks, adapted to the harsh environment. The Madagascar palm, another species well-suited to the limestone-rich region, also thrives with its spiny, succulent nature. Additionally, local Malagasy communities consider some areas of the park sacred, with specific limestone formations regarded as spiritual sites.