Like an enchanted forest that’s been turned to stone, Grand Tsingy in Madagascar is a sombre scene of spiky, tree-like rocks. The world’s largest stone forest was carved by tropical rain in a process that lasted millions of years. Tsingy de Bemaraha covers a vast 600 sq km (230 sq miles).
Meaning “where one cannot walk”, Grand Tsingy is an isolated wilderness in Madagascar’s Tsingy de Bemaraha national park. Its limestone rock has been eroded into a grid-like pattern of dead straight canyons called grikes, topped with dangerously craggy spears. Though the entire area appears grey rather than green, plant life flourishes between the peaks.
Extreme Living
A surprising number of species call Tsingy de Bemaraha national park their home. More than 100 types of bird, at least 30 types of reptile, and 11 types of lemur, including the Decken’s sifaka (above), live here. Many are found nowhere else in the world.
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