Discovering Ankarimbelo

To get to the village of Ankarimbelo, the potential traveler has to have a lot of patience and perseverance. It?s a small village located in the Ikongo district of southeast Madagascar. In order to reach Ankarimbelo one has to go through several regions in the southeast via Vohipeno. Then continue on more than 85 kilometers to the west over many different kinds of roads, only 35 kilometers of them are paved but in disrepair. Finally the only way in to the village is by boat. There is no bridge. In this corner of the world however, tens of thousands of Malagasy from the Betsileo, Bara and Tanala tribes live in peace in spite of socio-economic difficulties. They live off the land, farming and raising animals. Their greatest challenge will be to survive while still preserving the virgin forests that surround them. Fresh air is guaranteed. Meeting these people brings home the reality of what it is to live in rural Madagascar. Don?t be fooled by any talk of luxury accommodations. There isn?t any. Nevertheless camping is possible in agreement with the local population and authorities.