Giant, surreal baobab trees in Madagascar 28 Feb 2017
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There are nine species of the iconic baobab tree, six of which are native to Madagascar. Baobabs can reach heights of up to 30-metres with record-breaking trunk circumferences of 47-metres; the trunk's bulbous nature is a survival method allowing the tree to hold up to 120,000-litres of water for times of drought. Seasonally, Baobabs lose their leaves when their nickname 'upside-down trees' becomes more apparent, as their branches look like short, stumpy roots.
Spot 20-25 of the trees lining a dirt road known as the Avenue of the Baobabs on Insight Guides’ Wild Madagascar trip. The area was once a tropical forest that was cleared to make way for agricultural land. Baobab trees were saved, partly because of their value and partly as they were a valuable food source.
