Mafana's Laugh

This young girl was playing catch with her younger brothers. I loved the spontaneous laugh she broke into when I tried to take her photograph. That missing tooth is priceless.

Mafana and her Brothers

The two boys looked on cautiously as their older sister posed in front of the camera, seemingly without a care in the world.

Magical Rocks

Cliffs such as these in Isalo are held in high regard by local tribes. The summits are often places of important worship. A few acacia trees and a lone buzzard soaring above the great valley beneath her made this a truly remarkable setting.

Red Carpet Chameleon

This modest, rather drab female of the Carpet species poises on her branch before scurrying into the safety of a leafy undergrowth.

Forgotten River

A dry river bed cuts its way across the arid landscape of Isalo National Reserve in southern Madagascar.

Black-faced Brown Lemur

Contemplating one more leap across the tree trunks or staying put to guard his bit of space in the air, these lemurs are vocal, confident and sociable.

Middle of the Day

We found a rocky plateau to rest on before continuing with our expedition through Isalo.

Tunneled Path

Vines and thorns frame the entrance to a dry path in southern Madagascar. 

Fertile Valley

Large swathes of deciduous forest carpet the valley floor.

Lemurish Behaviour

Careful grooming and cackling vocalization are just part of the complex social etiquette that brown lemurs must adhere to on a daily basis.

Bamboo Skyline

Shoots of young bamboo topple over one another in their struggle for sunlight. The delicate leaves glow in the mid-day sun.

Muddy Ground

The soil was dark rusty-brown in colour, testament to the great amount of iron that it contains.

Dressed in Green

A young Oustalet's Chameleon makes his way along a nimble branch in a wooded area of Isalo National Park.

Leafy Environment

Healthy ferns dripping with moisture carpet the valley floor around a spring in the middle of Isalo national park. As the leaves advance in age they crinkle and become rusty red in colour.

Mystic Steps

Mossy rocks and ancient trees frame the way forward along a humble flight of stairs etched into the rock.

The Valley in Morning Light

Mossy crevices and hidden stairways glow under the rich morning sun.

Stepping Stones

Mossy stones form a makeshift pathway across shallow waters. Streams bring fresh water from Madagascar's central highlands towards its coastal lagoons and the Indian Ocean.

Sounds of the Forest

A lemur's attention is momentarily roused by the calls of rival troops.

Logging Remains

Logs of wood bleached by the sun are strewn over mossy rocks.

Slippery Edge

Rocks dazzle in the gentle afternoon light. 

Walking on Water

A spider uses a carpet of bubbles suspended on leaf litter to make its way across the forest floor.

Setting the Scene

As evening begins to descend on the grasslands and dry forests of southern Madagascar, cicadas and other insects begin their surreal chorus. 

Juan and David

Another photograph of my travel companion Juan, here with David, our guide through Isalo. Juan is a birding expert with a keen sense for avian photography.

Portrait of a Ring-Tailed Lemur

These are the most sociable of all lemur species, huddling together in large groups and formulating elaborate plans to snatch food away from unsuspecting visitors.

Tepid Water

The warm waters of this languid valley supported a great diversity of aquatic life.

Valley Impressions

Riverside plants admire their own reflections in the still water of a forest pool.

Hidden Paths

A loose assemblage of stones led across a valley stream in the lush valley of Isalo national reserve.

Red-Eyed and Furry

Brown lemurs have senses that are highly tuned in to the forest environment.

Forest Shadows

Young saplings cast their shadows over a Brown Lemur's face, giving him a prisoner-in-jail look.

Golden Sand

The heat of the day was tangible and we found a constant need to seek shade and rest on the edge of the sandy dunes.

Verdant Valley

The glare of an afternoon sun strikes the fronds of forest bracken and ferns. Long grasses and mosses provide healthy habitats for endemic species.

Sunset on Isalo

The delicate rays of light revealed the layers of sandstone that tell a geological story.

Isalo Plains

Reflecting the savannah of Madagascar's continental mother, acacia trees and flat clouds work wonders in the late hours of the day in Isalo National Park.