In the early 1990s, Haja Rasambainarivo and Njaka Ramandimbiarison met as secondary school students in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. Bonded by their shared passion for travel and the development of their homeland, they later fulfilled a long-held dream by founding ASISTEN Travel, a destination management company (DMC).
Their partnership with We Are Africa brought them to Angama Mara in Kenya, where they were so impressed with the quality of the guided experience that they invited me to Madagascar to conduct training for the professional guides employed by ASISTEN Travel for cultural and rainforest excursions.
When the call for guide training applications went out, they were flooded with responses and had to narrow the group down to 20 participants. Over the course of three trips to Madagascar, I spent time in Antananarivo, the rainforests of Andasibe, and the northern island of Nosy Be.
The training primarily focused on guiding rainforest walks, with a particular emphasis on identifying and interpreting the flora and fauna of the region. One memorable moment was tracking the Indri indri, Madagascar’s largest lemur, by following its haunting call—similar to the way we track lions in Africa.
In Nosy Be, we expanded the training to include logistics, communication, and identifying hidden gems away from the tourist crowds. One unforgettable adventure took us to a park where lemurs could be found, and we had to paddle around a beach, seemingly heading out to sea, into a storm— what an adventure!
Madagascar is unique and adventurous and so rewarding too because the guides are eager to develop, grow, and learn.
I am grateful for the opportunity that Haja and Njaka gave to me and for their generous spirit in developing and growing the skills of Malagasy guiding.
I can’t wait to return once again to this special place.
