Baobabs are the most iconic trees on the savannah; and also the longest-lived. Its size is so impressive that its hollow stem can measure more than 20 meters in diameter and can store up to 120 thousand liters of water. Some baobab trees are used as houses, grain warehouses or animal shelters.
The baobab tree is divided into eight different species, six of which are native to Madagascar and Africa. They have one of the slowest growth rates in the plant world, thanks to that, they can live for thousands of years. Their strange silhouette (it looks like they were planted upside down, with the roots up and the canopy under the ground) turned them into living sculptures; known as the icon of the arid lands of Africa, their natural habitat.
In addition, the baobab, which is also referred to as the “tree of life”, is one of the fundamental symbols of traditional African cultures. The old African baobabs with huge trunks give the impression of being witnesses of time immemorial. In many cultures in Africa, the baobab tree appears as the principle of connection between the supernatural world and the material world.
Baobab trees are often portrayed as a figure of origin, a sign of the foundation and beginning of all things. It is known as an element of connection between the multiplicity of “worlds”. Because of this a trip to African countries, including visits to Baobabs, are great options to delve more into the culture of the peoples of the continent. Here’s a guide to the best places in Africa to visit, enjoy and learn even more about our African roots.
1. Madagascar
Located on the west coast of the Indian Ocean, the island of Madagascar is considered to be the home of baobabs. Six of the nine species in the world grow in this small African territory. Baobás exist all over the island, but the largest concentration is on Avenue of the Baobabs.
In addition to this place, there are other huge and beautiful specimens in many other regions of the country that can be visited.
2. Botswana
Botswana is another country where the most beautiful tree in Africa is abundant. Visitors can see many baobabs in the Trans-Kalahari corridor on the Nata to Kasane road. The Baobabs around the town of Gweta are breathtakingly spectacular.
3. South Africa
The largest concentration of baobabs in South Africa is located in the Musina Nature Reserve, 10 kilometers from the city of the same name. Another place where you can visit these trees is around the Kruger Park and those in the north of the Soutpansberg mountain range.
One of the most popular baobabs in South Africa is the Sagole. With a trunk of 32.8 meters in circumference, it is found in Tshipise and Pafuri, in the province of Limpopo.
4. Namibia
Baobabs get along very well in the northern deserts of Namibia. Tree 1063, the most popular in the country, is located 30 miles north of Grootfontein. It was declared a national monument in 1951. Another one of giant size is the Baobá Ombalantu, in Outapi, also in the north of Namíbia.
5. Tanzania
The largest concentration of baobabs in Tanzania is found in the Tarangire National Park, in the north of the territory and near Lake Manyara. It is a small park (nearly 2,800 square kilometers) around the river of the same name, with a mountainous landscape in which gigantic baobabs sometimes appear.
They are also abundant in Ruaha National Park, in the south of the country, about 650 kilometers from Dar el Salaam
