Green water
A dark colour inside a crater.
HoneyGaLe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · HoneyGaLe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · HoneyGaLe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Heinonlein — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake Tritriva is a volcanic lake in southwest-central Madagascar, near the village of Belazao, filling an extinct crater. At up to 160 m deep it is Madagascar's deepest lake, and its dark green water and rock walls look unlike the farmed hills around it. It sits in the vent of an oval volcanic cone enclosed in vertical gneiss cliffs. The rim of the cone stands about 2,000 m above sea level, with the lake's surface about 50 m below it. Curiously, the water level drops during the rainy season and rises once the rains have ceased. The region is also known for its many hot springs. A strict fady, or traditional taboo, forbids swimming here, so respect it fully. You walk around the rim on a path among pines, looking down on the water from different angles, with the grey walls mirrored in it on a calm morning. The road in passes red fields and small villages. The lake lies about 12.6 km from Antsirabe and 131.8 km from Antananarivo in a straight line, and it is easy to reach by National Road 34. The rim path is narrow in places, so wear sturdy shoes and keep children close. Bring a jacket, since the air is fresh at this height, and local people may offer to accompany you for a fee.
A dark colour inside a crater.
Vertical cliffs mirrored in the water.
A walk among the pines.
Near Belazao village, Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
No, a strict traditional taboo forbids swimming, so respect it.
By National Road 34 from Antsirabe, about 12.6 km away in a straight line.