Knowing Our Travel Guides: Meet Lanto, a Malagasy Soul Who Will Introduce You to the Land of Lemurs and Baobabs
Welcome to Beyond Expeditions, where our journey extends far beyond mere sightseeing. We believe in the power of community and connection, in delving deep into the heart and soul of a country rather than merely skimming its surface.
Today, we introduce you to Lanto, a man whose life beats in rhythm with the heart of Madagascar. Lanto is one of our many Malagasy guides who will bring you around Madagascar, taking care of you every step of the way.
Meet Lanto, and the story of his life till today!
In understanding Lanto's story, you'll unravel the layers of his personality, his dreams, and his connection to the vibrant tapestry of Madagascar. Beyond being a mere guide, Lanto becomes a bridge—a conduit through which you'll immerse yourself in the soul-stirring beauty of this exotic land.
We believe that true exploration goes beyond surface-level sightseeing. It's about forging connections, allowing your soul to intertwine with the essence of your surroundings. When you walk alongside Lanto, his story becomes your story, and Madagascar's rhythm pulses through your veins.
Lanto and a cheeky group of travellers he was bringing around Madagascar!
So, here’s Lanto—a testament to the resilience and the boundless capacity of the human heart. Despite life's formidable challenges, Lanto stands as a beacon of inspiration, his spirit undimmed, his heart wide open.
Lanto and two Singaporean travellers!
“My name is Lanto.
I’m almost 40 years’ old; turning 40 in October!
Let me begin from the beginning, so that you can better understand who I am and how I came to be the travel guide I am today.”
Lanto's childhood was painted with shades of uncertainty and strife. Raised by his stepmother, he walked through life carrying the weight of her unkindness. She was mean to him, in ways that made him question the value of his life many times.
Then, at the tender age of 15, Lanto stumbled upon a revelation that would reshape the diection of his life. In the quiet confines of his home, he overheard a conversation that pierced through the veil of his existence.
“One day, my parents were talking in their room, and I overheard my ‘mum’ asking my dad, ‘When are you going to tell him who his real other is?’”
I was so shocked, but also so happy. I was suffering, living with my ‘mum’, and it was relieving to know that she was not my real mother. So I knocked the door, walked to them, and asked my dad, “Can you bring me to my mum?’”
Above: Two pictures of Lanto's stepmum.
As 15-yo Lanto voiced his intentions to his father, the weight of his decision hung heavy in the air. "If you go to see your mum, I will not be your dad anymore," came the solemn response. In that moment of heartache and resolve, Lanto made his choice.
“I will go to find my real mother.”
And he left for the forest village where his mum lives, with the unwavering resolve of a soul in search of belonging.
“When I met my real mum in the village, it was an untimely arrival. One of my mum’s elder sons had a very bad stomach problem, and here in Madagascar, there are three things you can do when you are unwell;
Get someone to do voodoo (known as ‘ody’ in Madagascar, magic holds an important place in their society)
See the doctor
And if the above two fail? Make prayers at the church.”
In the heart of the forest, amidst the whispers of the trees and the symphony of nature's chorus, Lanto's journey took a poignant turn. His mother, a pillar of strength, had sacrificed everything in a valiant attempt to save her elder son. She had sold her lands, her livelihood, but despite her efforts, her son slipped away, leaving behind a void that echoed through the depths of her soul.
As Lanto stood by her side, he bore witness to the rawness of her grief, the echoes of loss etched into the lines of her weathered face. Yet, amidst the darkness, a glimmer of resilience shone through—a testament to the indomitable spirit of a mother's love.
“When I reached the village, I realised life in the forest is very tough. We had to hunt for food. My mum had to work several different jobs; working in the rice field, and she even had to go into jungle to cut wood, turn it into charcoal and sell it in towns.”
Four years had passed since Lanto's feet had touched the forest floor, since he had embraced the rugged beauty of his mother's world. But now, a new chapter beckoned—a chapter of education, of opportunity.
Lanto’s father had come to the village. With a voice laden with determination, his father spoke words that stirred the dormant embers of ambition within Lanto's soul.
"You have to follow me, to study again," his father declared, his words carrying the weight of promise and possibility. "You're right," Lanto affirmed, his voice resolute. "I have to study again." His mother was devastated, and she wept in sorrow at his choice.
“My mum cried hard, but I reassured her that once I find a good job, I will come back and take care of her.”
Lanto’s dad is the chief in a big factory in Nosy-be, where he’d decided to bring Lanto to further his education.
“My dad brought me to Nosy-be, where I studied and even learnt how to repair electronics after school with a friend.”
There was this one time, Lanto decided to bring his step siblings with him back to the jungle to visit their grandparents. One month later, his dad arrived, laden with luggage and news that would upend Lanto’s world.
They will not be returning to Nosy-be.
Lanto was shocked. For Lanto, the revelation was a thunderclap in the tranquil jungle air. His dreams of education, of a life beyond the forest village, hung precariously in the balance, as he had not finished his education and he did not want to go back to the life of working in the forest village.
With a sign bearing the promise of his expertise, Lanto decided to start his own business with the electronic skills he had mastered, embarking on a journey of entrepreneurship.
“I decided to start my own business with the electronic skills I had mastered. My step siblings and I moved into a tiny house by the national road, where I placed a sign saying “Fixing TV and radio.
I then got my first client, this old lady who brought her radio.”
With nimble fingers and a heart ablaze with determination, Lanto breathed life into the broken radio, coaxing melodies from its silent depths once more. As the old lady's joy spilled forth in waves of gratitude, she became a harbinger of opportunity—a catalyst for the birth of Lanto's first business.
Word spread like wildfire through the jungle, as tales of Lanto's prowess reached the ears of his neighbors. With each satisfied customer, Lanto's reputation grew, and with this momentum, he found himself wanting to study again. Lanto used the earnings from his electronic business to send his step siblings and himself back to school.
“Our lives became better; everyone even had flip-flops to wear as shoes! When my dad returned, he sang me many praises and promises. ‘I’ll buy you a computer, and a bicycle when I find a good job!’
One day, my father did find a new job. He then brought his brother’s family to the forest village, where he rented an apartment for his brother’s family, took my three step-siblings to live with his brother and left me all alone.”
Disappointed with his family, Lanto left the village and came to the town where he lives today; Antsirabe, the second largest town in Madagascar. This was 2004.
Not wanting to sleep on the streets, Lanto sought refuge in the sanctuary of an evangelist church.
“I said to the pastor, “I’m not a bad person, I just have a problem with my family life. I can do anything you want, just give me three meals a day.”
The pastor agreed. “Okay, you are welcome.”
There were many people coming in to make prayers throughout the day. As early as 3 am, the faithful would come knocking at the church doors, wanting to come into the church to seek solace in the arms of their faith. Lanto couldn’t bear to carry on sleeping on the wooden benches while someone was praying, so he would often end up praying with them too.
As the days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, Lanto felt the stirrings of ambition awaken within his soul. In 2005, Lanto approached the pastor with a question that lingered in the depths of his heart.
"Now I'm getting older," he began, his voice tinged with determination, "and wish to build a family someday. Can I find a job now?"
“At this point in time, I still had no diploma. Because every time I started my studies, there would be some reason for me to stop it. When the pastor gave me permission to go find a job, I had a ‘dream job’ in mind; to be a bodyguard of a nice house. I was searching and searching and one day in the church, someone told me that there is a big manufacturing factory looking for two electronics. This same man helped me write my CV, and I eventually received a call for an interview, did a technical skills test and one week later, was informed that I had passed the test! They gave me two months of training, before sending me to Mauritius to work.”
Lanto, with the well-known baobab trees of Madagascar in the background.
But the pastor's words hung heavy in the air, a solemn reminder of the faith that had sustained Lanto through his darkest hours. "No," came the resolute reply, "if you go there, you will forget about Jesus."
“But please, pastor!” Undeterred by the weight of his pastor's admonition, Lanto persisted with a plea for his permission. After a moment of reluctance, the pastor relented, though with a cautionary caveat: "But if you go, know that my advice is not to go to Mauritius."
The allure of employment beckoned on the distant shores of Mauritius, but Lantos eventually decided to continue his humble duties within the confines of the church. The pastor had saved him in his toughest times, and Lanto wanted to respect and honour him for that.
Fate has its ways for Lanto though.
“One day, this man who often prays at the church I’m staying in… he was standing outside the church, talking to some people about how he is popular among tourists from Europe, and was even featured on LonelyPlanet. I went to this man and asked if he could find a job for me. This man said, “I can create a job for you. I will buy bicycles, and you will clean them every night and bring them out in the day. You will be in charge of repairing the bicycles, so I can bring tourists out on bicycle tours in the day. I’ll give you 20 euros a month!”
Lanto embraced the opportunity with a fervor born of resilience and hope. He began working hard at the office, cleaning and fixing bicycles for his boss.
His boss has many tourists he takes to the Western coast of Madagascar. One day, boss said, “Lanto, come with me to take tourists to the coast.”
Lanto’s first trip to the river Tsiribihina.
Lanto’s first trip to the Manambolo river.
“When my boss introduced the different birds and animals to his clients, I realised I already knew everything he was saying. My only struggle then, was being able to explain clearly, so I started memorising everything he said. One day, some English tourists came to rent bicycles, and one of them asked me about the way. I tried to tell him that he had to go straight, go 6km, etc. but my English was terrible. My boss overheard me from inside his office and laughed, calling out, “You’re such a dumb boy”.”
Lanto isn’t only knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of Madagascar; they’re comfortable with him too.
Lanto was embarrassed and hurt by the incident. He would then pray to God every day, begging for God to “Please, let me master English.”
November 2005 till March 2006 was the wet season; also a low season for tourism. Lanto decided to use the money he’d earned to register himself for English classes (1 month) and French classes (3 months).
“In 2006, I came back to find my boss again. There was a client in the office. I began talking to the client in English, and my boss’s eyes boggled. ‘Last year, your english was awful. But now? How are you so good?’
From then on, my boss was jealous of me and wanted to kick me out. But I didn’t have any fault to pick on. I don’t drink, smoke… so my boss couldn’t find a good reason to kick me out.”
Then, came a pivotal moment for Lanto.
There were these four French tourists. Lanto’s boss wanted him to bring the group out and explain everything to the tourists, in return for 15 euros of tips in addition to his monthly pay of 20 euros. At the end of the tour, a lady from the group curiously asked Lanto how long he’d been a tour guide; it seemed like he knew so much about Madagascar.
Lanto taking the French tourists on a ‘horse’ ride — Madagascar style!
They also tried local food together.
The French tourists were extremely happy having Lanto as their guide!
“I’m not a tour guide, I fix bicycles.”
Upon hearing those words, the lady started crying. “If I were you, I’d give up right now with this boss.”
“But if I give up, what would I do?”
She passed Lanto her business card.
“When you give up, write to me. I’ll help you.”
A shot of Lanto and the French lady mentioned (R)
When Lanto’s boss finally decided to fire him, Lanto requested the pay he deserved.
“It’s the 27th of the month; give me a months’ salary minus three days, and the 15 euros you promised me per group I took.” Unfortunately, his boss refused. “No. Go do whatever you want to do, but I will not pay you.”
As Lanto wandered back to the comforting embrace of the church, tears blurred his vision, and uncertainty clouded his thoughts. What was his next move in this unpredictable game of life?
Then, Lanto received a call. It was a competitor tour company, who had known of his recent dismissal. "I've got 7 clients ready to go. Can you take them for a tour?" they asked, their voice tinged with urgency. "Name your price!"
Lanto didn’t know what price to name, and to his shock, the company paid him a total of 90 euros; a sum way higher than he’d ever dreamt ot earning from a single tour trip.
Nestling the money beneath his pillow as Lanto prepared to sleep that night, he succumbed to restless slumber, haunted by visions of theft. Startled awake, Lanto turned to prayer, seeking solace in the divine.
“That night, I had a nightmare that someone came to steal my money. I woke up and immediately prayed to Jesus, to please build me to be someone who can be with thousands of euros and still be in peace. How can a small amount of euros drive me so crazy?”
Recalling the French lady who had passed him her business card, Lanto resolved to explore the possibilities it held. He ventured to a nearby web cafe, where he opened his own email account. With trembling fingers, Lanto composed a message and hit ‘send’, unaware of the journey it would set in motion.
In the email reply, the French lady attached a link to a blog she had created for Lanto, with her blessings and faith in what he is capable of. She instructed him to begin posting about his tour experience on this blog, so that more tourists can reach out to him for the wonderful service he could bring to their trips.
The following day brought unexpected opportunity, as an urgent plea flashed in Lanto’s inbox. "Lanto, hurry! A Polish couple seeks an English-speaking guide for their journey through South Madagascar." Seizing the moment, Lanto rushed to their aid, brimming with determination. However, that was where he first learned about the preparation it takes to be a good travel guide; their car broke down on their way back from the South of Madagascar, and out of dissatisfaction, the couple did not go through with payment for Lanto’s services.
And so, amidst the trials and tribulations, Lanto began to find his footing. Each setback became a lesson, each obstacle a stepping stone on the path to growth. For in the crucible of hardship, he unearthed the strength to endure, and the courage to embrace the unknown. He could eventually bring money to his mother back in the forest village too, fulfilling his promises to come back and take care of her once he found a job.
This time, he didn’t just find a job; he carve his own path in the world of tourism.
Lanto in his first office.
In 2014, I got my official tour guide license from the government.
In 2016, I got a couple from the US, here in Madagascar for their honeymoon trip. I did my best to make their trip special; rose petals on their bed to greet them when they arrived etc. At the end of their trip, they wanted to write me a review. This man created a Tripadvisor page for me, upon discovering I did not yet have one.
Up till day, I have 139 five-star reviews!
Lanto’s first ever Certificate of Excellence from Tripadvisor!
“In 2021, my mum passed away.
And I have a family now, three kids, two girls and one son.”
Lanto and his lovely family of five!
His three beautiful children.
Lanto and his mum, on her 70th birthday.
Here’s Lanto’s mum and her cheeky granddaughter!
A photo of Lanto, his mum, and his family.
To end off the interview, I had a personal curiosity.
“Lanto, how do you know if someone is a good tour guide?”
And his answer came swiftly.
“A good tour guide is someone who has these:
Knowledge about Madagascar (history, food, everything).
Speak good language
Be dynamic always. Guide must be talking not like a statue.
Honest. (This is the most important.)”
Lanto continued on. “Madagascar is in my heart… As a tour guide, it is so important to love the country very much, every single part of it.”
And I wished you could hear him say this in person, because he said it with such clarity and conviction.
A photo of Lanto’s current staff team.
Here’s Lanto, in his current office as of 2024!
In the heart of Madagascar, amidst the lush landscapes and vibrant culture, awaits an encounter with Lanto. From the bustling streets of Antananarivo to the pristine shores of Nosy Be, each step of your journey will be infused with the warmth of Lanto's hospitality and the richness of his insights. Through his eyes, you'll unravel the secrets of Madagascar, delving deep into its history, culture, and natural wonders.
Lanto standing in the beautiful nature landscape of Madagascar.
With Beyond Expeditions, every moment in a foreign land shall become an opportunity for growth, every encounter a chance for connection. As you journey into the heart of Madagascar, guided by the wisdom and warmth of Lanto, we invite you to discover not only the beauty of the land, but also the beauty within yourself.
Head here to check out the full itinerary of our Madagascar trip, and we’ll see you in Madagascar soon.
Article written by: Valerie
Valerie, a freelance writer with a quirky infatuation with steamed buns and slightly bizarre food combinations.
(“Try soft-boiled eggs and hot milo!”)
She wishes to keep writing stories that bypass typical food reviews and appreciation of scenery, stories that inspire readers to pursue curious conversations about the unique cultures and lifestyles of every country.
