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The dense eastern rainforest of Andasibe (also known as Perinet), and the nearby Mantadia National Park, offers a particularly rich floral diversity.
The Andasibe National Park is an 810ha reserve which protects the largest of all the lemurs, the indri indri. Standing about a metre high, with a barely visible tail, black-and-white markings and a teddy bear-like face, the indri can propel itself 10 metres, turn in mid-air, and grab another tree. Typically you visit the rainforest at dawn to see the ape-like Indri lemur when they are most active. Walking through the rainforest, as its distinctive siren-like calls emanate from the mist-covered canopy is one of the most memorable experiences of Madagascar. Orchids festoon the trees and endemic birds to look out for include the tylas, blue coua, nuthatch vanga and the extraordinary velvet and sunbird asity. You should also encounter the grey bamboo lemur, red-fronted brown lemur as well as impressive reptiles like Malagasy tree boa, the two foot long Parson’s chameleon, perhaps even the golden mantilla.
From late August to March you can join a short night stroll to see nocturnal animal life such as tenrecs (spiny hedgehogs) with the Perinet guides. At night another world emerges in the forest, making night walks especially interesting.
Andasibe or Perinet, as it is also known, claims a world record for numbers of frog species. Ardent nature enthusiasts should also stop at one of the nearby marshes for a select band of rare endemic birds, reptiles and frogs confined to marsh habitat.
• Safari tours in Andasibe (Perinet)
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Antananarivo or ‘Tana’ has been described as like a child’s painting, a brightly coloured collection of French colonial architecture, multi-storeyed houses and narrow alleys. It sprawls over the rolling hills of Madagascar’s central highlands, a city with unique architecture, rice paddies and bustling streets. It must have been a beautiful city at one time. Today, the city is quite often a shock to first time visitors - throngs of people, buildings in a state of decay, houses packed one upon the other, street urchins, hooting cars and the lively hustle and bustle of the street markets, all combine to make it a bit overwhelming at first.
Most visits to Magadagascar will result in a couple of nights here as all the regional flights connect through 'Tana. If you have an early morning flight or late afternoon arrival, you can also stay at a charming country lodge between the airport and the city.
• Safari tours in Antananarivo ('Tana)
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In the south, rugged green mountains give way to the surreal ‘spiny’ forest of Berenty. Berenty, meaning ‘big eel’, is famous for its large population of ring-tailed lemurs with their distinctive elongated tails and wide-eyed charm. The main attraction of Berenty is the six species of lemur which are regularly seen. Four are endemic, the diurnal Verreaux's sifaka (the infamous 'dancing' lemur) and ring-tailed lemur, and the nocturnal white-footed sportive lemur and nocturnal grey mouse lemur. The other two are the red-fronted brown lemur and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur. Fruit Bats and Madagascar flying foxes live in noisy groups. With a wingspan of over a metre, they are an impressive sight.
You enjoy guided walking tours of the 250ha forest reserve of Berenty. The trails through the forests are in good order and, being wide and flat, offer easy walking conditions. The combination of lemurs’ acrobatic antics, the tranquil forest trails and comfortable accommodation makes Berenty the Madagascan memory for many people.
Birdwatching in Berenty is also rewarding: 85 species including Madagascar specials such as the giant coua and white-browed owl as well as the Frances sparrow hawk, the Madagascar green pigeon, the lesser vasa parrot, crested coua, and hook-billed vanga.
• Safari tours in Berenty
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Ile Sainte Marie, off the east coast of Madagascar, is 50km long and 7km at its widest point.
This is an idyllic spot with a cure little airport at its southern tip.
The island is almost universally known as Sainte Marie and is boasts scenery to rival the Seychelles. It’s almost a cliché of a tropical island with endless deserted beaches overhung by coconut palms, bays protected from sharks by coral reefs, hills covered with luxuriant vegetation and a relative absence of unsightly tourist development. Most people live in tiny villages of bamboo and palm huts and there is only one real town, is Ambodifotatra. Ile Sainte Marie has a far less settled weather pattern that its island rival, Nosy Be. Cyclones strike regularly and you can expect several days of rain and wind in summer, but interspersed with calm sunny weather. The best months for a visit are from June to November.
The islands off Madagascar are famous for their wonderful white beaches and warm, translucent waters brimming with colourful reef fish and dramatic corals. In short they're a diver's paradise. All offer a range of diving opportunities but it is the underwater scene off Madagascar, the wild Red Island, that is the least explored and therefore, perhaps the most exciting.
• Accommodation in Ile Sainte Marie
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| Montagne D'Ambre and Ankarana |
More adventurous folk head to the Montagne D’Ambre, a popular montane forest situated 45 minutes drive south from Diego. The volcanic massif ranges in altitude from 850m to 1,475m and has its own micro-climate with rainfall equal to the eastern region. It is one of the most visitor-friendly of all the protected areas of Madagascar, with broad walking trails; lush montane forest, crater lakes and spectacular waterfalls and a comfortable climate. Sanford’s lemur, the crowned lemur and the fork-marked lemur are all seen here whilst birdwatching is also very rewarding - there are some 75 bird species to be found in the Montagne D’Ambre including the Madagascar crested ibis, and the Malagasy kingfisher. It’s also known for a huge variety of magnificent orchids.
Nearby the Ankarana, which also lies south of Diego Suarez, is a spectacular and bizarre area: a 5km by 20km limestone plateau surrounded by formidable cliffs and fields of razor sharp pinnacles, known as Tsingy. These are ancient corals which have been sculptured by erosion. Underneath the Tsingy of Ankarana are miles of caves, passages and rivers and in between the cliffs lie sunken forests. Our guides take you through the Ankarana, visiting the emerald green Lac Vert, a natural deep sinkhole, and viewing the pinnacles as well as fascinating flora and fauna. There's even an option to descend into one of the bats' caves. You can swim in one of the natural cave pools – highly refreshing!
• Accommodation in Montagne D'Ambre and Ankarana
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| Morondava and the Kirindy (Swiss) Forest |
In the west of Madagascar lies the tropical dry deciduous forest of Kirindy, the world's most threatened habitat type. yet it’s one of the Madagascar’s best places for mammals, especially nocturnal species like the spiny tenrecs and six species of lemur including the world's smallest primate, the pygmy mouse lemur. There’s good birding as well with many local ‘specials’ unique to the Western part of Madagascar such as the white-breasted mesite; Coquerel’s and red-capped couas, white-headed and sicklebill vangas. Kirindy is also known for three of Madagascar’s six endemic species of baobab. (The whole continent of Africa only has one species.)
You usually stay at nearby Morondava, 60km to the south of Kirindy and centre of a prosperous, rice-growing area as well as being a small seaside resort with a laidback atmosphere.
• Safari tours in Morondava and the Kirindy (Swiss) Forest
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Nosy Be, meaning large island, is indeed the largest of several beautiful islands off the northwest coast of Madagascar. But it is also synonymous with wonderful seafood, beaches, chameleons and lemurs. Although the island is the most developed area of Madagascar, the level of commercialism remains a mere nothing by international standards.
The smells of vanilla, ylang-ylang and coffee are everywhere on the ‘Perfumed Isle’ as Nosy Be is affectionately know. The town of Hell Ville is the best place for extensive souvenir shopping outside Tana: the bustling markets are full of embroidered white lace, colourful sarongs and wooden carvings. Another fast growing tourist centre is Ambatoloaka, the liveliest place on the island with even a nightlife of sorts!
Nosy Be is ideally placed for spending a few relaxing days at the end of a wildlife and cultural tour. Snorkelling and diving excursions can be made to smaller islands with wonderful coral life such as Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely. Alternatively the Isle of Tsara Banjina matches the Seychelles for stunning island beauty – a palm-fringed desert island with lapping azure-blue waters. Diving, deep-sea fishing, snorkelling, quad biking, microlight flips can all be arranged through your hotel.
Another sybaritic way of enjoying Nosy Be is on board a fully staffed catamaran gliding between the various islands. Spend your days relaxing, snorkelling, diving, fishing and visiting the island markets.
• Accommodation in Nosy Be
• Safari tours in Nosy Be
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