NATIONAL PARK MADAGASCAR
Located more than 300 km from the capital of Madagascar, Tsingy of Bemaraha is a nature reserve classified Unesco heritage. It is an unique place that pleases tourists and qualifies Madagascar as an authentic island with extraordinary wealth.
An impressive landscape that receives endemic biodiversity
As an indication, there is the limestone plateau of Tsingy and the Tsingy Park in question. The first was listed in 1990 and the park joined the list in 1997. Both places are all visitable and invite you to an adventure like no other. This mythical site is marked by a breathtaking landscape where sharp limestone blocks enthroned their blade in height. The Tsingy is a network of faults and crevices between which rare plants and long-stemmed trees point the tip of their nose. These vegetations are typical of this place. They are forced to lengthen their root and stem to the end to ensure their vital photosynthesis. It seems that this place was once buried under the sea. That's why we see a huge plate of corals and shells surrounding the rocks. In the heart of the park, the Tsingy has become the refuge of 400 animal species and 900 plant species.
Perspective activities
Doing activities within this site means scrutinizing and visiting the place in all its splendor. The visit is based on your situation or the desired duration. You can go with family, friends or couples for one or two hours or half the day. Accompanied by your guide who knows the place by heart, you will have the chance to go trekking or hiking in the heart of underground cavities and limestone wells. The adventure is not easy but it is really to mark of white stone. You also have other choices to discover the place. Like doing a descent by pirogue for example, through the two large rivers that cross the park. The descent of Tsiribihina or Manambolo is an interesting option that takes you near the steep gorges and large cliffs of Tsingy. The mountain bike tour is also offered, in addition to the caving circuit that promises even more sensation and discovery.
Isalo national park is on the South of Madagascar, on the road to the province of Toliara. It's the "Colorado Malagasy" as foreigners say. This appellation, we owe it to its rocky, arid but often lined with deserted lands and green canyons. It is a sumptuous landscape that we will make you visit with our guide.
A place full of colors
The route to Isalo is constantly changing. After the small villages of an orange aspect and the green rice fields of the highlands, the south plunges you in a brown tone nuanced, sand color and contrasting taupe. These are the original shades of the stones covering the national park of Isalo. Between these desert landscapes and sometimes very arid is a green setting, resembling an ephemeral oasis but freezes on site to welcome visitors.
Surrounded by absolute silence where the wind whispers to the sky, you will see original shapes like rocky windows or a silhouette of a woman carrying a basket on her head. You will meet small streams in the middle of the rocks, and sometimes waterfalls of the Nymphs who chisel the walls of the reefs. Blue pool is for swimming to relax a bit during the ride. The black pool, meanwhile, is there to look pretty. You can not dive because of its icy water.
A shelter for endemic animals
The activities offered in the park are hiking, mountain biking, climbing and trekking. When you walk in the heart of the town, you will be welcomed by the wildlife that lodges there. First the famous lemurs of Madagascar, then reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes and various species of chameleons that are endemic to the locality. The birds also feel comfortable in the middle of this landscape. Observers counted 77 bird species, 70% of which live only in Isalo.
Concerning wildlife, the place is covered with tapia, medium-sized trees that shelter the silkworms and the "Landibe". 116 plant species are also available. Some have medicinal properties while others serve as timber. The locals have the right to cut some of these trees into furniture or handicrafts.
Ranomafana National Park is housed in a large tropical forest near the province of Fianarantsoa. It covers an area of 43000 ha and receives exceptional natural resources. Let's go against this sublime place to discover more closely what it has to offer.
A crush on nature lovers
If you are looking for an authentic and unique nature, you are welcome to Ranomafana National Park. The locality is very easy to access via the national road 7. A few kilometers after Fianarantsoa and you are there. In the depths of this rainforest, humid and warm, you will find rare plants and abundant vegetation. There are medicinal plants that grow in large numbers. Carnivorous plants also took place in the heart of this forest. Orchids, climbing plants and epiphytes complete the park's floral richness.
Which animals will you meet?
You have a penchant for wild animals, endemic and unique, come to discover the wildlife richness of the Ranomafana National Park. The park is home to rare species such as large butterflies, lemurs, birds, reptiles and bats. Fish and amphibians share water points and streams along the entire park. These animals coexist in one place well suited to their survival. Some of these animals are unfortunately endangered, including two species of lemurs endemic to Madagascar: hapalemur aureus and hapalemur simus
Activities that promote health
The road to Ranomafana National Park is already an event that promotes your health. You will be delighted to see the greenery that leads to the locality. And as the experts say, seeing a green landscape as far as the eye can see soothes the mind and sets the clock back to zero. Once there, you will enjoy several activities such as hiking and trekking. You are browsing the Park by means of a circuit laid out especially for you.
In addition, a natural swimming pool with warm waters awaits the arrival of visitors. You can swim there for a fee. A swim of a few days in this thermal center will certainly do you good. Last activity proposed, the tour of the botanical garden of Kelilalina, a green area located 12km from the park. This garden is filled with beautiful endemic plantations of the big island.
Jewel of Madagascar, to the east of the big island, the Mantadia National Park is only 140 km from the capital. It is one of the protected areas of the East which covers 15,500 ha of surface with the special reserve of Analamazaotra. Our visit will focus on Mantadia and its breathtaking natural resources.
The refuge of endemic animals
Rare animals live freely in the heart of this park. The star is none other than the famous Indri Indri, the largest lemur in Madagascar, which is over one meter in height. Other lemur species are also observable in the heart of the reserve. These include Eulemur Fulvus or Varika Mavo, Aye Aye, a nocturnal and endangered species, and Avahi. The park is also populated by amphibians, reptiles and butterflies, including the Urania madagascariensis, an endemic species of finest butterflies with its multicolored wings.
Circuits adapted to your desires
The national park is visitable in five different circuits each of which depends on your center of interest. A guide will be available to help you make the visit in peace. "Falierana" is the gate that leads to the center of the park. There should be an entry fee and guide fee per person. To discover the elegance of the park, you have the choice between an easy circuit, a medium circuit, a difficult circuit and a sports circuit. Each circuit is composed of a group of 6 persons who go together to meet the park's must-sees.
A place for the whole family
The whole family can visit the national park because of its location not far from the capital, and because of all the natural resources that attract young and old. A natural pool invites parents and children to bathe in the heart of lush nature. The Tsakoka and Sacred Chute tours are average routes, always suitable for the family or a group of friends. They allow you to discover the birdlife and the sacred spaces of the locality. And finally, there is the trekking circuit for athletes, and the circuit Belakato, the most difficult, addressed to those who seek the strong sensation. The latter is interesting because it allows to meet the lemurs, arid slopes and the eastern rainforest.
The Analamazaotra Special Reserve is included in the Andasibe Mantadia National Park, to the East of Madagascar, more than two hours drive from the capital. You can visit it through a special circuit Analamazaotra that promises you sensation and discovery unheard.
The predominant floral richness
The reserve of Analamazaotra is best known for its rich floral which does not resemble that of the other national parks. That's why we offer you a special "botanical" itinerary to discover the diversity of the local flora. The dwarf palms and tree ferns are planted in abundance. The climate of Eastern allows them to bloom properly all year. Orchids and medicinal plants are also invading the nature reserve. These vegetations are adapting to the presence of the species of trees and bamboo, which sometimes serve as food for certain animals. To complete the list, discover the beautiful Eucalyptus and Chinese guavas decorating the place with their red fruits.
A reserve full of endemic animals
Animals occupy the Analamazaotra reserve. The lemurs are the kings of the locality with 14 different species. The Indri Indri is the most interesting of all, with their physique more imposing than the others. Visitors interested in dwarf lemurs like the woolly avahi, mouse lemurs and the nocturnal lemurs as the microcebes. It is necessary to take care late to meet the nocturnal animals of the park.
In Analamazaotra, the fauna is not limited only to lemurs but also to other endemic species of the big island. For example, the great presence of chameleons, geckos, mammals, reptiles and birds of various species. Smalls animales, sometimes harmful, sometimes poisonous, also live there. Examples include spiders, tenrecs, porcupines and insects.
The large Andasibe National Park
As an indication, the Analamazaotra reserve is part of the 15 500ha of the Andasibe National Park. It alone occupies 810 ha of surface, filled with exceptional flora and fauna. Fervent visitors are foreigners: tourists eager for a very ecological place, and specialists such as biologists and ornithologists. When you are there, you will bathe in the pure atmosphere of the park, that is to say the morning awakening of the lemurs by their singing, the humid climate all the year and the Indri Indri or the big living lemur which can exceed your height, more than a meter.
More than 40 kilometers from Antsiranana, discover the Montagne d'Ambre National Park, an exceptional site nestled in the heart of a volcanic region.
The peculiarities of this park
Like all the national parks of the big island, that of the Montagne d'Ambre has a rare and breathtaking biodiversity. We can start with the unique fauna of this place enriched with several endemic and amazing animal species. The record is held by the 75 species of birds, stoking every year the curiosity of ornithologists from around the world. After the birds come the 59 species of reptiles, sometimes crawling, sometimes climbing. It would be necessary to dive in the heart of the park to distinguish the smallest of them. The last animal that lives in Montagne d'Ambre are the 7 species of lemurs, five of which are nocturnal and two diurnal.
The vegetation is also very abundant, with a large species of medicinal plants used by locals. Palm trees and tall trees also cover the entire surface of the park. Among these imposing trees, we have the famous Canarium Madagascariensis. Strangling lianaes and orchids are sometimes planted on the bark of large trees or litter the ground of the park. Other plant species such as traveler's trees, pandanus and tree ferns are scattered throughout the forest. Some birds have built their nest in the hollow of tree branches, a real postcard that delight visitors.
Doing activities in the heart of the park
Relax, discover and rejuvenate are the best assets offered by the Montagne d'Ambre National Park. To achieve them, you have to determine the activities adapted to the focus of each : hike, picnic, mountain bike excursion, climbing, bathing, etc. The whole park has itineraries and spaces dedicated to these activities. If you want to picnic, an area reserved for this activity will be presented to you. A little further, you will access to the waterfalls and the sacred waterfall allowing you to breathe a fresh air. It should be noted that the park has a large and a small waterfalls, in addition to the islet of forests and the five lakes that conserve endemic fish.
If you want to stay in the heart of the park, cottages have been built for green vacationers. A camping area is also equipped to accommodate adventurers who are not afraid to sleep in the heart of the forest.
The Tsingy of Ankarana is a site of Madagascar located north of the big island. The place bears the same name as Tsingy of Bemaraha because of its appearance similar to that of the west. This place is the largest underground network on the African continent. It promises adventures and discoveries to those who are looking for a mythical destination full of secrets.
A nature reserve to discover
As an unique place, the Tsingy of Ankarana lodges a natural park with its own characteristics. As the name suggests, it is an extensive limestone resembling the Jurassic. The locality is only accessible during the dry season, that is from June to December. You choose the way you will visit the park: either hiking or camping. A guide is available to give life to your adventure.
With this guide, you will visit sacred lakes, botanical trails, canyons and caves of stalactites and stalagmites. The visit is certainly a moment of discovery but it is mostly a physical walk that asks you enough courage and good will.
The proposed activities in the heart of Tsingy d'Ankarana
Trekking or climbing are the ossible options for visiting Tsingy d'Ankarana. So be ready and equip yourself with materials adapted to these activities. The most athletic opt sometimes for climbing that plunges them into the heart of canyons and caves. The goal is to reach the summit after crisscrossing narrow crevices. After several hours of climbing, your reward awaits you at the height with a breathtaking view on the whole plateau.
For those who choose trekking, the place has many surprises in terms of fauna and flora. A variety of vegetation and many species of rare plants are available in the heart of the canyons. The animal species are the same. They are abundant and coexist together in the hollow of the rocks. There are crocodile caves and bat caves. Lemurs of various species also find refuge there and neighbors 90 species of birds. A nocturnal fauna is extremely present on the place. It makes you stay up late at night to watch their awakening and contemplate their nocturnal lifestyle. The Tsingy Park in Ankarana is a favorite place for botanists and birdwatchers. They come here to observe the birds and to study the different endemic vegetations.
POPULAR DESTINATIONS
Tsingy of Bemaraha Park
- Morondava and its legendary baobab trees,
- Refuge of the giant jumping rat 'Vositse'
- The biggest carnivorous of Madagascar 'Fosa'
Tsiribihina
- A navigation of another age by dugout,
- Majesty of the Tsiribihina river...
- Morondava, and the baobab trees country.
Sainte-Marie, Andasibe park
- The slow metamorphosis of the landscape
- Andasibe, the most attended Protected Areas
- Sainte Marie, a Garden-Island