Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
An excellent English-speaking guide is Mosesy, the head of the local guide organisation.
To maximize your chance of seeing a silky sifaka, an additional specialist guide may be
necessary.
PARC NATIONAL DE MAROJEJY
Best time to visit
August to November: it's dry season, and birding is best.
Key highlight
Silky sifaka.
Wildlife
Massive millipedes, paradise flycatcher, mantella frog.
Habitats
Four levels of forest: low altitude, dense montane, high montane, high
altitude.
Gateway towns
Sambava and Andapa.
Transport options
Taxi from Sambava or Andapa (Ar60,000).
Things you should know
Minimum four days' trek to scale the summit.
ACTIVITIES
The park has a single trail ascending through three camps to the summit of Mt Marojejy.
The trail officially begins at the park boundary, about a 1½-hour walk from the park office.
If you want to cut down your trekking time, you can arrange for a ride to the trailhead, but
it is a beautiful walk to get there, along a dirt road through lush mountains, small villages,
and rice paddies.
Camp One (Mantella)
, at 450m, takes about two hours to reach, and has
six cabins (wooden frames with canvas walls) and a campground. This is an area of low-
land rainforest.
Camp Two (Marojejia)
, at 775m, takes an additional two hours and a bit more work to
reach. It has four cabins with fully made beds, and a large covered kitchen and dining area.
This is a transition area between lowland and montane rainforest and is the best place to see
wildlife, including colourful millipedes the length of your hand (a lot more enjoyable than
it sounds), leaf-tailed geckos, and paradise flycatchers. It is also a wonderful place to hang
out with a cup of coffee, surrounded by the sounds of the forest and the rush of a nearby
stream.
Camp Three (Simpona)
, at 1250m, is the base camp for ascents to the summit, and has
two cabins with a sheltered dining area. It is a very steep and strenuous climb to get there,
requiring both hands and feet as you surmount one root after another, a challenge magni-
fied when it is wet. The final leg to the summit, 2132m high, stretches 2km and can take up
to four or five hours to traverse.