Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Andasibe Area Parks
The small town of Andasibe is surrounded by several parks and reserves whose unique
wildlife and close proximity to the capital have made this area extremely popular with trav-
ellers. The largest is the Parc National Andasibe-Mantadia. This is actually the organisa-
tional union of two separate parks, the northern
Parc National de Mantadia
(16,000 hec-
tares) and the much smaller
Parc National d'Andasibe
(810 hectares), previously known
as Réserve Spéciale d'Analamazaotra, or Périnet. To these are added
Parc Mitsinjo
,
Réserve de Torotorofotsy
,
Vohimana Forest
,
Réserve de Maromizaha
, and the latest
addition,
Mahay Mitia Ala (MMA)
.
Thankfully, accommodation is more or less centralised along a single main road. Bring
warm clothing in winter, and enough cash to see you through, as the nearest banks/ATMs
are in Moramanga.
ANDASIBE AREA PARKS
Best time to visit
October to November when orchids are blooming
Key highlight
Indris
Wildlife
Diadenem sifaka, Parson's chameleon, leaf-tailed gecko, paradise
flycatcher
Habitats
Primary and secondary mid-altitude rainforest
Gateway town
Andasibe
Transport options
Taxi-brousse or car
Things you should know
Bring a raincoat at any time of year
PARC NATIONAL D'ANDASIBE
As it's easiest to access, Parc National d'Andasibe gets the most visitors, and tends to fill
up from July to October, Madagascar's tourist high season. The entrance is 2km along a
sealed road from the town of Andasibe. Because the reserve is small, most of it can be
covered in short walks, including two small lakes,
Lac Vert
(Green Lake) and
Lac Rouge
(Red Lake). The best time for seeing (and hearing) indris is early in the morning, from 7am
to 11am.
PARK FEES & GUIDES
The
MNP office
( 6am-4pm) is located at the entrance and contains a helpful interpret-
ation centre. Entrance permits are Ar25,000/37,000 per person for one/two days and valid
at Parc National de Mantadia as well. For guide fees see the individual circuits below.
