Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the tumbling waters of the Namorona River, and the relief when the hillsides turn to
thatlovelyunbroken,knobblygreenofvirginforestthatindicatesyouarenearingthepark.
Hidden in these trees are 12 species of lemur: Milne-Edwards' sifaka, red-fronted brown
lemur, red-bellied lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur and three species of bamboo lemur.
At night you can add mouse lemur, woolly lemur, sportive lemur, greater dwarf lemur and
aye-aye.Thentherearethebirds:morethan100specieswith36endemic.Andthereptiles.
And the butterflies and other insects. Even if you saw no wildlife, there is enough variety
in the vegetation and scenery, and enough pleasure in walking the well-constructed trails,
to make a visit worthwhile. And - I nearly forgot - in the warm summer months you can
swim in the cold, clear water of the Namorona while a Madagascar malachite kingfisher
darts overhead. On the downside, the trails are steep and arduous, it often rains and there
are leeches.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY Ranomafana is about 1½ hours from Fianar and 3½
hours from Ambositra. Plenty of taxi-brousses leave Fianar throughout the morning, and
there is no shortage of drivers or tour operators able to supply a private vehicle.
WHERE TO STAY AND EAT
Setam Lodge (14 bungalows) 22 234 31; e setamlodge@setam-madagascar.com ;
www.setam-madagascar.com . The best hotel in Ranomafana, about 1km from the park en-
trance. Spacious semi-detached bungalows on 3 levels with stunning views of the forest &
Namorona valley. Good food, though limited choice. €€€€
Domaine Nature (20 bungalows) m 032 02 611 18/033 12 001 88/033 05 558 61;
e domnat7@yahoo.fr.Excellent setting onasteep hillside halfway between village &park,
with gorgeous river views. The quality of the service & food is only mediocre, however.
€€€€
Centre-Est (8 bungalows & 13 rooms) 75 523 02. Beyond the museum, on the left
as you enter Ranomafana. Sgl, dbl, twin & trpl en-suite rooms; very pleasant & reasonably
priced thatched bungalows with shared bathrooms. €€€
Ihary (14 bungalows) 75 523 02. Located just beyond the village of Ranomafana.
Bungalows in a nice riverside setting; en-suite facilities. But rooms can be noisy. €€€
Forêt Australe (10 bungalows) m 033 09 873 61; e austral@netclub.mg . About 2km
from the park. €€€
ChezGaspard (8 bungalows) A variety of rooms at different prices; most have shared
bathrooms. €€€
Cristo m 033 08 376 69. Simple rooms with en-suite bathrooms. €€-€€€
Palmerie (6 rooms) A good budget option with hot water & shared toilets. Restaurant
on opposite side of road. €€
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