Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chez Laurent
(14 bungalows) Mahamasina;
m
032 07 992 89. Basic bungalows with
shared facilities (cold water). No electricity. €-€€
Goulam Lodge
(12 bungalows) Mahamasina;
m
032 52 682 82/032 02 691 06;
e
goulamguide_ds@yahoo.fr
.
Dbl & family bungalows with electricity; shared facilities.
Goulam speaks excellent English & is an experienced guide specialised in reptiles. €-€€
Chez Aurelien
(18 bungalows) Mahamasina;
m
032 02 786 00/032 40 630 14;
e
aure-
lien_ank@yahoo.fr
.
Basic bungalows, some en suite. No electricity. Very good food.
Camping for 3,000Ar/tent. €
Campsitesinsidethepark
Themaincampsite,formerlyknownasCampdesAnglais(fol-
lowing a British expedition in the 1980s), has been renamed
Campement Anilotra
. It is
equipped with long-drop toilets and picnic tables. Note that the camp offers considerably
more shade than Campement d'Andrafiabe, as well as a chance to bathe in the river run-
ning through the cave. The water supply is a good ten-minute walk down a slippery slope.
THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF ANKARANA
Daniel Austin & Kelly Green
This was one of our most testing reserve visits, and the suffering began as soon as
we left Antsiranana. Hiring a car and driver for this four-day trip 108km to the south
was not a viable option on our budget, so instead we caught a
taxi-brousse
. Sardines
don'tevenknowwhat'crammedin'means-therewerefullythirtyofusinthissmall
15-seater minibus for the majority of the three-hour trip.
On arrival at Ankarana, the relief of having the use of our limbs again soon turned
to irritation: this time by the local cicadas. These pesky insects are about 7cm long
andlooklikeacrossbetweenacockroachandagigantic bluebottle. Alldaylongaci-
cada'sjobistositonatreeandscreech.Theirshrilltonesfilltheforestwithchainsaw-
like screams. We've often seen and heard solitary cicadas elsewhere, but at Ankarana
there were literally thousands of them vibrating their tymbals (noise-making mem-
branes) in unison.
But even when the calls of the cicadas subsided, there was no respite. Large,
orange-brown flies - like horseflies - followed us everywhere, circling, buzzing con-
stantlyandoccasionallydivinginforabite.Killingthemwasfruitless;reinforcements
were always ready to take their place. And then there were the swarms of mosquitoes,
whichfoundKelly'sanklebonesparticularlytasty,bitingthem(throughhersocks)un-
til they were red raw and infuriatingly itchy.
On top of all this we had to be particularly wary of scorpions, carefully checking
inside our shoes and rucksack pockets. And there were tarantulas. And crocodiles...
