The Whims of North

Hiking trails and pathways will take you through scenes of rocks and ridges to spectacular viewpoints, which look out to a mighty sea of limestone tsingy tips. The best time for the trails is between April and November, when they are relatively dry. Crossing the long, famous rope bridge is sure to increase the adrenaline flow, or for a little more culture, meet the Antankarana ethnic group, who maintain a traditional life of farming and cattle rearing.

Ankarana National Park was created in 1956 and lies about 90 km south of Antsiranana covering an area of 182,5 km². It is a spectacularly eroded limestone fortress of sharp ridges, patches of dense tropical jungle, deciduous forest, deep caves and canyons (actually the biggest underground network of Africa) and rushing rivers. With an annual rainfall of almost 2000 mm, the underlying rocks undergo a heavy erosion producing an amazing karst topography, being its most known result the fantastically eroded limestone spires, known as “tsingy”. The Park is in fact one of the most visited specially among hikers: it offers incredible trails, unique and terrific landscapes and a lot of animals!

Ankarana is said to enjoy the highest density of lemurs in any of the reserves in Madagascar, thanks to the thick deciduous forests at the more isolated lower section of the park. Crown lemurs specifically are large in population, but dwarf lemurs, Sanford’s brown lemur, perrier’s black lemur and northern sportive lemur can also be found here. You may also come across fossa – Madagascar’s largest carnivore, tenrecs, ring-tailed mongoose and Madagascar stiped civet. 

Several walks will be proposed according to your physical conditions and at your rythm.

• The circuit of the caves of the Bats,
• The circuit of the loss of rivers, The circuit of Tsingy Meva
• The tour of Tsingy, The circuit of Tsingy Rary,
• The Big circuit of Tsingy of Benavony,
• The circuit of the point of view of Ambohimalaza,
• The Green Lake circuit, The circuit of the Andrafiabe Cave and Cathedral
• The circuit of Skeleton Cave
• The circuit of the Cave of Milaintety and Potamochères
• The green river circuit and the first canyon,
• The circuit of the Grotto of Antsironandoha
• The circuit of the Cave of the crocodiles and the Lake of Ampandriamborona
• The circuit of the Cave of Piegons and Lake Mangily

Diner & Night at your hotel. (Free lunch) Iharana bush camp