Safari to Montagne d’Ambre

totally different from the humid forests of the west

Set in the far northwest of Madagascar, around 35 km south of Diego Suarez, Montagne d’Ambre National Park is a volcanic massif shrouded in rich tropical forest.

Established way back in 1958, the park covers 182 square kilometres, with a network of streams, waterfalls and crater lakes.

One of the most biologically diverse places in the country, the reserve is home to 25 species of mammals, 75 species of birds (35 of which are endemic) and 59 species of reptiles.

The reserve serves as the main water catchment area for the town of Diego Suarez (Antsiranana), with the rainfall up here being three and a half times what it is down on the coast.

The indigenous rainforest is comprised of huge trees (up to 40m/120’ tall), covered in lianas and surrounded by all manner of ferns and orchids. This is an isolated patch of natural forest, now encircled by plantations of eucalyptus, conifers, pines and invasive species.

Mammal highlights include eight species of lemurs (including Sanford’s brown lemurs and crowned lemurs), ring-tailed mongooses and Malagasy civets.

The reserve is also home to the Amber Mountain leaf chameleon (Brookesia tuberculata), which is one of the smallest reptiles in the world.

Visitors are able to explore the area using an excellent network of trails, which typically range between 1-6 hours in duration.

The Montagne d’Ambre area is a fixture in overland trips from Diego Suarez to Nosy Be across the top of northern Madagascar. As such, it tends to feature quite frequently in more adventurous trips.

The usual stay duration is 2-3 nights.

Seasonality

The best time of year to visit the Montagne d’Ambre area is generally considered to be during the May-Oct cool dry season.

The May-Oct period represents a cool dry winter season, when daytime temperatures may reach 22C/72F, whilst nighttime temperatures manage to drop to around 14C/57F. The relatively infrequent rainfall tends to come in the form of occasional showers, with the prevailing conditions being hot and sunny.

The Nov-Apr period represents a warm wet summer season, when daytime temperatures may reach 28C/82F, whilst nighttime temperatures struggle to get below 20C/68F, which can be quite uncomfortable in the potentially very high humidities. Rainfall can be extremely heavy and persistent, possibly exceeding 300mm/12″ per month during Jan-Feb.

Getting there

The Montagne d’Ambre area is usually accessed by road, usually as a stop on the overland journey from Diego Suarez to Nosy Be.

This type of trip typically starts by flying from the capital Antananarivo to Diego Suarez, where you are met by a guide for the 1-2 hour drive to Montagne d’Ambre. After staying here, the road journey continues south to the Ankarana for another 2-3 nights, then on down to the lodges of the Nosy Be area, either along the mainland coast or by motorboat out to the islands. After staying out there for maybe 4-5 nights, you can either fly back to Antananarivo or depart on international flights from Nosy Be.

We usually include all the connecting transport for your trip unless you specifically ask us not to.

Where to stay

All of the accommodation options are pretty modest and are located in the agricultural centre of Joffreville, immediately to the northeast of the reserve. Previously a French colonial outpost, the town is now a simple place, mainly focused on the production of litchis, guavas and avocados.

part of an overland safari from Diego Suarez to Nosy Be