Safari to Ranomafana

challenging but potentially rewarding forest trails

Ranomafana National Park is one of a string of conservation areas that protect the ribbon of indigenous rainforest that runs along the spine of Madagascar.

Set 300 km south of Tana, this is a relatively well-visited conservation area.

The reserve is largely comprised of tropical rainforest, with a very high level of biodiversity, including 13 species of lemurs.

The primary reason to visit is to undertake various treks and hikes within the reserve, to try to spot some of the many and diverse species. There are also possibilities of night walking safari in search of radio-collared aye-ayes.

The best time to visit Ranomafana is generally considered to be during the Apr-Sep dry season.

During this period the rainfall is surprisingly low for a rainforest area, typically only 25-50mm/1-2″ per month. Peak daytime temperatures are also comfortable, around 24C/75F.

During the converse Oct-Mar rainy season precipitation typically peaks in January at around 150mm/6″, which basically means it’s raining a lot, although punctuated with lots of sunshine too. Perhaps even more importantly, peak daytime temperatures rise to around 29C/84F, accompanied by very high humidities, which can become quite uncomfortable.

Although we have heard it said that wildlife viewing can be slightly more productive Sep-May, the amount of rain at that time is enough to put most people off.

Getting there

The only way to access the Ranomafana area is by road.

The national park lies around 30 km east of the main RN7 road, between the towns of Ambositra and Fianarantsoa.

If you were to drive here directly from the capital Antananarivo it would take around 9 hours, but most people would break that journey in the pleasant mountain town of Antsirabe.

Continuing south the next stop could be Ambositra National Park, or more likely a push on to Isalo National Park.

Where to stay

The small town of Ranomafana lies in a beautiful fertile valley to the eastern side of the main forest. The place was previously known for its hot springs, around which a modest health spa was developed.

Although there are several places to stay, the only substantial option is the Hotel Thermal, which is close to the aforementioned springs.

a popular stop on the main overland route south from Tana