Safari to Andrafiamena

home to extremely rare black sifakas

Set in the north of Madagascar, Andrafiamena-Andavakoera is a little-known conservation area, the best place to view rare Perrier’s black sifakas.

At 746 square kilometres, this is a reasonably substantial conservation area that features both transition forest and deciduous dry forest, including some impressive limestone formations and exciting caves.

The gorgeous Perrier’s black sifaka is one of the world’s 25 most endangered primates. Yet here in Andrafiamena they are usually quite easy to find thanks to the fact that researchers have managed to habituate at least two groups.

Other interesting animals include crowned lemurs and northern sportive lemurs.

When out walking in the forest at night there is a good chance of spotting mouse lemurs, along with a wide range of reptiles and fascinating invertebrates.

The reserve is managed by Fanamby, an excellent non-profit organisation which is also operating in the Kirindy Forest area in the west of the country. They are actively engaged in all kinds of hands-on conservation here, including reforestation.

There’s a decent network of trails, mostly of less than an hour in duration, although you can spend a lot longer out there, especially if you bump into some interesting and cooperative animals. It’s important to note that some of the trails squeeze between narrow gaps between limestone columns which are not suitable for larger people.

The reserve lies on the eastern side of the main RN6 road that leads from Diego Suarez to Nosy Be, close to the much better known Ankarana Reserve, so can quite easily be included in a guided overland trip through this northern region.

The only place to stay is the relatively simple Black Lemur Camp, which is operated by Fanamby themselves, so you can be sure that your visit is contributing directly to local conservation efforts.

Unfortunately this camp is presently too simple for us to include in trips.