Camp Amoureux

a good chance of seeing fossas at this lodge

Camp Amoureux is located in the Kirindy area of western Madagascar.

Set in the Andranomena Forest Reserve (which is about 10 km south of Kirindy Forest), this is a very simple facility.

It is owned and operated by the non-profit organisation Fanamby, which is behind the main conservation efforts in the area. The lodge is part of their scheme to encourage local communities to become directly involved in management of responsible tourism.

Let us be clear, when visiting the west of Madagascar, the accommodation options are somewhere between basic and workable. This means that, even in relatively high cost trips, you will need to be at least forgiving, at worst quite hardy. This is not an easy area through which to travel.

The lodge is centred on a very basic two storey structure, with dining areas downstairs and a lounge bar on the upper level.

There is WiFi in the restaurant and solar power is, in theory, available round the clock.

The camp is very much in the forest and some of the wildlife is well habituated to the presence of people, which can make for some easy photo opportunities.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Camp Amoureux is in 14 simple dome-tented rooms, on raised platforms and under a thatched roof.

The beds are simple mattresses on the floor and there are basic private bathrooms. There are no fans.

Activities

Camp Amoureux provides access to the following activities …

• Nature walks
• Cultural visits

The Kirindy area only features very occasionally in trips, most commonly in relatively hardcore overland expeditions through these western areas.

The usual stay duration is just one night on the way through.

Seasonality

The best time to visit Kirindy is generally considered to be during the long Apr-Nov dry season.

However if you are planning to combine with the Bemaraha area then you should probably focus on the latter part of the dry season, Jun-Nov, when the roads have had plenty of time to dry out and become passable.

During the Dec-Mar rainy season Kirindy remains accessible and the precipitation is not usually too heavy, but temperatures and humidities can climb to uncomfortable levels and there can be very annoying swarms of sweat-bees.

Getting there

The coastal town of Morondava is usually accessed by scheduled flight services from the capital Antananarivo, but can also sometimes be reached by air from Tulear, further south on this same western coastline.

The road journey from Morondava to Kirindy only takes around 90 minutes and passes through the famous Avenue of the Baobabs, where people like to pause to take photos (and take in the many handicraft stalls which have now turned up to take advantage of the opportunity).

If you are combining with the Bemaraha area to the north, then chances are you will break the long drive on the way up and maybe also on the way back with a night in this area.

a stop on the arduous road journey to Bemaraha