How to get there:
The National Park Ankarafantsika is situated in the north-west of Madagascar at the national road No. 4. You can get there by taxi brousse from Antananarivo and Mahajanga. In Antananarivo the ride starts at the taxi brousse station north, costs around 70.000 FMG and takes 10 to 11 hours. From Mahajanga you need only 2,5 hours. Ask the driver to drop you out at the village Ampijoroa, where the park entrance is.

For travellers with a higher budget it is also possible to book an organised trip to the Park in one of the hotels in Mahajanga (e.g., Zahamotel, phone 62 223 19).

What you can do and see:
Ankarafantsika is said to be the kingdom of birds, the land of sacred lakes and the source of life. Though a bit high-sounding this slogan has its reasons. The Park is one of Madagascar's finest birdwatching venues with 129 species present. Perhaps the most exciting to see is the Madagascar Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides). The area is also home to eight lemur species among them the acrobatic Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi coquereli), which you can see even around the campsite. The other lemur species are: Golden-brown Mouse Lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis), Grey Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus), Milne-Edwards's Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi), Western Woolly Lemur (Avahi occidentalis), Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleus medius), Common Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus fulvus) and Mongoose Lemur (Eulemur mongoze).

The vegetation mainly consists of relatively low and scrubby deciduous forest with savannah areas and gallery forest around the lakes. Most of the forest is not really impressing, but the low altitude of the trees makes it quite easy to spot the animals.

The National Park protects a vital and vulnerable watershed for the productive rice-growing areas downstream. It includes several lakes among them the Lake Ravelobe with its Nile Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus), which play a central role in local ancestor believes.

Housing:
The housing facilities have improved a lot in the last few years. The park management offers ten roofed tent sites and five guest rooms with electricity and shared toilets/showers. Lately they also finished a number of small bungalows close to a lake. Further tent sites are available at a camping site in Ambodimanga, a village in walking distance to the park entrance. There is also a restaurant at the park entrance where you can have breakfast and eat à la carte.

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