Andasibe Forest (EN)

Andasibe-Mantadia  national park is located in the eastern part of Madagascar. It is positioned on the road between Antananarivo (the capital) to the coastal town of Tamatave. It is an ideal stop for those who make the long trip to Sainte Marie and  Canal of Panganales.

Visiting this park is a unique experience: it allows to observe the typical ecosystem of Madagascar and its most unique inhabitants. From a tourist point of view, the most interesting part is the Indri Indri Special reserve of  Analamazaotra where you can observe in their natural habitat Indri indri : the main attraction of the park. They are the largest living lemurs and they measure about one meter in height. Their most distinctive feature is their curious and amazing calls you can hear and recognize up to three kilometers away. The Malagasy

name of these animals is babakoto (read the letter "o" to "oo"), which literally means "father of the child," due to the legend that the Indri  indri are descendants of a father and son who were lost in the forest. Their habit of swinging in trees and keep stick and hugging together

may be explain the origin of this myth. Due to his larger size and feature call, Indri indri have always attract the attention of the Malagasy people preventing them from hunting and poaching: it is forbidden to disturb the animal due to the taboo (fady) that protects them. There are many legends about them. The one I prefer is the story that begins in the mists of time when the world is lived by two brothers in the impenetrable forests of Madagascar. One day, they decided to leave the forest to begin to cultivate the land and become the ancestor of the human species. The other, shocked by the pain of failure, and turned into Indri and since it he is in the forest crying and moaning to await the return of his brother. Another feature makes Indri a special lemur is his diet consists of a hundred different plant species, and therefore it is impossible to breed in captivity. The Indri can only live free in nature. From an ecological point of view, Mantadia National Park, on the north of the Reserve

Analamazaotra, is the most interesting part of the complex of parks and reserves under the name of Andasibe - Mantadia. Mantadia extends over 12,000 hectares of primary forest and is home of 11 different species of lemurs, as well as many species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects endemic of Madagascar. Here, you can also visit the beautiful waterfalls and natural pools formed by the various streams that flow into the park. After visiting national park or reserve, it is crucial to visit the Vakona reserve, located approximately six kilometers from the village of Andasibe. One can observe animals that are impossible to find in the depths of the forest, such as the famous Malagasy carnivore: Fosa, quick and infallible predator of lemurs. The interior of the reserve has also a small island, accessible by boat, where they are raised six species of lemurs. Accustomed over time in contact with the man, visitors can approach and encounter these animals. There are several reasons to visit these places through a pleasant walk to explore this unique ecosystem and dive into the Malagasy forest. The feeling you have after listening in a distance the call of Indri justify your trip to the discovery of these unique places.