Réserve Spéciale Ankarana

Useful Information

Location:	Parc National de l’Ankara, BP 76 – 204 Ambilobe LOT 02 E 0002 Anoronala. (-12.9681425, 49.1385471)
Open:	All year daily 8-16. [2025]
Fee:	Park: Adults AR 65,000, Children AR 25,000. Malagasy: Adults AR 2,000, Children AR 500. Grand Tsingy-Lac Vert/Boucle de Benavony: Adults AR 60,000. Tsingy Meva/Grotte des Chauves-souris/Perte des Rivières: Adults AR 30,000. Grotte d’Andrafiabe et Cathédrale: Adults AR 50,000. Circuit Grotte des Chauves-souris: Adults AR 25,000. [2025]
Classification:	Stone Forest Karren Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch for cave
Dimension:	A=206 m asl.
Guided tours:	Grand Tsingy-Lac Vert/Boucle de Benavony: L=12 km, D=8-9 h. Grotte d’Andrafiabe et Cathédrale: L=800 m, D=2-3 h. Circuit Grotte des Chauves-souris: L=3,200 m, D=2-3 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Jean Claude Dobrilla (2011): Expédition Spéléologique Française à Madagascar Tsingy 2011, Fédération Française de Spéléologie. pdf
Address:	Réserve Spéciale Ankarana, Parc National de l’Ankara, BP 76 – 204 Ambilobe LOT 02 E 0002 Anoronala, Tel: +261-2-09-402-09. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The Réserve Spéciale Ankarana (Ankarana Special Reserve) is an 18 ha park which is famous for its stone forrest, locally called tsingy. The park entrance is at the hamlet Mahamasina. From here it’s a 3 km hike to the Tsingy Rary to the north. This tour is called the Circuit Lac Vert (Green Lake Circuit), the homonymous lake is a karst spring There is also the (Lost Rivers Circuit) Another branch leads to a cave which may be visited.

The underground of this stone forrest is heavily karstified and has numerous caves. There are, for example, the Grottes d'Andrafiabé and the Gouffre du Serpent (Serpent Pit) at the northern border of the park. The tour starts at the campement d’Andrafiabe. The Grotte d'Andrafiabe is notable for its speleothems, while the Grotte Cathédrale has a huge chamber with a karstfenster in the ceiling. The two caves are connected by the canyon des buttes de Chaumont (Buttes de Chaumont canyon). The park offers the Circuit Grotte des Chauves-souris (Bat Cave Circuit). Actually there are about a dozen tours offered by the park rangers. We just listed a few characteristic tours. After all, if you book such a tour, you may discuss the exact tour with your guide.

The tours, like always on Madagascar, include numerous plants and animals which are endemic, either for the park or for the island. There are the lemurs Eulemur fulvus sanfordi and Eulemur coronatus, the Coa hupé and Gobemouche birds, and the reptile Uroplatus ebenaui. The vegetation is typical dry forest. The tsingy and gorges have a special microclimate and have thus Commiphora arafi, Pandanus, Euphorbia ankaranensis, and Tacca ankaranensis. And as always in Madagascar there is a park infrastructure, but it’s a bad idea to just go their with your own car. We strongly recommend checking your own hotel if they can offer day trips. Otherwise, contact the Analamanga Regional Tourist Office kiosk in Antaninarenina. They sell tickets for the park and offer guided tours.