Travel Plans October 2011

East of Tana along the RN2 direction Tamatave

Manjakandriana

• located 48km from Tana
  
• Manja Hotel with basic rooms
  
• bank, hospital
  
• road splits to Mantasoa and Lake Mantasoa

Mandraka Park

• located 61km from Tana
  
• Malagasy-run wooden bungalows
  
• popular amongst locals from Tana
  
• hiking
  
• 22 431 27 mandrakapark@moov.mg

Madagascar Exotic

• also called Mandraka Reptile Farm
  
• located 72km from Tana
  
• small zoo with reptiles, crocodiles, butterflies, mammals
  
• pets live in not so good conditions
  
• restaurant, mid-range en-suite rooms
  
• opening times: 7am - 5pm, entrance fee 10,000 Ariary, guide 2,000 Ariary for zoo, guide 6,000 Airary zoo and lemurs
  
• 22 321 01 or 032 04 108 87

Moramanga

• means "cheap mangoes"
  
• taxi-brousse from Tana (5,000 Ariary) takes about 3 hours
  
• train leaves on Monday and Thursday direction Tamatave and returns on Wednesday and Saturday
  
• several hotels and restaurants, bank, post-office, internet-cafes
  
• attractions include a mausoleum and police museum (police history, guns, cannons, murder weapons)
  
• roads split to the north direction Lake Alaotra (RN44)

Andasibe

• about 3,5 hours from Tana and 2km from RN2
  
• recommended to take the taxi-brousse from Tana to Moramanga (5,000 Ariary) and from there to Andasibe
  
• train from Moramanga takes 45 minutes (1,800 Ariary)
  
• small village, except a post office is nothing there (no bank, no internet)
  
• several hotels from low to hight end

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

• Analamazaotra Forest and Mantadia form the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
  
• believed to be Madagascar's most popular reserve
  
• open from 6am to 4pm
  
• entrance fee 10,000 Ariary, guides start at 15,000 Ariary (hours)
  
• Association Mitsinjo (NGO) takes care of some of the Analamazaotra Forest - visits at a lower price than national park
  
• open from 7am to 5pm and 6.30pm to 9pm
  
• entrance fee including guide starting at 30,000 Ariary (2 hours)
  
• 56 832 33 or 033 14 474 89 and mitsinjo@hotmail.com
• Mitsinjo office on the left, thereafter park entrance to the right

Mantadia

• 20km north of Andasibe
  
• mainly untouched primary forest
  
• rough trails, more altitude than in Andasibe park
  
• problem: transport to park starts at 60,000 Ariary
  
• open from 6am to 4pm

Torotorofotsy Reserve

• located 11km west of Andasibe
  
• 12,000ha reserve: marsh with forest and wetland
  
• golden mantella frogs, greater bamboo lemurs
  
• ideal for trekking
  
• 5 bungalows
• visits organised by Mitsinjo

Moramizaha Reserve

• once deforested, now protected area
  
• wildlife as in Mantadia, cave
  
• visits organised at Andasibe park office
  
• 033 02 568 18 and gerp@moov.mg

Vohimana Reserve

• located 148km from Tana
  
• about 10km from Andasibe, walk to reserve takes about 45 minutes
  
• best place to observe reptiles and frogs (over 80 species)
  
• nice trekking (circuits from 2 to 12km)
• esential oil distillery www.huiles-essentielles-madagascar.com
  
• tree nursery
  
• simple accommodation (it is advised to prebook)
  
• 22 674 90 and vohimana@mate.mg
  
• ww.madagascar-environnement.com

Beforona

• agro-ecology project to fight erosion
  
• 1-hour tour (terraces of fish ponds, rice fields with bamboo water pipe
  
• overnight visits possible, it is advised to reserve in advance with Mparany
  
• HBP@chemonics.mg or nyrapa@yahoo.fr

Ranomafana

• means "hot water" in Malagasy
  
• located 214km from Tana
  
• natural hot springs, sacred by the locals

Antsampanana

• located 227km from Tana
  
• 1,5 hours from Andasibe
  
• taxi-brousse station for buses going south
  
• basic accommodation

Brickaville