Antanetiambo Nature Reserve

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About a hundred kilometres inland from the northeast coast of Madagascar, far away from the beaten track, traffic and the effects of modern civilisation, welcome to Antanetiambo Nature Reserve, a 35-hectare protected forest in the tropical highlands of the Andapa region.

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The reserve is located within the Andapa Basin, a geological land formation which was once, likely tens of thousands of years ago, a large lake.

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The former lakebed, which lies at an average altitude of 500m above the ocean, circumvents about 60km over an area of 18,000 hectares surrounded by mountainous landscapes between the Anjanaharibe and Marojejy massifs.

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Standing on what was once an island in an ancient lake, Antanetiambo, meaning on the high hill, is the present-day location of a nature protection area home to many endemic species of its prehistoric past.

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This relatively small protected area, covered in thick bamboo forest ascending 70m above surrounding rice paddies, is a natural habitat of the Northern Bamboo lemur among a wide variety of native and endemic flora and fauna.

PRIMATES [show]
BIRDS [show]
REPTILES [show]
FROGS [show]
BAMBOO [show]

The area of Andapa became permanently inhabited as recently as the 19th century by the Tsimihety ethnic group, seeking refuge from the Merina tribe of the central highlands. These original settlers began cultivating rice on the highly fertile land enriched by the surrounding rainforests. During the French colonisation, the area was also used to cultivate coffee among other crops. It was not until the mid-1960s that Andapa became connected via a good road.

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Apart from a small airstrip, which is rarely used except for medical emergencies, the nearest domestic airport is in Sambava, 100 kilometres from Andapa. Nowadays, visitors can easily reach Andapa by car in about three hours along an incrementally ascending and winding road with stunning scenery the entire way.

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Except for in the town centre of Andapa, there are no paved or tarred roads in the Andapa Basin; only trails and sandy roads, connecting small rural villages between rice fields and beautiful countryside landscapes.

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As far as wildlife experience goes, nothing compares to observing wild animals in their natural habitat. Encountering the Northern bamboo in Antanetiambo is almost guaranteed, and they can be observed very closely, even more easily than in Marojejy.

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In addition to nature-friendly tourists contributing simply by their visits, researchers, volunteers, and NGOs are active in the nearby national parks, working to protect the forests and their wildlife.

Anyone who ventures into this remote and magnificent part of Madagascar will find the nature and wildlife largely unaffected by modern life to be most rewarding.

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Antanetiambo's founder, Rabary Désiré, is a self-taught ecologist whose dedication and consistent efforts, in partnership with sponsoring organisations such as the Lemur Conservation Foundation, provide a safe haven for endangered species, helping preserve the region's unique and fragile ecosystem.

Environmental and social achievements of Rabary's team and sponsors, to mention a few, include:

  • Reducing the need for slash-and-burn farming activities by coordinating and educating local communities on more efficient high-yield SRI rice cultivation methods.
  • Reintroduction of endemic fish species in local river systems, by construction of a Paratilapia fish farm with tens of thousands of fish and fishlings having been reintroduced into the nearby Lokoho River.
  • The creation of a nature and language learning library with regular English and environment classes.
  • Making clean water available to families near Antanetiambo Nature Reserve by creating gravity-fed water taps in the village of Matsobe-Sud.
  • The production of series of environmental radio broadcasts on ecology and conservation of lemurs and other species.
  • Winner of the 2010 Seacology Prize, which included a $10,000 cash prize, which Rabary reinvested to expand the land for his conservation project.

The reserve is located 8km from Andapa and can be reached in about half an hour's drive. For these reasons, the site is frequently used by researchers as well as visited by a relatively small number of tourists who come to Andapa.

Antanetiambo is ideal for half-day trips from Andapa. Leave in the morning, visit the reserve, have lunch there, and return to Andapa in the afternoon. Additionally, night tours can be arranged to observe nocturnal species.

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For those also planning other activities in the region, combined with Marojejy National Park and/or Anjanaharibe-Sud, specialised guides who can organise complete tour packages including transport and hotel accommodation, are available via AGEMA, the association for ecotourist guides of Marojejy and Anjanaharibe-Sud.

Contact Rabary and his team directly to book individual or group visits. For any enquiries, phone or text Rabary Désiré on +261 (0)32 89 959 65 or email desirerabary@gmail.com

Some tour operators are familiar with Désiré and his reserve, and they also have local expertise and can organise transport as well as other activities in the area. Two recommended local tour operators are:

  Additional information [show]
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