Madagascar November 2012 - January 2013, Andasibe National Park

After a four day taxi-brousse ride we finally arrived in Madagascar's most visited national park: Andasibe. We stayed in the Andasibe area for five days and visited four different parks and for each I will write a separate post. We started with Andasibe national park, which is due to its number of visitors, the most expensive national park of the country. The most well-known and maybe the best guide of Madagascar is Patrice. We did not made use of him, but of his brother Luc, which we found very, very skillful and very amiable. He normally costs 120.000 Ariary, but we paid 90.000 for three full days. We stayed during the five days in hotel Feon'y'Ala, which is situated on an amazing hillside with beautiful views over the forests. Luc is very easy to locate from this hotel, as he lives on the other side of the street. He also offers accomodation.

The one day we spend with Luc inside the Andasibe national park and our occasional strolls along the main road produced a decent number of interesting birds: Grey-crowned Tetraka, Rand's Warbler, Tylas, Nuthatch Vanga, Madagascar Crested Ibis, Madagascar Sparrowhawk, Collared Nightjar, Ward's Flycatcher, Wedge-tailed Jery and Forest Fody. Spectacular mammals were observed as well including the absolutely breathtaking Indri, Diademed Sifaka, Common Brown Lemur and a presumed Furry-eared Dwarf Lemur. A herp highlight were two Madagascar Ground Boas.

Madagascar Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis) juvenile (picture made by Anna van der Kaaden)

The breathtaking Collared Nightjar (Gactornis enarratus)

Diademed Sifakas (Propithecus diadema)

Indri (Indri indri)

The park has that many visitors for a reason and this has positive and negative effects. The area offers (very) good accommodation, good trails, knowledgeable guides, but it can be a bit crowded. However the sound of the Indri and the sight of two cryptically colored Collared Nightjars makes you forget the 50 school children kicking a Madagscar Ground Boa, how horrible it may be...