Andasibe National Park: Rainforests, Lemurs & Adventure
Located 3-4 hours from Antananarivo (Tana), Andasibe National Park is the easiest way to dive into Madagascar’s lush rainforest without venturing too far off the beaten path. The star of the show? The Indri Indri lemur, Madagascar’s largest and loudest lemur. Hearing its siren-like call echo through the early morning mist is something you’ll never forget.
The Andasibe-Mantadia National Park protects the tropical montane rainforests of Eastern Madagascar, some of the densest in the world.
The park actually comprises two connected reserves:
- Analamazoatra or Indri Special Reserve (Perinet) — Gentle trails and easy access make this the go-to for most visitors. This is your best chance to see Indri indri lemurs up close, especially on a dawn walk when they’re most active.
- Mantadia National Park — A wilder, less-trodden reserve with some steeper trails, rare birds, and golden sifakas. Ideal for more adventurous hikers and serious wildlife lovers.
We recommend 2–3 nights here so you can explore both reserves, enjoy a nocturnal walk, and perhaps paddle over to Lemur Island at Vakona Forest Lodge for a close-up encounter (perfect for families and photographers alike).
Three nights gives you time to relax at your lodge, or see some of the smaller nearby reserves as well.
How to add it into your Madagascar Safari?
You can add it at the start of your trip, and then continue by road to the Canal de Pangalanes and Ile Sainte Marie
Madagascar Eastern Highlands to Ile Sainte Marie tour
Or fly north to Nosy Be or Northern Madagascar
Or you can add it to the end of a trip such as the 13-night Rainforests,
Rainforests, Mountains & Beaches of Southern Madagascar
TIP: The challenge for a Madagascar safari is to reduce the number of nights in Tana. So why not end your Madagascar trip in Andasibe and drive straight to the airport for your evening flight, skipping a final night in Tana.
Wilder Mantadia National Park
For a wilder safari to see the golden sifaka lemurs, amongst others, you can explore the larger Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. This has pristine forest and more challenging terrain, with steeper trails. So best if you are reasonably fit. The forest is primary rainforest so there is a greater variety of wildlife here, with several lemur species. The two forests used to be connected but logging (usually done by overseas companies) is a real concern in Madagascar.
