Lac Dzialandze

Lac Dzialandze sits at around a thousand metres in the middle of Anjouan, a crater lake in the island's central massif surrounded by what is left of the upland forest, reached on a climb of several hours from the villages below. Livingstone's fruit bat, a very large flying fox found only in the Comoros, roosts in the remaining trees near the lake. The forest around it has shrunk badly.

Highlights

• The crater lake - the water held in the old vent at around a thousand metres.
• Livingstone's fruit bat - the large flying fox found only in these islands.
• The remnant forest - the surviving upland woodland around the water.
• The climb - several hours up from the villages below.

When to go

May to October is the drier season and the practical window. Cloud sits on the massif most days. The rains from November make the route impassable.

Good to know

The climb is steep and muddy and takes several hours each way; a guide is required. The forest has been badly cleared and the walk passes through farmland for much of it. Bat sightings are not guaranteed.

Nearby

Mutsamudu is north, and Domoni is southeast.

Key facts