Anjohibe Caves

Anjohibe is a system of limestone galleries running for several kilometres under the Boeny plateau, with high chambers, columns and curtains of dripstone, and bats in the deeper sections. Excavations here have produced subfossil remains of extinct Malagasy fauna, including giant lemurs, which gives the caves scientific weight beyond their looks. For visitors the route is a walk of a couple of hours through lit-by-torch passages with a guide, and the reward at the end is a set of clear pools and a small waterfall in the gorge outside, where swimming is the usual finish to the day. The track from Mahajanga is rough and crosses several rivers, so it is impassable in the wet season and a four-wheel drive is needed even in the dry.

What you actually see

• Dripstone chambers - columns and curtains in high galleries.
• Bat colonies - roosts in the deeper passages.
• Swimming pools - clear water and a waterfall at the entrance gorge.
• Fossil ground - the deposits that yielded extinct giant lemurs.

When to go

May to November, when the track is passable and the caves are dry. The river crossings on the way in flood from December to April and close the route entirely.

Honest expectations

The drive is three hours or more each way on a genuinely bad track, which makes this a full day for a couple of hours underground. There is no lighting in the caves and torches are essential. Footing is wet and slippery. Facilities are none, so food and water come with you.

Nearby

Mahajanga is the base; Cirque Rouge lies just outside the city.