Anjozorobe Forest Corridor

The Anjozorobe-Angavo corridor is a strip of montane rainforest running along a ridge northeast of Antananarivo, the closest surviving forest of its kind to the capital and a remnant of what once covered the eastern highlands. Eleven lemur species live in it, including the indri, whose long wailing call carries for a couple of kilometres through the forest and is the reason many people come; diademed sifakas and, on night walks, woolly lemurs and mouse lemurs are also found. Orchids and tree ferns fill the understorey and the bird list is good. A lodge managed with the surrounding communities provides accommodation and guides, and trails run from it into the forest. Being within a few hours of the capital makes it the practical option for anyone who cannot reach the eastern parks.

What you actually see

• Indri - the largest living lemur, heard before it is seen.
• Highland rainforest - tree ferns, orchids and mossy trunks.
• Night walks - woolly and mouse lemurs after dark.
• Community forest - villages managing the reserve edge.

When to go

April to November for drier trails; the forest is wet in any month and mornings are cold. Indri call in the early morning, so an overnight stay is what makes a visit work. December to March brings heavy rain.

Honest expectations

It rains and the trails are muddy and steep. Accommodation is a single lodge, so it must be booked. Lemur sightings are likely but not certain. The drive from the capital takes three to four hours on a poor road, longer than the distance suggests.

Nearby

Ambohimanga lies southwest; Antananarivo is south.