Ambohimalaza

Northern Madagascar


This plateau has surprising views: you can see Ambilobe in the west, and even the islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Mitsio in the Mozambique Channel. From the highest point, the whole of the northern region of the Ankarana park can be seen as well as Montagne d'Ambre itself. The hike takes four to five hours and is fairly easy except for a steep ascent. Birds of prey including the harrier hawk and the peregrine falcon hunt over the plateau.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northern Madagascar attractions

1. Boucle Benavony

0.6 MILES

Getting here will take about seven hours of quite difficult hiking over the tsingy (limestone pinnacle formations) itself. But the landscape is the reward…

2. Grotte d'Andrafiabe

1.63 MILES

Andrafiabe takes about five hours to reach from the western entrance to the park and is moderately difficult. Both the underground cave and the 'cathedral…

3. Grotte Squelette

2.83 MILES

This cave can be reached in about two to three hours of hiking. It gets its name from the skeleton of a local warrior that was found in the cave. There…

4. Tsingy Rary

3.49 MILES

The hike here takes three to four hours and is not difficult. Here you notice the difference between the limestone and volcanic rocks. Birds to look out…

5. Tsingy Meva

4.31 MILES

This tsingy extends from the northern part of Ankarana and into the southern part of the Parc National de Montagne d'Ambre. It's a two to three hour hike…

6. Perte des Rivières

4.74 MILES

A massive rock chasm into which three of the park’s rivers plunge during the rainy season (they emerge 20km later in the Mozambique Channel). It's an easy…

7. Petits Tsingy

5.11 MILES

An easily accessible area of tsingy, these karst formations are close to the Grotte des Chauves-Souris or Bat Cave. The plants here are xerophytes,…

8. Grotte des Chauves-Souris

5.13 MILES

The impressive Grotte des Chauves-Souris (bat) cave has superb stalactites and stalagmites, and thousands of bats (eight species, including Commerson's…