Hi,
I'm going to Madagascar on a tour in December, and have the flexibility to arrive there 1-7 days prior to the start of tour. I was wondering if there is anything (single day or multi-day) worth doing in and around Tana, and also in the wider surrounding region? From what I read, the royal palace in Tana could be interesting, but that will probably only take half a day...
Thanks a lot in advance!
There is not much to see at the Rova (Royal Palace) suggest you get a guidebook Lonely Planet or Bradt. Also what are your interests?
Madagascar was my first developing country, and I found Tana fascinating. I happily spent about three days just wandering round, and would have been glad to stay there longer.
I've got the Lonely Planet book already, but nothing in there looks like that manageable as a side trip, and understand can't go to Tsengi in December...do you know something that can be done?
If nothing else works out, I might just spend 1-2 days in Tana
You could easily get to Andasibe and back in a few days. If you like wildlife it's a great place to visit. But I guess it depends on what you are doing on your tour as to whether you want to go there separately: http://www.travelmadagascar.org/PARKS/Andasibe-Mantadia-National-Park.html
Within Tana there is a crocodile park just up the road from the airport and it has a big heronry, some lemurs and Fosa as well as a few reptiles and amphibians etc. The lemurs (Verreaux's Sifakas) are free roaming but the other exhibits are caged. Good if you only have a couple of hours before your flight check in.
I hear there is also a zoo, a lemur park and a lake where you can see some birds within the city area. Plus if you can afford to you could get a domestic flight out to somewhere.
I've been to and think the crocodile farm is worth visiting. The fare should be about the same as to the airport which might be a little expensive. The zoo Tsimbazaza with gardens and museum is also worth a visit and is nearer. The zoo is supposed to open at 9.00 but didn't open until 9.30 when I visited also the night house and the museum were both shut. The snakes are fed live, day old chicks, which some people find upsetting. Some of the animals appear disturbed pacing their cages. Finally there are guides which you might or might not wish to employ but if you do then I suggest you agree the price before you start.
You can get a free street map and advice from ORTANA the tourist office where someone speaks English. The office is at the base of the steps leading to the Place de Independence.
A good walk is to start at the Rova, go there by taxi, and walk down the hill. You can see the church where people were thrown off the cliff and there are good views. There is not much to see inside the Rova - I am told by people who went inside. I didn't.
There is a Museum of Art and Archeology 17 Rue Dr Villette in Isoraka if you can find it and if it is open, which is supposed to be worth visiting. There are markets of which the Mahamasina has everything and a flower market near Lake Anosy.
Also you can walk along the Avenue de Independence which is interesting.
It is good to keep aware of people around you as there are pickpockets some of whom are children. Bradt guide advises the the Avenue is unsafe but it seems safe ot me. The Mahamasina is possible a little unsafe.
Enjoy...
Just had a report from friends who visited Lemurs Park yesterday. They said it was a nice day's outing and they had a chance to see Sifaka lemurs on the ground, which hadn't been possible during their travels in national parks. From the website (only in French), it looks like they have an arrangement for transport to/from Tana. It gets mostly very positive reviews on TripAdvisor.
Yes It seems Naturetrek include Lemurs Park on their Madagascar's Lemurs tour. Here is a write up, day 3 covers this park:
http://www.naturetrek.co.uk/reports_new/MDG04_report_120913_Madagascars_Lemurs.pdf
There will be lemurs there that you don't see in the wild in the southern and eastern parks such as Coquerel's sifaka, Crowned Sifaka and Black Lemur. It sounds like they are free roaming, but obviously they don't naturally occur there so I would count them as being in a safari park setting and not as wild animals. I didn't visit there so can't say more than that really.
Edited by: kittykat23uk