The Parc National de Marojejy is one of Madagascar’s great undiscovered parks, a fact all the more astonishing because it is one of the best managed and easiest to get to. You can fly from Antananarivo to Sambava or Antalaha, jump in a taxi, and within an hour or two you are off on a world-class trek.
The park consists of over 550 sq km of pristine mountainous rainforest – an often thick, steep, and root-filled jungle with numerous streams and waterfalls.
It is a primordial place, where the astonishing ‘angel of the forest’, the silky sifaka , inhabits misty mountains, and spectacular views of the Marojejy Massif peek through the canopy. For naturalists, the area is noted for its extraordinary biodiversity, including 2000 types of plants, 147 species of reptile and amphibian, 118 species of bird, and 11 species of lemur, about 70% of which are endemic to Madagascar. It also ascends through four levels of forest, enhancing the variety of experience. In 2007 the park was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Assisted by American researcher Erik Patel, whose Simpona organisation (www.simpona.org) works to protect the silky sifaka , the local MNP office have constructed three quality camps at different altitudes, each set in an attractive location. Trained guides, cooks, and porters provide excellent service. Cabins are cleaned regularly. Revenue is distributed to local communities, helping turn conservation into a winning enterprise. There is also an excellent interpretation centre at the park office (with signs in English), a model for parks elsewhere. For more information see www.marojejy.com.
