Northern Madagascar
Le Camp Tattersalli
This very simple and rustic community run lodge is operated by the NGO FANAMBY (that also run Black Lemur Camp, Le Camp Amoureux and others) on the edge of Bekaraoka forest, in the Loky Manambato protected area. The lodge is built below a forested hillside around 15km from the village of Daraina.
Camp Tattersalli is one of the most remote wildlife locations in Madagascar where the special attraction is the habituated family groups of golden-crowned sifakas and nocturnal aye-ayes, that frequent the surrounding forest.
The accommodation consists of very simple wooden and bamboo bungalows with mattress, sheets and blankets laid on the floor and a mosquito net. Please note that you may still prefer to take your own sleeping bag here for extra comfort.
To the side of each bungalow is an attached private bathroom with a western style toilet and simple shower with currently only running cold water available here. Due to the remoteness and limited infrastructure there is no phone reception or electricity on site so please charge batteries in advance of arrival and bring plenty of spares and torches.
Simple and local dishes are provided in a main bungalow and the staff are all from the local community. Camp Tattersalli may not be for everyone due to its simple accommodation and long drive from either Ankarana National Park or Vohemar to reach. However, for those looking to explore a beautiful forest, well off the beaten track with unique wildlife it is a great addition to those exploring Northern Madagascar. The wildlife highlight is the population of highly endangered and inquisitive golden crowned sifakas after which the lodge was named and also aye ayes, which are rarely seen elsewhere.
Facilities
Basic wooden and bamboo bungalows with just a mattress and mosquito net inside and attached private bathroom. There is only cold running water and a simple restaurant. There is a very limited infrastructure here due to the remoteness, which is part of the charm. There is currently no phone signal, Wi-Fi or electricity.
Local Wildlife
The deciduous and semi evergreen forests of the Loky Manambato Protected Area are of international importance for lemurs. The surrounding forest is one of the few remaining locations where the beautiful golden-crowned sifaka can still be found. These stunning lemurs are incredibly rare as a result of the deforestation, gold mining and hunting activities in this region and visiting this lodge helps support their conservation. The sifakas spend most of their day feeding in the forest canopy on leaves sometimes right next to the lodge. In the afternoons they often come lower and even forage on the ground on occasions. This can provide a wonderful detailed view of these lemurs, which are inquisitive of people, allowing for some wonderfully intimate sightings.
The aye-aye is one of Madagascar’s most sought after and elusive nocturnal lemurs and although sightings still involve some luck, the night walks here offer some of the most reliable aye aye viewing anywhere. Several aye aye families and favourite nesting trees are well known to the local guides here and they can often be staked out in advance of a visit. Due to the lower canopy too, sightings can also be a little closer than in other regions.
In addition, crowned lemurs are also present in the forest here and other nocturnal lemurs include the localised Daraina sportive lemur, Daraina fork-marked lemur, Western fat-tailed dwarf lemur and the Tavaratra mouse lemur. There is plenty of endemic birdlife and reptiles including the huge Madagascar ground boa.
Optional Activities
Wildlife walks in the Loky Manambato protected area and visit to local villages.
Claire Pote
Area Specialist
If you are interested in night walks in search of aye-aye. Please let us know as local guides can stake out the recent nest sites in advance of a visit.
If you have any questions regarding our Madagascar tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
It was lovely to meet Helen face-to-face and to devise the ideal trip with her – her enthusiasm for Madagascar certainly confirmed us in our choice of destination. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides, seemed genuinely interested in their work and in interacting with tourists. Invaluable in spotting wildlife and discussing uses of local medicinal plants. [Our escort guide] was a delightful companion on our journey in Madagascar and very solicitous of our welfare. We were thrilled by the wildlife. Without the keen insight and knowledge of our guides we would certainly have failed to spot the giraffe-necked weevil and stick insects. The night walks were very productive – several mouse lemurs. The first sight of indris was an especial thrill as was the sight of a sleeping mouse lemur in broad daylight. Perhaps the most rewarding experience occurred when the lemurs came to us – six ring-tailed lemurs in Isalo, sifakas on the balcony in Anjajavy, flocks of grey-headed lovebirds on the lawn at breakfast. An excellent tour which gave us a good insight into the wildlife and potential conservation issues in Madagascar. We had opportunities to visit local communities. We were most impressed by the efficiency in ensuring a trouble-free and very enjoyable time in Madagascar. Our tour leader and driver were delightful and very hard working. We shall certainly look forward to booking a further tour with you.