Southern Madagascar
Berenty Lodge
The gallery and spiny forest reserve of Berenty is famed for its abundant, habituated and curious ring-tailed lemurs (beware of your bananas), as well as “dancing” Verreaux’s sifakas. The reserve has been the site of lemur research for over 40 years and has been featured on numerous documentaries and publications.
There is also a radiated and spider tortoise breeding project on the site as well as a low-key museum on the natural history of the region and culture of the local Antandroy tribe. The Antandroy tribe of this region are largely unaffected by the outside world, holding onto their strong beliefs and living very naturally. The forest and associated wildlife of the area is preserved by the people themselves who hold them sacred as resting places for their ancestors.
Accommodation is in en-suite bungalows with fan and air-conditioning. Walking is level and gentle along wide, well-tended trails and the accessibility and photographic opportunities of the wildlife are superb.
Please note that electricity only operates for limited hours each day and there is no WiFi here.
Facilities
13 bungalows and 12 rooms. Snack bar, restaurant, Antandroy tribal museum, nearby sisal factory
Local Wildlife
Ring-tailed, red-fronted brown, collared brown, white-footed sportive, grey mouse and Verreux’s sifaka lemurs can all be seen quite easily at Berenty. There are also many bird species such as giant coua, souimanga sunbird and hook-billed vanga, and reptiles including radiated tortoise and Oustelet’s chameleon.
Optional Activities
Walking in the private reserve on wide, well-marked trails and within the patches of spiny forest, either independently or with a guide. Guided nocturnal nature walks.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
Berenty is accessible year round: it’s best for baby lemurs in September and October, and for reptiles from December to March. Electricity goes off at 11pm, so take a head torch for night reading. Berenty is very suitable for young children, with safe trails and no dangerous wildlife. Babysitting is not officially offered but may be arranged with the management on request.
If you have any questions regarding our Madagascar tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
We had a great holiday seeing and getting close to more wildlife than we’d imagined. The guides and wildlife guides were excellent and very knowledgeable. The accommodation and food was excellent and we were able to relax given how well everything was planned. Thank you!
