Northern Madagascar
Tampolo Lodge
Tampolo is a welcoming, Italian-run lodge with a beautiful setting on a white-sand beach on the remote Masoala peninsula, with primary rainforest right behind. The lodge has ten simple bungalows, two with shared toilet and shower facilities and eight with en suite facilities. There is electricity from 6am – 11pm and no hot water in the rooms, but staff can provide hot water in a bucket when required.
All the bungalows are equipped with mosquito nets and have comfortable twin or double beds. They are also ideally located on the beautiful beachfront providing excellent access to the sea for swimming and snorkelling. There is a superb coral community just offshore from the lodge.
The friendly staff, good food, relaxing setting and close proximity to the Marine Park and Masoala Forest National Park more than makes up for the basic accommodation.
The Masoala peninsula protects the last remaining extensive coastal lowland rainforest in Madagascar. Given World Heritage Site status in June 2007 and accessible only by boat, the reserve boasts staggering biodiversity and a wide variety of habitats: rainforest, littoral forest, marsh, flooded forest, mangrove and coral reefs.
Rainforest wildlife here can be a little more difficult to spot than in some more popular locations, and guided walks can be challenging due to steep and slippery trails (it’s the wettest place in Madagascar).
Facilities
Restaurant, running water and electricity during key times.
Local Wildlife
Highlights include the red-ruffed lemur, white-fronted brown lemur, greater hedgehog tenrec, brown-tailed mongoose, day geckos, leaf tailed geckos, panther chameleons, the rare helmet vanga and the recently rediscovered Madagascar serpent eagle. From July to early September, humpback whales can be seen offshore in the Bay of Atongil.
Optional Activities
Hikes (both long and short can be arranged), guided wildlife spotting in Masoala National Park, snorkelling, boat trips and kayaking.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
This is a good but very simple lodge – if you want more comfort, choose Masoala Forest Lodge.
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.