Amber Mountain National Park

Pros & Cons

• Very accessible with easy hiking trails
• Access into the forest is possible by car
• Home to many chameleons and other reptiles, plus several lemur species
• Beautiful waterfalls and crater lakes within easy walking distance
• Can be crowded when cruise-ship day visitors arrive
• Only very basic huts in the park

Wildlife

Amber Mountain is wonderful for lizard spotting. It supports the world’s greatest diversity of leaf-tailed geckos, a group of large lizards known for their masterful camouflage. The checklist of 14 chameleons includes nine that are unique to this one park. As for mammals, crowned lemur and Sanford’s brown lemur are both quite easily seen. Lucky visitors might also glimpse carnivores such as the fossa and shy falanouc.

• More about Amber Mountain’s wildlife

Scenery

The spectacular scenery is really what makes this park special. The habitat of montane rainforest (above 900m/2,950ft) offers a wide variety of plants, including bird’s-nest ferns (which are popular pot plants), cycads, tree ferns and orchids. Antankarana waterfall and two crater lakes are focal points for most visitors to the park.

Activities

Guided day hikes are the main activity. The trail network extends over 20km/12mi and several variations are possible. If wildlife viewing is your priority, try one of the shorter options, so you have plenty of time for stops. These are the Petit Circuit, which takes three hours and visits two waterfalls, and the slightly longer Moyen Circuit, which also stops at a beautiful crater lake. For dedicated hikers, the Grand Circuit to the mountain’s 1,475m/4,839ft summit takes up to 12 hours.

Weather & Climate

Temperatures are quite uniform throughout the year. Afternoons are usually around 28°C/82°F, and at night it’s around 18°C/64°F. The Wet season (November to April) sees very high rainfall and humidity. The Dry season (May to October) is only slightly cooler but has lower humidity and is therefore more comfortable.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time To Visit

Amber Mountain can be visited throughout the year. However, the shoulder months of April, May, October and November are particularly recommended. At this time the weather is nice and there isn’t too much rain. Animals, including reptiles, that are less easy to spot in the drier months from June to September are active during this time. In October and November many lemurs have babies.

• More about the best time to visit

Want To Visit Amber Mountain NP?

Amber Mountain Tours

• Amber Mountain Safaris & Tours
• Tour Operators for Amber Mountain