Madagascar Parks
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Insight guide to Madagascar.
The Ifotaka Community Forest Reserve is an area made up of a gallery forest and a dry spiny forest in the Mandrare Valley. The forests are sacred places to the local Antandroy people, who take visitors on guided nature walks. Accommodation is in the all-inclusive Mandrare River Camp, a traditional tented bush camp with excellent service and food.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
The forest reserve is home to two lemur species active in the day: big groups of ring-tailed lemur occur in the tamarind gallery forest, as well as some Verreaux's sifaka. The latter can also be found in the spiny forest area of the reserve. Three species that are active at night are present, namely white-footed sportive lemur, grey mouse lemur and grey-brown mouse lemur.
Scenery
Mandrare River Camp is located in a tamarind forest on the bank of the river, which acts as the lifeline of the area and provides some very scenic sundowner spots. Activities include wildlife viewing in a larger stand of tamarind forest on the other side of the river and a nearby patch of spiny forest. A short drive away, clusters of baobab trees make the perfect backdrop for traditional dances.
Weather & Climate
The climate in Ifotaka Forest is hot and quite dry. There is however a Wet season from November to March. This is also the hottest time of the year with an average maximum day temperature of around 27°C/81°F. The cooler Dry season from April to October is overall more comfortable.
Best Time To Visit
The Dry season months from April to October are a good time to visit and so is November, the beginning of the Wet season. Mandrare River Camp at Ifotaka Forest stays open through December, but this month sees a lot of rain. The shoulder months, April, October and November, are particularly lovely as the weather is pleasant, and reptiles and some mammals are more active than in the cooler Dry season months. The camp is closed during the rains from January to late March.
