Ankarana Special Reserve is a spectacular and geologically unique protected area in the northern tip of Madagascar. The reserve is a dramatic natural fortress, built upon a massive Jurassic-era limestone plateau that has been eroded into an otherworldly landscape of sharp pinnacles known as tsingy, vast underground river systems, and some of the largest and most extensive caves in Africa. This rugged terrain has created a haven for an incredible array of unique and often endemic wildlife, including numerous lemur species, bats, and a host of rare reptiles and birds. For visitors, Ankarana offers a true adventure, combining strenuous but rewarding hikes across its razor-sharp rock formations with explorations of its mysterious, cathedral-like caves.

Name and Address

• Name: Ankarana Special Reserve (Réserve Spéciale de l’Ankarana).
• Address: Located in the Diana Region of northern Madagascar, approximately 108 kilometers (67 miles) south of the city of Antsiranana (also known as Diego Suarez).

How to Get There

Ankarana is a key stop for travelers exploring northern Madagascar and is usually accessed from the city of Antsiranana.

• By Car/4×4 (Recommended): The easiest way to visit is by hiring a 4×4 vehicle with a driver from Antsiranana. The journey along the main RN6 road takes about 3-4 hours. A 4×4 is essential, especially for reaching some of the more remote park entrances.
• By Taxi-Brousse (Shared Taxi): For budget travelers, it’s possible to take a taxi-brousse from Antsiranana heading south and ask to be dropped off at Mahamasina, the main village and park entrance.
• Guided Tours: Many tour operators offer packages that include Ankarana as part of a northern Madagascar circuit, often combining it with visits to Nosy Be or Montagne d’Ambre National Park. This is a convenient, hassle-free option.
• Visitor Tip: The best time to visit is during the dry season, from late April to November. A local guide, hired at the park entrance, is mandatory for all visits. The treks can be hot and strenuous, so sturdy footwear and plenty of water are essential.

Landscape and Architecture

The “architecture” of Ankarana is a breathtaking natural construction of limestone, caves, and canyons.

• The Tsingy: Like its more famous southern counterpart in Bemaraha, Ankarana is renowned for its field of tsingy. These are sharp, eroded limestone pinnacles that form a “forest of knives.” The reserve offers several circuits that take visitors across this challenging terrain, sometimes with the help of suspension bridges that offer incredible views over the jagged landscape.
• Cave Systems and Underground Rivers: Ankarana is famous for its vast network of caves, which is one of the largest in Africa. These caves have been carved out by underground rivers that flow beneath the limestone plateau. Many of the caves feature huge chambers, stunning stalactites and stalagmites, and are home to massive colonies of bats. Some caves contain sacred royal tombs of the Antankarana people.
• Canyons and Dry Forest: The limestone massif is cut by several deep canyons, which shelter pockets of lush, dry deciduous forest. These forested areas are where much of the reserve’s wildlife is concentrated.
• “Perte de Rivières” (River Sink): A fascinating feature of the park is a massive sinkhole where several rivers converge and disappear underground, only to re-emerge further away.

What Makes It Famous

Ankarana is famous for its unique combination of dramatic tsingy landscapes and one of Africa’s most extensive networks of accessible caves.

• Tsingy and Caves in One Place: While other parks in Madagascar have tsingy or caves, Ankarana is the best place to experience both in a single, spectacular location.
• Lemur Hotspot: The reserve is a fantastic destination for lemur watching. It is home to 11 different species, and it’s one of the best places to see the Crowned Lemur and Sanford’s Brown Lemur. Nocturnal walks often reveal rare species like the Ankarana Sportive Lemur.
• Massive Bat Colonies: The caves are famous for housing huge colonies of bats, as well as crocodiles that have adapted to a life in the dark, feeding on the bats.
• A Sacred Landscape: The reserve is the ancestral land of the Antankarana people, who used the caves as a refuge during times of tribal conflict. Many of the caves are considered sacred and contain royal tombs, adding a deep cultural layer to the natural wonder.

Differences from Other Wonders

Ankarana offers a unique adventure that distinguishes it from Madagascar’s other major parks.

• A Grey Tsingy vs. a Green Rainforest: Ankarana’s landscape is defined by its grey, sharp, and dry limestone. This provides a dramatic contrast to the lush, green, and humid environment of rainforest parks like Andasibe-Mantadia or Ranomafana. The wildlife and trekking experience are completely different.
• More Compact and Cave-Focused than Bemaraha: While Tsingy de Bemaraha is larger and its tsingy formations more extensive, Ankarana’s tsingy are more accessible and are combined with its incredible cave systems, which are a primary attraction in their own right. A visit to Ankarana is as much about going underground as it is about climbing over the pinnacles.
• Rocky Fortress vs. Sandstone Canyons: Unlike the eroded sandstone canyons and natural swimming pools of Isalo National Park, Ankarana is a limestone fortress of sharp pinnacles and subterranean rivers. The trekking is more about careful navigation and