Iharana Bush Camp

Top choice in Northern Madagascar


Although not far from Ambilobe, this gorgeous lodge is perfect for exploring Réserve Spéciale Ankarana. Wattle and daub bungalows are widely spaced for privacy and are beautifully appointed; each has its own deck and some have views over a lake and the tsingy.

Turn west 7.5m north of Ambilobe and follow the (sparse) signposts along the sandy track for 17km.

There are 10 bungalows on the lake and 12 standard ones. Electricity is solar-powered and there are no power points in the bungalows. Excursions include taking a pirogue (traditional dugout canoe) on the lake and walks into the tsingy. For extra romance, champagne is served at the Ambatomiloloha tsingy lookout point at sunset and on full-moon nights. An open-air restaurant and bar, massage room and pool complete the picture.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northern Madagascar attractions

1. Grotte Squelette

9.29 MILES

This cave can be reached in about two to three hours of hiking. It gets its name from the skeleton of a local warrior that was found in the cave. There…

2. Grotte d'Andrafiabe

10.56 MILES

Andrafiabe takes about five hours to reach from the western entrance to the park and is moderately difficult. Both the underground cave and the 'cathedral…

3. Petits Tsingy

10.8 MILES

An easily accessible area of tsingy, these karst formations are close to the Grotte des Chauves-Souris or Bat Cave. The plants here are xerophytes,…

4. Grotte des Chauves-Souris

10.98 MILES

The impressive Grotte des Chauves-Souris (bat) cave has superb stalactites and stalagmites, and thousands of bats (eight species, including Commerson's…

5. Boucle Benavony

11.46 MILES

Getting here will take about seven hours of quite difficult hiking over the tsingy (limestone pinnacle formations) itself. But the landscape is the reward…

6. Tourelles

11.68 MILES

Reaching this turret-shaped tsingy will take about three to four hours and is an easy walk. You will need to cross a small river during the wet season…

7. Ambohimalaza

12.06 MILES

This plateau has surprising views: you can see Ambilobe in the west, and even the islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Mitsio in the Mozambique Channel. From the…

8. Perte des Rivières

12.23 MILES

A massive rock chasm into which three of the park’s rivers plunge during the rainy season (they emerge 20km later in the Mozambique Channel). It's an easy…