Special Reserve · Far North · Diana Region
Special Reserve
of Ankarana
A spectacular karst massif of tsingy formations, sacred caves, and extraordinary biodiversity — 100 km south of Antsiranana.
About the Reserve
Tsingy, caves, and sinkholes
Located approximately 100 km south of Antsiranana, Ankarana is a spectacular karst massif renowned for its tsingy — the razor-sharp limestone formations sculpted by millennia of erosion — and a network of caves and underground rivers formed by the dissolution of ancient rock.
The dense semi-deciduous humid forest harbours remarkable biodiversity within its crevices and sinkholes, including 10 lemur species, 50 reptile species of which 8 are endemic, and 113 bird species. 39 plant species are known only from Ankarana.
The massif conceals an entire world below its surface — underground rivers carve through chambers that have never seen daylight, sheltering species found nowhere else on Earth.
Key Fauna & Flora
A landscape dense with life
Ankarana’s combination of tsingy, caves, and humid forest creates a mosaic of microhabitats that sustains an exceptional range of endemic species — many discovered here and nowhere else.
Culture & Heritage
Sacred caves of the Antakarana
The Antakarana ethnic group is the dominant population around the protected area. About ten inventoried caves serve as sacred places of worship, deeply woven into local identity and ceremony.
The cave near Ambatoharanana contains royal burial sites. Every five years, the royal mast crowning ceremony Tsangatsainy takes place alongside a collective circumcision — a living tradition that ties the Antakarana people to these extraordinary landscapes.
Primary conservation threats
Marked Circuits
Six trails through the tsingy
34 km of marked trail from the Andrafiabe entrance, across 2 suspension bridges and 5 viewpoints.
-
→
Bat Cave
Short -
→
Pearl of the Rivers
Medium -
→
Green Lake
Medium -
→
Tsingy Meva
Long -
→
Tsingy Rary
Long -
→
Benavony Loop
Long
Water available at Andrafiabe only. Managed by Océane Aventures.
Far North, Diana Region
Ankarana sits in Madagascar’s extreme north, within the Diana Region. The reserve is most easily reached via the main northern highway (RN6) from Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), or combined with visits to other northern parks such as Montagne d’Ambre.
