Harmonious Protected Landscape · Northern Region · SAVA · Protected Areas of Madagascar
Loky Manambato
Harmonious Protected Landscape
A vast mosaic of eight vegetation types stretching between the Loky and Manambato rivers — refuge of the critically endangered golden-crowned sifaka, in the SAVA Region of northern Madagascar.
About the protected area
Between two rivers, twelve massifs and eight vegetation types
The Loky Manambato Harmonious Protected Landscape is situated in the SAVA Region, bounded by the Loky River to the north and the Manambato River to the south. Established in 2015 and managed by Association Fanamby, it covers 250,000 hectares straddling the humid east, the arid west, and the elevated central plateaus — giving rise to a remarkable diversity of microclimates across its twelve massifs.
The manager maintains a main office in Daraina and a secondary office in Ampisikinana. Visitor accommodation is available at hotels in Daraina, the Tattersalli lodge camp at Andranotsimaty, and a campsite at Analabe Sahaka. The main entrance is located along the RN5A, 56 km from Vohémar (Iharana), reached by two and a half hours of four-wheel-drive travel from Vohémar, followed by 15 minutes of maintained track from the village of Mevatanàna on the RN5.
Loky Manambato is home to the Propithecus tattersalli — the golden-crowned sifaka — a lemur found nowhere else on Earth and listed as critically endangered. Its survival is inextricably linked to the integrity of this landscape.
Fauna and Flora
Eight vegetation types, twelve microclimate massifs
The ecological position of Loky Manambato — between the humid east, the dry west, and the central highlands — generates eight distinct vegetation formations across its twelve massifs. The summits of the south-western massifs of Antsahabe and Binara support dense evergreen humid forest with Gambeya boiviniana, Ephippiandra, Mauloutchia, Uapaca densifolia, and Dypsis nodifera. Semi-deciduous humid dense forests in the south-western massifs are dominated by Cynometra commerconiana and Trophis montana, while the central massifs of Ambohitsitondroina and Bekaroka shelter dry dense forest with Adansonia madagascariensis and Xyloolaena perrieri.
Plains and hillsides are carpeted with grassy savanna — including Andropogon, Aristida, and Panicum — wooded savanna with Bismarckia nobilis and Hyphaene coriacea, and shrubby savanna with Flacourtia and Ziziphus. Gallery forest lines the valley floors. The invasive plant Hyptis suaveolens represents an emerging threat to the forested zones.
Culture and Heritage
Sakalava traditions and the zebu
The dominant population around the protected area is Sakalava, a community whose culture in this region is deeply bound to the zebu. Several important taboos are still observed at the funerary site of four ancient Sakalava ancestors who founded the village of Ampombobe, reflecting the enduring spiritual connection between this people and the landscape they inhabit.
Among the Sakalava of this zone, lemurs and sea turtles are subject to strict taboos — making poaching of these species a violation of both law and deeply held local custom.
Identified threats
Tourist circuit
A 3 km trail through Andranotsimaty
The main tourist circuit at Loky Manambato runs 3 km through the Andranotsimaty site. Visit and guiding arrangements are to be discussed with guides at the site entrance. The camp at Andranotsimaty serves as the base for exploring this part of the landscape.
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Andranotsimaty Circuit
3 km
Main forest trail from the Tattersalli lodge camp
Location
Northern Madagascar, SAVA Region
The Loky Manambato Harmonious Protected Landscape is accessible from Vohémar (Iharana) via the RN5A, with the main entrance 56 km from town. From Mevatanàna village on the RN5, a maintained track leads 15 minutes to the Andranotsimaty camp.