Berenty Private Reserve
Overview
Madagascar Parks
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Madagascar.
Deep in Madagascar’s south, Berenty Private Reserve is a fabulous place to see ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux’s sifakas: getting close for great photos is never a problem. You can walk trails here without a guide, there are always lots of lemurs around, and the tamarind gallery forest is among the last of its kind in the country. Berenty also has a fine museum on local culture and strong ecotourism credentials.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Berenty has about 2,000 lemurs in a relatively small space. The 500-odd ring-tailed lemurs, in particular, are everywhere. Berenty is also a terrific place to see Verreaux’s sifakas doing their dancing-like jumps when they cross between forest patches. Red-fronted and red-collared brown lemurs have both been introduced to the reserve and they now produce hybrids. The forest is home to a huge fruit bat colony, as well as plenty of reptiles.
Scenery
Berenty occupies a picturesque oxbow (U-shaped) bend in the Mandrare River. Although small, the reserve protects one-third of Madagascar’s remaining gallery forest, dominated by tamarind trees along the river. It also protects an isolated patch of dry spiny forest. Elsewhere, much of the area formerly covered by spiny forest has been replaced by sisal plantations.
Activities
Short walking trails crisscross the reserve and you can walk here without a guide (unlike most other parks in Madagascar). Night walks are permitted, but a guide is strongly recommended to ensure you don’t miss the reserve’s hard-to-see forest lemurs of the night. A visit to the small but excellent anthropological museum is also worthwhile.
Weather & Climate
The climate in Berenty is dry and hot for much of the year. The cooler Dry season months from April to October are most comfortable with an average daytime temperature of 23°C/73°F. The main exception to the generally dry conditions is the Wet season from November to March. The Wet season months are also when you can expect the hottest temperatures and highest humidity.
Best Time To Visit
Berenty can be visited at any time, although the best time is during the cooler Dry season (April to October). April is specifically recommended as this is the time you can see the ring-tailed lemurs engaging in ‘stink-fighting’, a ritual where they compete for mates. The wettest months from December to March tend to be hot and humid, so most visitors would be more comfortable outside of that period.
