Marojejy National Park
Overview
Madagascar Parks
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Insight guide to Madagascar.
Marojejy National Park (Parc National de Marojejy) protects a steep, rugged mountain wilderness that towers about 2,000m/6,500ft above the surrounding plains. Known for its floral diversity, Marojejy is rich in fern and palm species, but it also protects plenty of wildlife. The park has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2007. It offers excellent hiking opportunities in pristine rainforest, including an ascent to the 2,132m/6,995ft summit.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Marojejy will mostly appeal to keen hikers, but there is plenty of wildlife to be seen if you’re prepared to work for it. This includes 12 lemur and 118 bird species. Marojejy is the main stronghold for the striking silky sifaka, a critically endangered all-white lemur whose global population is estimated at 250 mature adults. Other species include white-fronted brown lemur and red-bellied lemur.
Scenery
The scenery of Marojejy is spectacular. The main trail to the summit covers a good variety of habitats as the altitude changes. Lowland rainforest gives way to cloud forest, with forested streams running through the valleys and waterfalls tumbling down the steep slopes.
Activities
Marojejy can only be explored on foot and the steep slopes mean that hiking conditions are quite demanding. The shortest and easiest route is the Mantella Trail. This usually takes around 4 hours in either direction, and it leads to a waterfall where the helmet vanga (one of Madagascar’s most eagerly sought birds) is regularly observed. Multiday hikes higher into the mountains offer a better chance of encountering silky sifaka and involve sleeping in a network of simple cabins.
Weather & Climate
The park has a very wet climate. It rains throughout the year, but the months from December to April see very high rainfall. The possibility of cyclones and torrential rains is high from January to March. In the Wet season, from November to April, temperatures average 28°C/82°F. The cooler Dry season months from May to October have daytime temperatures of 25°C/77°F.
Best Time To Visit
The period from August to November is mostly recommended as it rains less and torrential downpours are rare. At this time animals are active, reptiles are colorful and birding is at its best. As Marojejy is a hiking destination, it makes sense to avoid the worst of the rains between January and March.