Berenty Reserve: ring-tailed lemurs and the spiny forest
In the far south, Berenty Reserve offers some of the most reliable and natural lemur encounters in Madagascar, set among the bizarre spiny forest. It is a favourite for first-time visitors and photographers.
The lemurs of Berenty
Berenty is famous for troops of ring-tailed lemurs that move around the reserve in the open, and for Verreaux's sifaka, the dancing lemurs that bound sideways across clearings on two legs. Decades of protection mean the lemurs are relaxed, so sightings are close and frequent. Brown lemurs and nocturnal species add to the cast.
The spiny forest
The reserve protects a patch of Madagascar's strangest habitat, the spiny forest, where octopus trees and baobabs rise from a thorny tangle adapted to near-desert conditions. It feels like another planet, and it is found only in the deep south.
How to visit
Berenty is reached overland from Fort Dauphin in the southeast, itself a short flight from the capital. A couple of nights lets you enjoy early morning and dusk, when the lemurs are most active. It combines well with the coast and culture of the south, and the wider lemur trail.
We arrange the flights, the reserve and the timing. Add Berenty to your trip.