Lokobe Integral Reserve
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Lokobe Integral Reserve is located in the south-eastern part of the island of Nosy Be north of Madagascar. It is the only protected area of this sublime tropical island and covers around 7, 4 km² of the last remaining Sambirano primary forest of Nosy Be. It is supposed to become a National Park in a couple of years, but this has not been confirmed yet. Already in 1927 this ancient forest started to be protected and in 1966 the actual Reserve was created. These humid medium altitude evergreen forests are the natural habitat for the endangered black lemur, which only occurs here and is the most representative species of the reserve. |
| The reserve is
mostly known for the black lemur. Unfortunately only few are
left. These lemurs are real beauties. The females are not black at all,
but beautifully reddish brown. Apart from the back lemur, there are other nocturnal species such as the Gray-backed sportive lemur and some mouse lemurs. Lokobe is also home to some endemic birds like the Madagascar pygmy kingfisher or the Madagascar long-eared owl, to spectacular panther-chameleons, local endemic frogs and several snakes. |
 The black lemur is the star of Lokobe © Ltshears |
Regarding the flora, palms
are the most spread species. There are a couple of local endemic palm
species and precious woods too
 Panther chameleon © MauritsV |
At present only a
small part of the reserve near the villages of
Ambatozavavy and Ampasipohy on the eastern part of the Reserve and
Ambanoro on the western one can be visited. Several terrestrial and
maritime circuits are being developed and will be opened to visitors as
soon as Lokobe will be declared National Park. Almost all the hotels are organizing this trip, so just ask at the place you are staying in If you travel by your own, you can enter Lokobe via Ambanoro, which is about 10 km from Hell-Ville. There is a second option: from Ambatozavavy (in the north-east of Lokobe) visitors have to embark onto a traditional pirogue and paddle one hour up to the village of Ampasipohy, where the entrance to the park is established. |
There are currently two
high-class lodges inside the Reserve, both on the much peaceful east
coast.
Jungle Lokobe (former
Jungle Village)
Phone: 00 261 (0)20 86 931 02
Located
in the
village of Ampasipohy and only accessible by boat. 6
double or triple bungalows and 2 rooms. High-standard accommodation
with all facilities on a beautiful beach. Recent terrible reports said
the whole place is run out, overpriced and dirty, and there are even
rats running everywhere, so we do not recommend to stay here anymore.
Ecovillage Fihavanana
Phone: 86 612 36
Situated in Ambatozavavy this excellent bungalow complex is partially
run by the local people. Large and comfortable rooms, several excursion
organised.
For further accommodations
see Nosy
Be.
There is a small local Office in Ambalafary, phone: + (261 20) 86 925
31
Advice: Do not pay in
advance, since it is quite likely that you are being charged more than
it should be!
In many travel guides it is said that the best guide is probably
Jean-Robert, who you can meet at Bob’s and
Francine’s place
in Ambatoloaka. Jean-Robert is native to the village and knows all
animals and plants of the forest. However, we have recently received
some critics about Jean-Robert´s questinalbe behaviour as a
naturalist: apparently he even shakes trees and hacks down smaller
trees disturbing the animals´ rest so that tourists can see
them
better.