The Amber Mountain National Park

1136 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

3/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

September, 2018

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Partner

Reasons for trip

The Amber Mountain, or Montagne d’Ambre, is a rainforest located in northern Madagascar. We left our accommodation, “The Litchi Tree,”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/accommodation/193102, and drove the 4km to the entrance. Having collected our local guide, Isaac, we looked at two boards: one with a map of the trails and another with the animals found in the park.

We set off on foot down a broad flat track, suitable for vehicles, with steep sides and tree roots hanging down at head height. There was some trekking up and down hill, but we took it very slowly or mora mora as they’d say in Malagasy. This allowed Isaac and our guide to spot animals. The clouds scudded quickly, tall trees waved, and tiny white butterflies floated like confetti. Unlike the dense forest at “Ranomafana National Park”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/attraction/192980-review-ranomafana-national-park, it was much easier to see the epiphytic bird’s nest ferns growing on the tall trees.

Our first animal spot was a small, blue-nosed chameleon which Isaac picked up to show us the scale. In fallen leaves, we found the Brookesia ambergensis, one of the smallest frogs and the length of a finger nail. Fallen trees blocked our path and had to be clambered over and thick vines hung down prompting impressions of Tarzan and Jane. Later on, we spotted a baby chameleon with a humped back, Caluma ambergensis.

As we got deeper into the forest the trees became taller and straighter, with denser canopy. We spotted a group of common brown lemurs, huddling together for warmth in the high winds, but all our photographs showed was a dark blob in the trees. We stopped at the ebony tree with its fruits and were told how slow growing it was – even though it was 50 years old, it was still relatively spindly.

An avenue of elephant trees (the exposed roots resemble an elephant’s leg), displaying circular hoops on their bark. These had been imported from Chile. We also saw the elephant-ear chameleon and leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus gigantica), hanging down on a branch – it was incredibly hard to see it, even when pointed out. Eventually, we crossed a small wooden bridge and arrived at the waterfall with a 100-foot drop before hiking back to the picnic area, for a fine feast provided by our hotel.

On our second hike the following day, we spotted two mating stick insects (which are said to be difficult to spot as they usually inhabit deeper into the forest), leaf-tailed gecko and crown lemurs, a male and female with baby on her back. We headed for Lac Mahasarika, the smallest of six volcanic crater lakes. We started climbing down on either cut out steps or on tree roots and arrived at the lake which provides water to the nearby town of Diego Suarez. The trees all around were bleached white as they are submerged during the rainy season. This time, our walk was slightly shorter, and we headed back to The Litchi Tree for lunch.

Helen Jackson

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.