Guided visit to Lac Tsimanampetsotsa National Park

Depart from Anakao Ocean Lodge after an early breakfast, in a sturdy 4-wheel drive vehicle (often these transfers are done in Unimog or similar) inland to the national park, where the central focus is a 15km x 2km soda lake. From the entrance at Efoetse, travel another 30  minutes to the first campsite. (Roads are rough). From viewpoints you will be able to take in wonderful vistas over this very unusual place. Along the circuits which commence from the campsite, visitors can see fantastic Baobabs, numerous tall, bottle-shaped Pachypodiums and much Euphorbia in the spiny scrub. There are big Banyan trees with stilt roots and in season, wild figs attract various birds including Greater vasa parrot and Madagascar green pigeon. In chalk caves there are Blind cave fish (Gobies) and the park's interesting reptile fauna includes the now Critically Endangered Madagascar radiated tortoise and many lizards and snakes. In season, flamingos congregate at the lake. Intrepid travellers staying for the night, may see Ringtail lemurs coming to a site where they sleep near a cave and at night, the locally endemic Grandidier's mongoose.