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One of Madagascar’s best known wildlife reserves, Berenty is set on the banks of the Mandrare River.

Strolling through the gallery forest you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the English countryside — though a flicker of movement in the canopy or a rustle among the leaves will soon prove you wrong.

Wildlife of Berenty

Troupes of ring-tailed lemurs race along the dappled pathways, happily fearless of their human guests. Verreaux’s sifakas leap from tree to tree, occasionally descending to earth to triplejump, arms raised high, across the sand. Red-fronted brown lemurs have been introduced into the forest and can easily be spotted eating fruit and leaves. Bird watching, even without binoculars, is excellent here: look out for flashes of blue on the faces of giant couas, and the long tails of paradise flycatchers.

Night walks

Alongside Berenty’s deciduous woodland, a small area of spiny forest is excellent for night walks. As moonlight filters through the twisted fingers of euphorbia and octopus trees a powerful torch (bring your own, good torches and batteries are rare in Madagascar) will pick out the eyes of curious lemurs, flashes of green against the inky night. Mouse lemurs are ever active, flickering fast up and down silhouetted trees, and sportive lemurs can be found by following their eerie call. Stepping out of the forest at the end of a night walk, the sweep of stars across the sky is magnificent: a few minutes stargazing are the perfect prelude to a night at your lodge.