Zahamena National Park
The Zahamena is located on the Eastern coast of the Island and is filled with rainforests making it one of the best destinations in Madagascar. It is referred to as paradise due to the lush forests and the wide range of wild life. The park has one of the biggest rain forests in the world and this alone makes it a good place to visit. The park has several wildlife that it shelters and these include over 45 mammals, several bird species, reptiles and many more other animals.
The Zahamena National Park is divided into two parts and these are the western part and the western part. The two parts are divided by villages that are found in between and most tourists who visit the area are always looking for something new or botanists who want to check out the different tree species that are found in the park.
The Park has different kinds of vegetation and all these depend on which altitude that they are all lying on that is the highest point has montane forests that are dense due to the good climate received there, the lower part of the Park receives have mostly canopies and the middle part of the village constitutes of pines and ferns. All these are always green almost throughout the year irrelevant of where they are found and the bi climate that is found in the Park should be experienced by everyone.
The park is protected by both the government and the locals who do not want the forests to be cut as that is where they get the medicine that they use when it comes to treating themselves and that is why the Park has maintained its true nature form. So if you have a love for true nature or just want to experience the cool breeze then this is the right place to be in Madagascar.
Visit the Bemoara Natural pool
The natural pool at the Bemoara is located right in the middle of the park and it is a sight that you do not want to miss seeing. No one knows how it came about but it is one of the most beautiful things that can be seen at Zahamena. The beautiful scenery that it gives off is just enough to pull you in and it also helps you relax after a long day trekking through the park and some locals get water from the pool and use it for cleansing from the . It also has a campsite where you can relax with your friends as you enjoy the wild.
A botanical tour through the Park
This is for all the plant lovers who want to see the various plant species and get to know more about them. The rain forest is known to have a lot of medicines that are used by the locals to treat their ailments. A local tour guide will help you by explaining more about the trees but note that not all the secrets will be told because the locals do not want to divulge all their information and secrets to foreigners. Some of the tree species that can be found in Zahamena include ferns, montane tress, shrub bushes, mangrove trees and many more others.
A visit to the villages
The villages are located in the middle of the Park and they separate the Park into two parts that is the Eastern and Western part. The villages have locals of different ethnic groups and you cannot visit the Park without visiting the villages. The local are extremely welcoming and when you visit the area you will be able to get yourself some souvenirs like handmade baskets, Malagasy designed clothes, beads and many more others and the sweet food that is to die for that is cooked by the locals.
The villages that are located at the strip give you an insight on how the local people live and before you go to the village, you need to make an appointment with the village head so that the locals can be prepared and not shun you and it is also is a sign of respect to the elders and respect to the elders is widely acknowledged in Madagascar.
Trekking through the Zahamena
The Zahamena’s location is just perfect for trekking as you get to enjoy the great nature that is given off by the various trees in the Park. The Park has different landscapes that is the high mountain part of the Park and the lowlands and all these give you a chance to explore both the terrains and find out which one suits you perfectly. And there are several trekking routes that you can use to nature walk into the park and these include the following:
- There is a trek trail through the park and this is the shortest. When you use this trek you will get a clear view of the wild animals and also rest or camp near the waterfall that marks the end of the trail. The trail is used by many especially those that love camping and due to the fact that it is short.
- The Eastern trek route is quite long and is steep as compared to other trek routes. It is locate on an escarpment which makes it hard for the young children to use this route. The trek takes two days to complete and therefore you will need a lot of energy to take this route.
- The last route goes straight to the center of the Park and on this route you will be able to see the different lemur species jumping from one tree to the next, get an incredible view of the Lake Aorta and the natural pool that is found in the Park. The beauty about taking this route is that it takes one day to complete it and there is a camping place available especially at the natural pool
The wild life in the Zahamena National Park
There are different wild life that can be found in the Zahamena National Park and these include the following:
Bird species in the park
The Zahamena has over 112 bird species that can be viewed and most of these are endemic to the Island. Some of the bird species that can be seen in Zahamena include the helmet vanga, the red owl, the brown Mesites, the Madagascar serpent eagle, the crested ibis, the velvet asity, the red tailed newtonia and the blue Coua.
Before you head for birding in the Zahamena, you will need a few equipment that will help you when it comes to birding and these include cameras, binoculars, a hiding place so that you can view them easily without disturbing their peace and you will also definitely need a tour guide who will take you through the process. This is one of the best places where one can view as many birds in one sighting but it has to be done in the mornings.
The animals found in Zahamena Park
Zahamena National Park several wild animals that can be viewed any time that you want to visit the Park and some of them include the following:
The Lemurs
The lemurs are an endangered species that can be seen in the different parts of the Park and some of the lemur species that can be found in Zahamena include the Masoala fork marked lemur, the white ruffed lemur, the weasel support lemur, the Crossley’s dwarf lemur, the northern bamboo lemur, the Aye-aye, the hairy dwarf lemur and many more.
The Fossa                                                                                   Â
This is one of the largest predators on the Island and it normally feeds on the endangered lemurs. The fossa looks like a cat and can jump from one tree to the next. It has no specific time as to when it hunts that is it can hunt day and night as long as they are hungry. The fossa is becoming endangered because of the lack of the big lemur primates to feed on.
The Mongoose
The Mongoose looks like a weasel and it is also another predator that can be seen in Zahamena national Park. They are extremely thin and long and these prey on the various snakes that are found in the park and they kill the snakes by putting their sharp teeth on the snake’s head and they bite down hard until the snakes die.
The National Park also has other species that live there but in few numbers and these are the different types of amphibians, snakes, fish and many more others.
It is tucked away and not everyone knows about the Park but once you visit it, you will not be disappointed and you will want to go back and also take some friends with you. You can contact us and we arrange for you a trip to the Zahamena National Park and we will give you the best deals from arranging the transportation to the accommodation facilities and other things needed for your trip.