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Located near the southern tip of Madagascar, a 4 hour drive from Fort Dauphin, Madagascar Classic Camping’s Mandrare River Camp offers both nature and culture, in a stunning locale. This is a true luxury camping experience, with strong attention to local culture and ecotourism. As you fly over the haut plateau and into the town of Fort Dauphin, the mountains covered in verdant rainforest contrast magnificently with pure white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Landing in this tropical seaside town you continue eastwards to the giant sand dunes of Lac Anony and on still further into the spiny desert to your camp on the banks of the mighty Mandrare River.

The camp is set in the shade of Tamarind Trees, a strand of deciduous gallery forest in an area predominantly covered by spiny forest and sisal. You won’t appreciate the true beauty of the site until the following morning when the sun rises over the distant mountains sending soft orange light across the river to the camp. You will awake to the sound of the local Antandroy tribe singing as they fetch water from the river, or the morning calls of the Coucal and Crested Drongo.

Set in the grounds of an old colonial plantation house, the camp is just 3km from the village of Ifotaka and opposite the sacred ancestral forests of the Antandroy Tribe. Descend a few steps to a large sandy beach and a purpose built terrace right on the river's edge.  Sit back, relax and watch the many goings on in and around the Mandrare River, the lifeblood of this otherwise dry region.

The six tents are generously spread out high up on the shady river bank, all with views across the tranquil water and the mountains beyond. Each canvas tent is 9m long and 3.3m wide, with extra large insect mesh roof vents and side windows, to allow maximum ventilation in our hot and dry climate. The main bedroom area can be fully zipped up to prevent any unwanted tiny nocturnal visitors. Sleep in luxury 4-poster beds with white mosquito-net curtains; 1 large double or 2 single beds depending on your request. The tents were hand made to specifications and are designed to withstand the daily stresses of our rugged local environment. Inside the main Inner tent (5.4m x 3.3m) there is a canvas covered wardrobe, dressing table with mirror, bedside tables with lamps and a large baggage trunk. Each tent has a private veranda with 2 comfortable canvas safari chairs and a drinks table; a great place to sit and relax away from the midday sun or with a gin & tonic in the evenings. There is electric lighting in every tent, two bedside lamps and a main bathroom light, all run from our solar charged batteries. The bathroom section is attached to the rear of the tent and includes a shower area, chemical toilet and wash stand with basin. Hot water for the basin is provided in the morning and evenings and  hot bucket showers are ready after your sundowners or delivered on demand.

In the evening a trip to the beach with a pair of binoculars or with an astronomical telescope quickly reveals that there is no light pollution here.  Being hundreds of km’s from the nearest big city, the stars fill the night sky and you can spend hours gazing up to the heavens in awe. This area is home to the Antandroy tribe, regarded by many as the fiercest and most traditional in Madagascar. The mainstay of the Antandroy is Zebu herding with some subsistence agriculture of Sorghum and Cassava; they, like all Malagasy, are a proud people steeped in traditions of ancestor worship and Fady (taboo’s) with a fascinating culture and social structure. Staying with MCC in the Ifotaka area you will have the opportunity to see first hand the life of the Antandroy and experience this rich culture. By protecting the Sacred Forests, where the Antandroy ancestors rest in their ornate tombs, the tribe have managed to preserve large pristine wildlife areas and through the traditions of Fady they not only protect but seem to genuinely live in harmony with their environment.

The Sacred Forests of Ifotaka harbour a great diversity of wildlife. Present are both the Southern Spiny Forests (Spiny Desert) and the Deciduous Gallery Forests. Day and night walks will allow you to see both forests in detail and the particular wildlife that lives in them. There are 4 species of lemur: Ring-tailed, Verreaux’s Sifaka, Rufous-grey Mouse and White-footed Sportive (both nocturnal).

The birding is exceptional with at least 15 resident species in camp and many more in the surrounding wooded areas, including Torotoroka Scops Owl, Malagasy Kingfisher, Verreaux’s Coua and many raptors (a species list is available on request).

Culture of the Ancestors
Ancestor worship is the most important part of Malagasy culture and permeates all areas of daily life. When a member of the Antandroy tribe dies their body remains on display at the family house for several days. All the important relatives take this time to travel from near and far to pay their respects.  The body is then taken for burial in a predestined tomb deep in the heart of the sacred forest. This part of the forest has many tombs, some a big as 20m² and each individually decorated with something pertaining to the deceased’s favourite activities or interests. When the burial takes place Zebu (African cattle) are slaughtered and the skulls set to decorate the tomb.  The more Zebu skulls on each tomb, the more wealthy and important the person was. Your guide will walk with you through the sacred forests to find the tombs. A local Antandroy guide will also accompany you and explain to you all of the traditions and rituals associated with their ancestors and the sacred forests. He will also take you to his own ancestor's tombs, providing a unique and personal insight to the historical culture of the Antandroy tribe.

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