Fort Dauphin, the city at the end of the world, offers and exceptional change of scenery. Nestled at the foot of the Saint Louis’ peak, the city and its regions offer incredible walks in breathtaking sceneries. You will discover many historical and cultural sites to visit with your family.
Fort Dauphin
Fort Dauphin is also called “Tolagnaro.” It was occupied by Europeans in the 17th century and served as a trading post. It has been baptized in honor of King Louis XIV. It is also where the very first population left to settle in the Reunion Islands. Nestled in a promontory at the foot of the Saint Louis peak, Fort Dauphin offers a breathtaking scenery among other spectacular ones in Madagascar. You will discover many historical sites dating from the colonial era, including Sainte Luce, a fishing village with its long beaches bordered by casuarinas and palm trees, on a forest background. But you can also visit the Fort-Flacourt, the remains of an ancient bastion, the museum of Anosy (retracing the colonial history) or the Fort of the Portugueses. There are a lot of places to discover and visit.
Fort Dauphin is full of pleasant natural sites to visit, including the Vinanibe Lake and Anony, as well as numerous reserves where you’ll discover a rich fauna and flora.
Berenty’s Reserve, with its carnivorous plants and thorny forest will give you the opportunity to observe many lemurs. They would certainly want to get closer to you.
The Nahampaona Reserve (7km from Fort Dauphin) is an ideal place to rest. You’ll enjoy its cascades and its natural swimming pool where many endemic species cohabit together in a bamboo forest.
This peak dominates the whole city and culminates at 529 m of altitude. At its top, you can admire one of the most beautiful views of the island, with Sainte Luce, the bay of Lokaro, the cove Dauphine, the beaches of Libanona, the islet of the Portuguese, etc. Trekking lovers will be delighted to climb and find themselves surrounded by a luxurious vegetation where ravenalas, raphias, orchids and periwinkles intermingle in a grandiose setting.
The botanical garden of Saiadi is located 30 mn away from the city and is an unavoidable place to visit during your trip to Fort Dauphin. You’ll be welcomed by free lemurs: makis, sifakas and fulvus, but also many other species such as crocodiles, birds, butterflies. You’ll be able to walk through rich vegetation : palm trees, date palms, elephant ears, mango trees, orchids, rosewood, ferns or bamboos. There is a multitude of endemic natural species to be discovered alone or with family!
Andohahela is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 5 summits exceeding the 1500m altitude. The park gather species representatives of the four horizons of Madagascar, which is a real transition from the eastern to the arid south.
It is one of the few places on the island where you can see the lemur with red collar and the microceb (the smallest nocturnal lemur).
The visit of the park takes place on three sites (Tsimehaly, Malio, Ihazofotsy) in order to have an impregnable view of the whole valley.
The Fort Dauphin region offers and extremely rich biodiversity and is a real paradise for nature lovers. You’ll be able to visit the numerous surrounding reserves, to observe the humpback whales that pass near the coast before going to Sainte Marie. Hiking and discovery enthusiasts will enjoy visiting the lake of Amparihy, a legendary lake where villagers would have been changed into crocodiles years ago. Fort Dauphin is also recognized as a surf spot where you can have fun with gliding sports on exceptional waves. Finally, the most adventurous of you will try the ascent of the peak Saint Louis during a trek to finally discover and incredible view on all the coastline.
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