Berenty & the Spiny Forest of the South

Berenty is a legendary private reserve in Madagascar's deep south, famous above all for its lemurs. Generations of habituation mean ring-tailed lemurs stroll fearlessly at your feet and Verreaux's sifaka 'dance' sideways across open ground — the most intimate lemur encounters anywhere. Add the surreal spiny forest of octopus trees and baobabs, night walks for tiny nocturnal lemurs and the proud Antandroy culture, and it is a true wildlife pilgrimage.

Berenty has been a protected private reserve since 1936, and its lemurs have been habituated to respectful human presence over many generations. As a result the ring-tailed lemurs go about their lives unbothered — sunbathing, grooming and strolling the paths at your feet — allowing for close, natural encounters found nowhere else. We always follow strict guidelines to keep the animals wild and healthy.

Verreaux's sifaka are built for leaping vertically between trees and cannot walk on all fours. To cross open ground they bound sideways on two legs with their arms held aloft — a joyful, balletic hop that looks exactly like dancing. Berenty is the finest place on Earth to witness it, and your guide will position you perfectly to watch and photograph these crossings.

The spiny forest is one of the strangest habitats on the planet — a surreal, arid woodland of towering octopus trees (Didierea), thorny Alluaudia and squat baobabs, almost all of it endemic to southern Madagascar. Adapted to survive the dry heat of the south, it is a botanical wonder and a spectacle in its own right, alive with reptiles, birds and, of course, lemurs.

Berenty lies in the remote deep south. The journey is part of the adventure: you fly to Fort Dauphin (Tôlanaro), the gateway town on the southern coast, then travel by private road transfer of around 2.5 to 3 hours through Antandroy country to the reserve. We arrange the domestic flights, the transfer, reserve permits and expert guides so it is all seamless.

April to November, the dry season, is ideal — warm dry days, highly active lemurs and superb light for photography. The deep south grows very hot from December to February, with the chance of heavy rain, though wildlife is still present. For the finest combination of comfort, activity and photography, aim for May to October.

Berenty is the classic finale of a southern journey and pairs beautifully with the canyons of Isalo on the RN7, the singing rainforest of Andasibe in the east and a beach ending on Nosy Be. Two nights lets you enjoy the ring-tails, the dancing sifaka, a night walk and the spiny forest without rushing, and we weave it seamlessly into a fuller island itinerary.