Travel to Bemanevika (Madagascar red owl etc) (1 Viewer)

Hello, this September I am visiting Bemanevika reserve in search of Madagascar red owl. If you have made the journey I would love to hear from you. Especially if by public transport.

From Bealanana is the reserve obvious/well known or sign posted? Could I rent a pick up or bush taxi to get down that road?

And from Tana to Bealanana, what's the fastest way on public transport?

Many thanks Iain

It's a few years since I visited, and we had a 4WD with local driver, so didn't look into public transport, so I don't know how helpful this is, but...

I expect you should be able to get to Bealanana by easily enough by bus / minibus from Antsohihy (pronounced "Ontswee"). From Bealanana, I seem to recall that there was an occasional (i.e. not daily) tractor that provides transport to Bemanevika village. I doubt there are any signs, but you should be able to ask around in Bealanana and find somebody who can help.

The track to Bemanevika village is (or at least, was) absolutely terrible and if you are on your own, your best bet would probably be to try to hire somebody to take you there on the back of a motorbike.

If the Peregrine Fund project is still running, you really ought to try to get in touch with them, as their staff knew where the Red Owls roosted... finding one on your own might be rather difficult!

This year 2018, Bemanevika is not accessible by 4wd. There was a landslide that cut the road to Bealanana.
Hope that it will be repaired soon

Your best bet is hiring a motorbike plus driver in Bealanana to take you over and bring you back. It's a bone-crunching 37 kilometers according to bike I was on, driven by the mayor! Only fell off twice... I second Duncans's advice about getting in touch with whoever is running the different projects there--for the harrier, pochard, owl and serpent-eagle...