Reniala reserve Travel Guide: Top Sights in Madagascar, Tours &

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Reniala reserve- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Natural Scenery; Madagascar; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 2 hours

Reniala Reserve, nestled on the southwest coast of Madagascar near Toliara, serves as a vital sanctuary for the spiny forest ecosystem, embodying the resilience and beauty of one of the island's most distinctive and endangered habitats. The reserve's landscape is a biodiversity hotspot, featuring a living museum of unique species, including the iconic baobab trees and camouflaged chameleons, highlighting Madagascar's unique evolutionary path. With over 2,000 plant species, 65 recorded bird species, and a dedicated tortoise rehabilitation center, Reniala Reserve is not only a haven for endemic wildlife but also a beacon of conservation efforts, emphasizing the importance of preserving Madagascar's natural heritage.

Operators offering tours in Madagascar

Attractions in Toliara

Arboretum d'Antsokay

4.8

Ifaty

Reviews of Reniala reserve

Steph Wartmä

5
Reviewed: 2024-08-05

Nice spot, local and endemic nature live!
M S (M)

1
Reviewed: 2024-06-30

The tour of the Reniala Reserve is GROSSLY overpriced. The costs do not scale with the cost of living and with the economics of the area. (Abject poverty is throughout the region, yet there is no shortage of foreigner-owned pizza shops, resorts, and whatnot.) One hour for one person can cost you the equivalent of the average weekly salary of a worker in Madagascar. You can quickly rack up over a month's Malagasy salary to the cost once you add more paths to the tour. No local citizen can afford entry into this place. This reeks of colonialism and exploitation. The owner makes out like a fat rat while the locals suffer in poverty. The Frenchman who owns the place is married to a Malagasy, which is an old colonialist trick to gain permanent access to land. Sorry, but not sorry...I'm not a fan of colonialism.
Jason Timlock

5
Reviewed: 2024-05-15

The ticket office is now on the main road making it straight forward to buy a ticket and collect your guide and travel inland 600 metres to the reserve. Adult tourist is 40,000 ariary and fantastic (must have guide to protect forest) Eric is 20,000. A one and half hour easy walk, seeing hissing cockroaches, 1200 year old baobabs, balsa fake baobabs, medicinal plants, kung fu insect and white foot lemurs if lucky. I really enjoyed this tour and Eric is passionate and knowledgeable.
Emma dL

1
Reviewed: 2024-04-19

We intended to walk from our hotel on the beach but didn't make it. The Google maps directions are incorrect. Looking from the satellite map take one road more north than what Google maps recommends (although I don't know for sure, a bit too friendly locals coming from the forest fence with axes scared us off from continuing). The Google maps route is an interesting one on a sandy path giving you insight into the local and primitive villages 😉
Travis Davids

5
Reviewed: 2022-09-15

This reserve is full of Baobab Trees 🌲 - We got to see a massive 1200 year old Baobab tree in Ifaty's Spiny Forrest. These towering trees with a massive circumference are truly fascinating! The baobab, also called “reniala” (“mother of the forest”) in Malagasy, is a 100% secular Malagasy tree. There are eight species on earth and six of them are endemic to the island. The baobab constitutes an important reserve of water which allows it to tolerate extreme climatic conditions.