Private Park with fascinating Tingys, Flora and Fauna juste beside Ankarana Reserve and Ankarana Lodge
Since there are people on earth , they use the goods of nature and exploit this out, with consequences for the nature - and again for the people themselves. But to protect endangered plant and animal species by prohibiting the local people to use these, has hardly works . We know now that only those who draws a lasting benefit from the natural resources , it also protects - for himself and his descendants.
Our motto is : For to protect the nature you must use the nature.
The uniqueness of the biodiversity of Madagascar is known their poor protection also .
With the creation of GONDWANA PARK we try to realise our motto
King de la Piste created already a private park beside French Mountain, " Parc botanique of 1000 baobabs " where we create an environmental awareness through reforestation (planted among more than 6000 baobabs) and try to teach the population.
The protection of the Gondwana Park used exclusively for conservation this species-rich nature and to attract more tourists.
That this is absolutely necessary , show the destruction of the environment of the surrounding area
The balance between nature and population is disturbed because the rural poor can barely earn a living .
Their options:
1 ) rice cultivation
2 ) produce and sell charcoal , so that the city 's population gets cheap energy for cooking the food .
( Now only to a limited extent , because almost all the forests were cut close to the main roads )
3 ) to cut wood from the primary forests for to build their houses .
All this has the result of the destruction of natural forests.
Around the Ankarana massif most of the forest has been destroyed for to create farmland. Rice cultivation is only possible where is a little bit of water and by the dryness you have only one rice crop per year.
Unfortunately, a lot of forest with baobabs and other rare succulents was cut and for long term, the soil is washed out and is no longer very productive. Another consequence of this deforestation is that there are only few rivers which have water the whole year. 30 years ago, in this region was ten times (!!!!) more streams in the dry season. The acreage reduced thereby. A disastrous cycle.
Alternatives must create to protect the remaining forests and one of them is tourism.
The primary forests must be protected as a site, the tourist pays for their visit by hotel assignments and other services, which can give the local population another solution for survive.
Back to the visit of the National Park Ankarana with his great biodiversity .
This rock formation with his " Wildlife " is unique but a faible point for tourism is the missing of infrastructure and accommodations . There is no electricity and running waterin this area. As impressive as nature can be here , who wants to have holiday without reasonable sleeping facilities available and lack of water are limited opportunities for washing ( shower , kitchen and bedding cleaning ) .
Our project was to construct a Lodge with better standards.
The rural population was barely formed, so it is difficult to satisfy the needs of some tourists for a high standard. (guides or receptionists who speak French, English, Italian, German languages, trained hotel employees, etc.). Our local staff will do their best but unfortunately there are occasional discrepancies between the demands of tourists and the services offered. We try our best and also hope that our guests can understand the situation.
Few tourists want to do holiday without their comfort of home: running hot water, 24 hours electricity, Internet, air condition, which is understandable in the heat but difficult or expensive is their achievement.
For example, to operate 24h the air condition of the Lodge we need every month about 5000 liter diesel for the generator. (Consumption 7l / h). Not only the price but also the transportation to our lodge would be a lot of effort.
So this can explain that you have to spend 250,- to 400,- € per person for one night in a 5-Star-Lodge.
Who wants to give up all this, can stay for little money at a local bungalow with Community "squat toilet" .
With the Ankarana Lodge we built an alternative to two extremes with a moderate price of less than 100, - € per night for 2 persons in double room with breakfast included the possibility to use the air conditioning in the evening . Otherwise, there are 24/24h electricity through the alternative source of windgenerators and sunpanals.
Some customers find it still expensive, compared to the simple bungalows in the villages, others find this very low compared with other luxury lodges that offer the same service in remote areas.
Prices in our restaurant are also a little bit more expensive compared to the surrounding places. But we are the only restaurant in this area, which has 24h electricity and our food can be cooled the whole day, so it do not spoil in the heat. The extra expense should be worth to your health.
More info at: www.ankarana-lodge.com
2) Our Private Park "GONDWANA"
2015 the administration of the Reserve of Ankarana has limited the visiting hours of the park from 8:00 to 16:00.
Night hikes have been excluded.
These measures have a negative effect on the number of visitors and therefore we have invested a lot of efforts and money to opening a private park "GONDWANA" right next to our lodge 1 km from the entrance to the national park . So the tourists have also the opportunity to visit in the cooler afternoon hours this fascinating nature.
Our intention is to promote the tourism and to create jobs and reduce the poverty of the population.
We have no doubt that this will succeed with our projects.
With our first private park "Parc botanique of 1000 baobabs" on French Mountain, opened almost 2000, we were already very successful. Now the French Mountain is protected and was declared a nature reserve.
It took nearly 20 years that the authorities followed our motto:
For to protect the nature you must use the nature.