Ranomafana means hot water in Malagasy, and the name is a clue to the place. The village sits in a steep, forested valley on the escarpment that drops from Madagascar's central highlands toward the east coast, where the Namorona river drops over rapids and hot springs seep from the rock. The surrounding national park, created in 1991, protects some of the island's most important rainforest, and in 2007 it was added to a UNESCO listing of the rainforests of the Atsinanana. Mist hangs in the trees, orchids cling to the branches, and the air is warm and damp.
The park is famous for lemurs. In 1986, the American scientist Patricia Wright found a species of golden bamboo lemur here, a small, russet animal that feeds on giant bamboo and had been unknown to science, and the find led directly to the creation of the park. A walk of an hour or two with a guide will probably reveal several species, from red-fronted brown lemurs to the tiny mouse lemurs at night, along with chameleons, frogs and a huge range of insects. The local Tanala people, whose name means forest people, have lived here for centuries.
The road to Ranomafana is a challenge and a reward. From the main highway, the RN7, which runs from Antananarivo south to Fianarantsoa and on toward Toliara, a branch road winds east through tea country and into the forest, with sharp bends, potholes and trucks heavily laden with produce. Rain is frequent, particularly between November and March, and the surface can be slick. In the dry season, from April to October, the roads are better, but the nights in the mountains are cold. Take your time and watch for children and zebu on the road.
Fuel is not available in the village, so fill at Fianarantsoa, the nearest large town, and carry a small reserve. Simple hotels and small restaurants serve rice, zebu and vegetables, and in the evening you can sit in the thermal pool if the water is running. Carry cash in Malagasy ariary, since cards are of little use, and bring waterproofs and leech socks if you plan to walk in the forest. The reward for the effort is a rainforest that few riders ever see.