This rustic but very attractive lodge lies on the outskirts of Joffreville, about 30 km from Antsiranana, a substantial harbor town also known as Diego Suarez and the site of a major international airport, and is a short drive from the main entrance gate to Amber Mountain National Park. It has a spacious layout along a wooded ridge facing stunning Diego Suarez Bay, and the extensive use of wood and thatch in the buildings means that it blends attractively into the surrounding woodland.
Reception is in the large stilted main building, which has a tall thatched roof and wide wooden balcony offering great views over forested hills to the distant bay. The adjoining dining/bar area is spacious and airy, with a floor made of wood and large earthen tiles, and open sides leading out to the balcony. The decor combines an ethnic Malagasy feel with genuine elegance, and includes impressionistic paintings of tribespeople and wildlife, some brightly colored masks, wrought-iron pieces, wooden furniture and white cloth umbrellas. In keeping with the boutique feel of the lodge, dinner generally consists of a three-course set menu of country-style French cooking made with fresh local ingredients.
Nature Lodge exists to service Amber Mountain National Park, which is popular with hikers for its wildlife, scenic waterfalls and beautiful crater lakes. Unchallenging guided day walks offer the opportunity to see a variety of lemurs, birds (including the endemic Amber Mountain rock thrush) and fabulous reptiles, notably the mossy leaf-tailed gecko, and the world's largest and smallest chameleon species alongside each other. With its scenic location overlooking the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, Nature Lodge is also a pleasant place to relax for a couple of days.
Large, detached bungalows have stilted wood floors, thatched roofs and elevated wooden balconies. Every room has one double and one single bed, with walk-in mosquito nets and wooden furnishings. The tiled baths each have a hot shower and separate toilet. Electricity is provided by a generator, which runs until around 10 pm.
Although it is weaker on amenities than the Grand Hotel in nearby Diego Suarez, this elegant bush-style lodge is broadly comparable in feel to many of the better tented camps in East Africa, and it should appeal greatly to any experienced African safarigoer or to anybody who prefers an outdoor setting to an urban one.
