Madagascar: A gemologist’s journey (Anja Community Reserve)

Our morning on this day was spent in Ranomafana National Park. We left mid day to reach Anja Community Reserve before evening. This is a beautiful park located outside of Ambalavao. Anja Community Reserve is a gorgeous 74-acre wonderland. Designated a protected reserve in 1999, this fascinating park has breath-taking views and beautiful plant life.

Anja Community Reserve

Anja Community Reserve also hosts more than 300 ring tailed lemurs who aren’t camera-shy. As well as a variety of other animals. It’s a beautiful park. Watching the ring tailed lemurs here was absolutely amazing. In the lemur video on my previous post, the footage of the lemurs jumping between trees is from here in Anja.
Anja Community Reserve

We spent about three hours hiking around Anja Reserve, which included climbing up a steep rock face and using a rope to climb down. It was a bit scary but fun!

Like Ranomafana National Park, one must hire a guide to visit Anja Community Reserve. The price for entrance and guide was a little less than Ranomafana, but not much. There is a restaurant near the park entrance that has delicious food and decent prices, so we enjoyed lunch here on both of my trips.

Our next stop is Amboarohy corundum on schist deposit…time for more digging for rubies and sapphires!

Author: Michelle M. Rahm is a GIA-trained Graduate Gemologist and is President of Colorado’s Mile High Chapter of the GIA Alumni Association. She has been selling gemstones and jewelry online since 1997. Visit her websites JewelryImpressions.com and OurCustomWeddingRings.com

About mrahm

Michelle holds a Graduate Gemologist Diploma, Graduate Diamonds Diploma and Graduate Colored Stones Diploma through the Gemological Institute of America's distance education program. Michelle currently serves as President of the Mile High GIA Alumni Association. She also serves on the board of the Rocky Mountain Jeweler's Association and is a member of the American Gem Trade Association.
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