It is also known as Fianarantsoahalfway between Toliara and Antananarivo with lush rainforest around a somewhat coolish altitude of around 1,000m above sea level. This very beautiful montane rainforest was declared a national park in the 1980s, primarily to protect various species of Lemur. It is arguably the island's single best rainforest birding locality. The ideal length of stay is 3 days, which will allow for time to take in some of the half-day or day walks in the park. Resident birds include the wary Brown Mesite, Henst's Goshawk and Madagascar Long-eared Owl. But heading the wish-lists of most birders are the 4 rainforest dwelling ground rollers.

Of these, the pittalike, Rufous-headed and Short-legged are particularly frequently seen in Ranomafana. Other megaticks here include Velvet Asity, Common Sunbird Asity and all 3 oxylabes (Crossley's Babbler, White-throated Oxylabes and the rare, localised Yellow-browed Oxylabes); the Gray-crowned Greenbul, Dimorphic Egret, Hamerkop, Forest Rock-thrush and Pollen's Vanga. Up on the high ridges, look for the Yellow-bellied Sunbird Asity, Madagascar Buzzard, Brown Emutail and recently described Cryptic Warbler. At the nearby Vohiparara marsh, you might see the Madagascar Rail, Madagascar Flufftail, Grey Emutail and even the elusive Slender-billed Flufftail.

The birding primarily takes place in two areas: Talatakely section, across the river from the park office, where several trails leads into a rather undulating area of mostly secondary forest, with primary forest a little further inside. Best birds here were Brown Mesite, Pittalike and Short-legged Ground-Roller, Hook-billed, Pollen's and Crossley's Vanga. Vohiparara section, higher altitude forest, some 5 km uphill from the park office, where the trails are more level, except the ridge trail (for Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, not seen). Best birds here were Mad. Flufftail, Rufous-headed Ground-Roller, Brown Emutail and RufousVanga.

Best birds along the road are Madagascar Cuckoo Hawk, Forest Rock Thrush, Dark Newtonia and Mad. Starling. Others include; Wedge-tailed Jery, Green Jery and Rand's Warbler, Nelicourvi Weaver, Malagasy White-eye and both Souimanga,Rufous Mouse Lemur,Blue Coua and Malagasy Green Sunbirds. Passerine sightings include Dark Newtonia, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Grey Emutail and Stripe-throated Jery. Jean-chry's eagle eyes also picked up two Milne-edwardsSifakas feeding on the other side of the river - one of the most beautiful species in this family.