Madagascar Adventure

Tonga Soa! Welcome to Madagascar. You'll start your journey in the country's capital – the bustling Antananarivo – a fun place to explore among rolling hills. You might like to check out the Musée de la Photographie, a small museum showcasing the history of Madagascar between 1850 and 1870 through a series of old photographs that have been assembled into short videos. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm, but if you arrive early, why not head to Analakey to visit the street markets or perhaps seek out a cafe to soak up the atmosphere? After, why not keep the introductions going with an optional dinner with your group at a local restaurant?

After breakfast this morning and before your flight (if time permits, as flight schedules are subject to change) you’ll enjoy a heritage walking tour of the Old City, where you’ll learn a little more about the country’s history, marvel at the interesting architecture of the traditional highland houses and watch on as finely dressed locals pop in and out of Sunday church services. After exploring Antananarivo, we’ll board a flight to Tulear and onward to your hotel in Ifaty for the evening. The night is yours to sit back and relax or go out and explore the town – you’ll be delighted by your accommodation with a swimming pool, snack bar and restaurant, so you may choose to stay in, rest up and get ready for tomorrow’s adventures. (B)

Today is free for you to explore, adventure or relax as you wish. You might like to visit Reniala Private Park – meaning ‘mother of the forest’. This private nature reserve was opened in 2001 as a botanical garden, ornithological park and incredible baobab forest. Maybe you’d like to visit the Village des Tortues, a turtle breeding and conservation project or drop into the Honko Project and see the protected mangrove area that’s been set up to help reverse the degradation of the ecosystems here. Explore the Recycling Museum, which is dedicated to environmental protection, providing educational awareness for locals and tourists to learn about the efforts of waste management in the country and encouraging green and responsible consumption. Up for something a little more active? Take a traditional dugout (speedboat) out to the nearby reef and snorkel the day away on a guided excursion. As if this wasn’t already enough to choose from, if you’re visiting from July to August, you can also join a humpback whale-watching excursion in the lagoon. (B)

Leave Ifaty in the early morning and head to Tulear, where you will stop to pick up food for lunch. Then, drive to the Antsokay Arboretum for a visit. The Antsokay Arboretum is a botanical garden with over 900 species of plants from southwestern Madagascar, 90% are endemic to the region and 80% are medicinal. Among these, many succulents are considered endangered. You can also see creatures that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world, like chameleons, boas, tenrex and birds, as well as other endemic species. In the afternoon, continue on to Isalo National Park. (B)

After breakfast today, you’ll make tracks to Isalo National Park, for a full day of exploration within the park with your leader. Isalo is known for its variety of landscapes, from rainforests and rolling plains teeming with life to strange geological formations and deep-cut canyons. The park is home to over 80 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles and 14 species of mammals, including three lemur species – ring-tailed, red-fronted and the dancing sifakas lemur. (B)

Today, you’ll kiss Isalo National Park goodbye as you hit the road for Fianarantsoa – a colourful town known for its heritage site. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Anja Community Reserve. The forest in Anja was designated a protected area reserve by the Government of Madagascar in 1999. The reserve extends over 30 hectares and is enriched with all kinds of flora and fauna species, most notable for its dense population of semi-tame ring-tailed lemurs. Anja has become a vital example of how community management of natural resources can both effectively protect the area and benefit the community. Based on their individual skill sets, some locals work as guides, others work as spotters, and some perform administrative tasks associated with the reserve. The villagers will be your local guides as you explore the reserve. (B)

Today you’ll explore the long, paved roads, labyrinths of small paths and old houses with flower-studded balconies and tiled roofs in the historical old city of Fianarantsoa. Then, visit a typical Malagasy village for an insight into how most of the island's population live, Explore the surrounding countryside, which is dotted with rice paddies and vineyards that produce Fianarantsoa's famous wine. You'll get a chance to sample local cuisine with a lunch stop in the villages. In the afternoon, you’ll travel to Ranomafana National Park. The area is a haven for small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects, as well as palms, bamboo, orchids and carnivorous plants. This park is home to several rare species, including 13 species of lemur, including the famous golden bamboo lemur, which was first reported in the area in 1985. Its presence is one of the main reasons why the government decided to protect this forest.

With a little free time, you might consider visiting the thermal springs which the town is named after – located across the Namorona River. The outdoor swimming pool fed by the springs is also a popular spot to take a dip. (B/L)

Today, you’ll explore Ranomafana National Park on a four-hour guided walk. Keep your eyes peeled for lemurs, striped civets, mongooses, goshawks, geckos, frogs, and butterflies. You may even spot an incredible net-casting spider or the world's smallest chameleon. (B)

After breakfast, head to Valbio Research and Conservation centre, an international research station on the edge of Madagascar's beautiful and abundant Ranomafana National Park. Under the direction of renowned primatologist Patricia C. Wright, the centre works to protect Madagascar’s unique and biologically diverse ecosystems through conservation projects that directly benefit local communities. You’ll get a chance to tour the centre with a researcher and sit down for an informal session to learn about the work they do. After lunch, make the journey to Ambositra, home to the third-largest ethnic group in Madagascar – the Betsileo people. Ambositra is known as the arts, crafts, and wood carving capital of Madagascar. You’ll stop by a workshop and learn more about this local art. (B/L)

This morning, you'll visit the nearby Sandrandahy association to learn about the process of silk production, which is an important part of Malagasy culture. When a Malagasy is buried, their body is wrapped in a large silk sheet known as a 'lambamena' and, after a few years, the family traditionally returns to the tomb to exchange the sheet for a new one. The association supports over 40 women from neighbouring villages, a holistic approach to community development—economic, environmental, and medical—with traditional silk weaving as its hub. After learning more about this wonderful initiative, we’ll drive to Antsirabe. Located in the Malagasy highlands. This evening, enjoy a group dinner in the gazebo within the grounds of the guest house. (B/L/D)

Today is a long travel day as we make our way to Andasibe – but once you arrive, you’ll see why this place is worth the drive. Andasibe is the most visited park in Madagascar and famous for the 11 species of lemur that call it home. Aside from lemurs, you'll find endemic birds including the long-eared owl and the rufous-headed ground roller, as well as the smallest living chameleon – brookesia minima – and countless types of reptiles, insects and frogs. (B)

Wake up with excitement as you’ll have the opportunity to discover all the unique wildlife during a guided walk through Andasibe National Park today. Then, you'll take a night walk through the forest at Mitsinjo – a privately-owned neighbouring reserve, where you'll encounter nocturnal species including endemic butterflies and lemurs. This forest was formed in 1999 by residents of the village of Andasibe in east-central Madagascar. Today, the organisation is composed of more than 50 members from the local community who focus on conservation, research and sustainable development initiatives. However, in total, the reserve positively impacts more than 400 households in the Andasibe area. (B)

You’ll kiss Andasibe goodbye after breakfast this morning for your final stop in Antananarivo. Once you arrive back in Antananarivo, you’ll take part in a hands-on Madagascan chocolate workshop led by a local chocolate maker. You'll learn about the ingredients used in chocolate-making, the refinement process and some of the secrets as to why malagasy chocolate is so unique and delicious. After preparing your own take-home chocolate creations (yum!), malagasy pastries will be served with a selection of local teas, coffees, and for the most courageous ones – rhum arrangés (flavored rum). This evening, why not enjoy a final dinner with your new travel companions – maybe toast to your Madagascar adventure with a local beer or two. (B/L)

With no activities planned for today, your adventure ends today after breakfast and you’re free to leave at any time, provided you comply with the hotel’s internal check-out policy. Departure transfers are available, just speak to your booking agent. (B)