Group tours (Guaranteed departures)
Fauna and flora
20 days/19 nights
Departure date (2025):
- 15 Apr
- 18 May
- 19 Jun
- 23 Jul
- 17 Sep
- 15 Oct
- 18 Nov
Itinerary :
D 1: Antananarivo
Your tour starts in the capital Antananarivo,.You stay in a good hotel just outside the city, close to the airport so that we can leave early the following morning.Your travel companions will also arrive this morning (exact time depending upon flight schedule). Take your time this first day and adjust to your new surroundings. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 2: Antananarivo – Antsirabe – Ambositra – Antoetra
We drive to the city of Ambositra that lies between the hills and has a very different climate. On the way we stop in Antsirabe where we will have lunch. Antsirabe is the city of the pousse pousse or rickshaws. Another attraction is the station, a relic of the colonial era. Ambositra (pronounced ‘Ambousjt’) is located between the rice fields in the area of the Zafamaniry tribe. Literally translated Ambositra means the « City of Roses ». The Zafimaniry are famous for their beautiful carvings, and you can often buy these carvings in the various souvenir shops in Ambositra. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 3: Antoetra
Today you can explore the area by going on an accompanied walk with a local guide to the Zafimaniry villages, located in a beautiful hilly landscape. The Zafimaniry are a subgroup of the Betsileo and are known for their exquisite carvings. Many of their homes are true works of art and you will have the opportunity to get closely acquainted with village life. You see the wood carvers at work and enjoy the surroundings.
The villages are small, culturally attractive with their wooden houses and sculptures and with a lot of children – they are the main attraction and their singing, their shyness and genuine interest in you as a foreigner ( »vazaha ») is endearing. It makes the walk for many, one of the most unique experiences in Madagascar. The area also has many Asian rice terraces.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D4: Antoetra – Ambalavao
On the way to Ambalavao you may join an optional visit to the Anja Reserve, a private park where you can encounter various types of lemurs from up-close. There are a number of different lemur species, some nocturnal and others diurnal. Lemurs are probably the evolutionary predecessors of the monkeys. They are omnivores, eating fruit, flowers and leaves but also insects and spiders.
Ambalavao is one of the most beautiful villages on the high plateauinthe area. The name literally means « New Valley ». The houses are colourfully painted and have characteristic wooden balconies.
Every Tuesday and Wednesday in Ambalavao, the largest zebu market of all Madagascar takes place. Merchants travel from afar with their herds of zebu. This area is also known for its deckle, or ‘Antemoro’ paper. You can visit a workshop where the paper is created or you can see silk-spinning, local traditions here are still very much alive. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D5: Ambalavao – Isalo National Park
Today you embark on a long journey to Isalo. You travel via Ihosy and at the end of the day you reach Ranohira (351 km), starting point for several hikes in the Isalo NP. The small village is located next to one of the most unique national parks of Madagascar.
Isalo is sacred to the Bara tribe who live in the area. The Bara have used the caves and coves in the rock for hundreds of years as cemeteries. The Bara attach (as many other tribes do) great importance to the possession of zebu (Indian cows with their big fat hump on their backs that you see everywhere in Madagascar). Isalo is dominated by narrow ravines and wind and water have sculpted the face of the rocks. This fascinating park covers an area of 80,000 hectares and we recommend an optional visit where you can see lemurs, chameleons and different bird species.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 6: Isalo N.P
Free day. In the morning you can hike to la Cascade des Nymphes, le Lac Bleu and Le Lac Noir. Maybe you will see ring-tailed lemurs or dancing sifakas. After lunch it is possible to go for a walk. A climb across the plateau leads you to the Piscine Naturelle where you can take a refreshing dip in the pandanus palm-fringed natural pool.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 7: Isalo National Park – Ifaty
A ride of about seven hours (253 km) takes you to your ultimate goal: the beach town of Ifaty, a lovely wide sandy beach. Along the way you see the landscape change, you see the typical « spiny forest » vegetation and the bottle-shaped baobab trees. We stop for lunch in Tulear. As you sit here on the coast, you can enjoy the wide variety of seafood. The last 30 km to Ifaty is unpaved road. In Ifaty you can relax and enjoy the sun and the beautiful sunsets. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 8: Ifaty
Free day in Ifaty. This is a typically African village, consisting entirely of thatched huts where time seems to stand still. Fishing plays an important role and children can often be seen playing on the beach with homemade fishing boats while women try to earn some money by selling sarongs or offering massages. The bizarre forest beyond demonstrates unparalleled beauty. Baobabs, Pachypodium and various cacti set the tone. An optional excursion in the late afternoon to the « spiny forest » delivers fantastic photos. A path takes you deep into the forest and after just a few kilometers you arrive at a huge baobab.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 9: Ifaty
In July and August you can see migrating whales as they migrate along the coast by the Mozambique Channel. You can rent a boat and take a ride along the coast and if you wish, you can stop along the way at the reef to snorkel. There is also opportunity to dive. In the evening there is often a local band at the hotel bar, where you can relax and enjoy the African music.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D10: Ifaty – Isalo National Park
You travel through the more African part of Madagascar. The Zombitse National Park forms the border between west and south Madagascar, reflected in the unique vegetation. We will visit this park (if sufficient time) where, with a bit of luck, you can see the sifaka.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 11: Isalo National Park- Ranomafana National park
From Isalo National Park it is about a five hour drive to the beautifully situated Ranomafana, one of the most pleasant places in the entire country, with friendly people, hot springs and the homonymous National Park. Rano means ‘water’; Mafana means ‘hot’. After discovering the hot springs of Ranomafana a century ago, a Frenchman built a spa cum hotel close by. Around the hotel, people settled and soon the village of Ranomafana developed. The hotel is still there, but is in need of renovation to restore the spa to its’ former glory. In 1986 a new species of lemur was discovered in the nearby bamboo forest and in 1991 it was decided to create Ranomafana National Parkto preserve such rare species. The name of this species is the golden bamboo lemur and only 30 of them have been counted, thus they are unfortunately high on the list of endangered species. You can visit the park accompanied by a (mandatory) guide where there are several walks possible.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D12: Ranomafana National Park
Free day in Ranomafana. There are several walks through the Ranomafana National Parkranging from 2 to 6 hours. The village is a lovely place to stay and to get acquainted with the hotely’s, the small restaurants on the side of the road where you can taste zebu steak and other local dishes or join a game of soccer with the local youth.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 13: Ranomafana N.P – Mananjary
In the morning we continue our trip to Mananjary, a tropical green environment about 4 hours away. The road is lined with the travellers palm and the area we drive through is famous for the mining of gold. In the villages you will see women with gold teeth; the sign of wealth. In Mananjary we stay in cottages near the beach.Upon arrival in Mananjary, your large luggage can be left on the bus. You need a day-pack to carry your necessities, including valuables, for the cruise on the Canal des Pangalanes. The bus will depart today because the roads are very poor or even impassable and sufficient time is needed to reach Mahanoro.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D14: Mananjary – Nosy Varika
Today begins the cruise on the « Canal des Pangalanes ». This channel was built at the end of the 19th century by the French, using Chinese prisoners. The channel was used to transport coffee, bananas, vanilla, pepper and other spices along the East Coast from Manakara to the port of Tamatave, so it could then be exported abroad. Today you sail between 8 and 12 hours. En- route visit some small villages on the banks of the canal.Overnight stay at your hotel.
Meals are not included, the costs are about 40 euros per person for 2 dinners, 2 lunches and 1 breakfast. This is settled with the tour guide on the spot. The larger luggage is not taken on board, instead you take only a day-pack. The larger luggage is transported by bus to Mahanoro.
D15: Nosy Varika – Mahanoro
Along the way you’ll meet local fishermen andfamilies who may be travelling by pirogue to go do their shopping. Sometimes the low water level in the canal means that you may have to give the boat a push! Along the way you see women doing laundry or washing the dishes, or even taking a bath. Children are swimming and the geese and ducks are at play. The men go fishing with large nets. Without roads in this area, the channels are the only way to get anywhere.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.By the evening we arrive in Mahanoro. The cottages where we stay are close to the beach. Swimming is possible but only where the current is not too strong.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 16: Mahanoro – Andasibe
Today will be a long travel day through stunning natural scenery as you make your way to Andasibe, base for discovering the Andasibe National Park.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D 17: Andasibe
Early in the morning you’ll wake up in the Andasibe NP to the characteristic cry of the indri. The sound carries for miles, and is intended to delineate their territory. Sometimes you hear ten different families, some distant, others nearby. Under the guidance of a (mandatory) local guide you can take an optional half day trip, during which, you will certainly start to see the various species.
The guides help you to find the indri and almost always they’ll find a family of them. Also ‘Woolly Lemurs’ and ‘Brown Lemurs’ are frequently seen. Furthermore there are chameleons, various very special frogs and many species of birds including coua’s. The tour will largely be along well-trodden paths, but to see lemurs you will occasionally need to leave the path and embark on a little scrambling and climbing. The guides generally speak quite a bit of English and can explain the flora and fauna. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D18: Andasibe – Mantasoa
During the course of the morning you travel to Mantasoa. Mantasoa is located on an artificial lake, built in 1931, where you can undertake various activities. It is a popular place for people from the capital to go at the weekend.We stay 2 nights in a beautiful lodge on the edge of the lake.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel
D19: Mantasoa
Free day in Mantasoa. You may choose from a number of water sports on the lake or perhaps take a walk or ride a horse in the woodlands. There is also the possibility to spend your day at the pool and simply relax at the end of your trip.Mantasoa is the place where the industrial revolution of Madagascar began. In 1833, the Frenchman Jean de Laborde built a palace for Queen Ranavalona I and next to this carpentry and gunsmith workplaces, an ammunition factory, an ironsmith and a foundry. The primary goal was to supply the monarch with swords, weapons and ammunition. Much was destroyed in 1851 when the slaves revolted. Part of this estate is now underwater but some remarkable buildings can still be visited. It offers a fascinating insight into Madagascar and its heyday as an industrial powerhouse.Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
D20: Mantasoa – Antananarivo
It is about two hours drive to Antananarivo. You have the afternoon to discover Antananarivo. The La Digue marché is a classic large craft market, well worth a visit and an opportunity to buy the latest souvenirs.
We return to the hotel in Tana where you have the possibility of using one of the few day-rooms to freshen up. Your tour will now conclude here in the early evening. Transfer to the airport and flight back.