HIGHLIGHTS
Why you’ll love this trip?
- Explore Madagascar’s wildlife and culture on the Wild Treasures of Madagascar tour!
- Encounter lemurs and chameleons in lush rainforests and beaches.
- Explore the magical Avenue of the Baobabs and bizarre limestone formations of the Tsingy.
- Experience the warmth of the Malagasy people and culture.
- Our trip blends cultural experiences, unique landscapes, and exotic wildlife encounters!
- We’ve made this journey 18 days, for an unforgettable once in a lifetime experience.
What’s the Activity level?
- Suitable for generally active individuals in good health.
- Moderate walking involved throughout the tour.
- Some 3 to 6 hour hikes in and around national parks.
- Good footwear essential; moderate fitness required for walking.
- No long hikes or trekking days involved
What’s the transport and accommodation like?
- Travel provided in private vehicles and boats.
- One long driving day (9 hours) and 3 days of 4 to 6 hours of driving.
- Be prepared for some rough roads and slower travel. It’s all part of the Madagascar experience.
- Accommodations include local boutique hotels and lodges with private facilities.
- Unique local experience of one-night riverside camping in a rural village.
*All our tours are non-smoking
TRIP SUMMARY
Duration: 18 days from Antananarivo to Antananarivo
Trip focus: A great journey of the highlights on Madagascar.
Accommodation: 16 nights we stay at hotels and lodges with ensuite facilities, and 1 night camping on the shore of the river with no bathrooms but a bush toilet.
Transport: You will be travelling in a van and boat for the journey.
Group size: Maximum 12 + tour leader, local guide and driver.
Single supplement: NZ$1,100 – or you can request to share with someone of the same gender
Operator: This tour is run by one of our trusted local partners
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- SET tour leader from arrival in Tana to departure
- Experienced English speaking national guide
- All national guides meals, water and lodgings
- Private transportation by air-conditioned vehicle with a driver and fuel
- All drivers’ meals, water and lodgings
- Private boat transportation with fuel included
- All meals during boat trip as mentioned in the itinerary
- Breakfasts through the trip as mentioned in the itinerary
- Traditional and picnic lunches as mentioned in the itinerary
- Dinners as mentioned in the itinerary
- Healthy snack for activity days
- Bottled drinking water through the whole trip
- All sightseeing entrance fees where required in the itinerary
- All local guides fees where required in the itinerary
- All local taxes where required in the itinerary
- Accommodation in twin shared room in hotel with daily breakfast (single supplement available)
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
- International flights
- Visa
- Travel Insurance
- Beverages or alcohol drinks not mentioned on itinerary
- All other services not clearly mentioned on itinerary and trip inclusive portion
- Tips
- Single Supplement (limited availability) Price on application
All prices are approximate and subject to currency fluctuations until final payment has been made.
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL DAY ANTANANARIVO (TANA)
Upon arriving in Antananarivo (Tana), you will be escorted from the airport and transferred to your hotel where you will stay overnight.
Meals Included: Welcome Dinner
DAY 2 – TANA
After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel for your tour. This tour will give you a good understanding of the Malagasy history and cultures. Around 12 noon, you will be taken to Maison Vue Royal Restaurant to try a traditional meal for lunch, which will walk you through different cultures and traditions of the country. After lunch, you will visit the Museum of Photography of Madagascar and return to the hotel around 4pm.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Traditional meal for Lunch
DAY 3 – TANA TO MIANDRIVAZO
After an early breakfast, we head southwest to Miandrivazo passing by the colonial town of Antsirabe. This drive will take around 9 hours with a few stops on the way. You will cross a golden savannah which constitutes a semi-desert landscape and the “peeled” mountains jagged by erosion of the southern Bongolava massif. After this long drive, you might want to rest at the hotel and try their restaurant.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 4 – TSIRIBIHINA RIVER DHOW TRIP
This morning you will take a 45 minute drive to reach the Masiakampy pier where a traditional boat is waiting to take you for the river excursion.
This river is marked by enormous cliffs all along the river. Enjoy easy walks to discover hidden waterfalls where you can indulge in swimming and you will have a chance to spot various wildlife like birds, bats, crocodiles and lemurs and will get to stop off in rural villages. You will enjoy some lunch as you travel through flat farming plains and enter the dramatic gorges of the Tsiribihina.
On arrival on the shore of Berevo village, the team will set up the camp. This is a simple wild camping experience. Sleeping mats and blankets are
provided. No proper bathroom but a bush toilet. In the evening, you will have a festive atmosphere animated by the villagers with traditional music and dance.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 5 – BEREVO VILLAGE TO BEKOPAKA
This morning, you will continue the river trip until you get to Belo Sur Tsiribihina town before midday. You will be driven to Bekopaka in the afternoon which will take around 3.5 hrs, where you will stay for the next 3 nights.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 6 – BEKOPAKA: MANAMBOLO GORGES & SMALL TSINGY TOUR
After breakfast, you will embark on a local dugout to discover the Manambolo gorges and caves. You will learn about the rich history of the river and how important it is for the daily life of the population living along the river. We will also visit the Vazimba caves. Next, your guide will lead you to explore the Small Tsingy, remarkable limestone mountains resembling grand cathedrals, created by a dense network of cracks. Picnic lunch will be served in the park.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Picnic Lunch
DAY 7 – BEKOPAKA: BIG TSINGY TOUR
Today, enjoy a guided tour of the Big Tsingy, a remarkable site classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour takes approximately 6 hours. For wildlife enthusiasts, there are opportunities to spot lemurs, reptiles, and diverse bird species. Notably, it is the habitat of Brookesia perarmata, one of the smallest chameleon species.
Picnic lunch will be served in the Tsingy and you will be taken back to the hotel in the afternoon.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Picnic Lunch
DAY 8 – BEKOPAKA TO KIRINDY RESERVE
After breakfast, you will leave Bekopaka behind and drive to Kirindy Reserve. This trip is a combination of 5 hours drive and 1 hour boat transfer. Upon reaching the Relais du Kirindy hotel, take some time to settle in and prepare for a night walk in the reserve. Seven lemur species inhabit the area, among them the dancing Verreaux’s sifaka.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 9 – KIRINDY RESERVE
In the morning, explore the reserve with its endangered ecosystem, renowned for endemic lemur species and distinctive flora. Kirindy boasts several unique species, with the highlight being the three types of baobab, including Grandidier’s baobab, the largest among Madagascar’s six baobab species. Afternoon offers a time to rest at the hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 10 – KIRINDY RESERVE TO MORONDAVA
This morning, embark on a 3.5-hour drive to Morondava. In the afternoon, prepare to spend a few hours at Avenue of the Baobabs. Enjoy sunset at Avenue of the Baobabs, and then you will be taken back to town.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 11 – MORONDAVA
This morning, you have the opportunity to explore a local fishermen village. Get ready to embark on a local ‘pirogue’ (a dugout canoe) and immerse yourself in the mangroves, home to various fish species, migratory birds, and locals. The afternoon is yours to relax by the beach.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 12 – MORONDAVA TO ANTSIRABE
Today, you’ll embark on an extended 8-hour drive through diverse landscapes, transitioning from dry savannah to various mountains as you approach the highlands. Make a few stops along the way to witness other villages and the changing scenery.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 13 – ANTSIRABE
Today, you will be escorted to explore the renowned Tritriva Lake and its village. Travel time of approximately 1 hour. After spending 45 minutes exploring this mysterious lake, you will be guided through the village. Learn about the daily lives of the villagers, gaining insights into their traditional farming practices, house-building techniques, and daily routines.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 14 – ANTSIRABE TO RANOMAFANA
Proceeding towards Ranomafana National Park, the journey will span approximately 6 hours, featuring intermittent stops to appreciate the vibrant green vegetation. Upon arrival at the hotel, we’ll proceed to check in and take some time to relax. This evening, explore the diverse flavours and an array of local dishes at the Manja Restaurant.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
DAY 15 – TREKKING THE RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK
Following an early breakfast, our guided walk commences at 7am. This 3 to 4 hours’ trek within the park provides opportunities to encounter scenic waterfalls and cascades, spot diverse wildlife, and enhances our chances of sighting the elusive golden bamboo lemur. Along this route, we can cool off by taking a dip in the Namorona River.
In the afternoon, we plan to explore one of the Tanala villages approximately 15km from Ranomafana.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 16 – RANOMAFANA TO ANTSIRABE
We resume our journey with another 6-hour drive to Antsirabe. As we wind down our day, we’ll enjoy a relaxing late afternoon exploring Antsirabe city by rickshaw. The colourful rickshaws, known as ‘pousse-pousse,’ are a popular and charming form of transport. We’ll embark on a leisurely 2-hour city tour, discovering tree-lined avenues, intriguing architecture, and a variety of markets.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 17 – ANTSIRABE TO TANA
This morning you’ll resume your journey to Tana, approximately a 4-hour drive. You will have ample opportunities to capture the diverse landscapes through your lens, familiar by now. Lunch will be enjoyed on the way.
We will stop at the Lemurs’ Park in Tana. This botanical sanctuary, housing nearly 70 of Madagascar’s endemic plant species, provides an up-close encounter with various lemur species, along with a variety of endemic birds, chameleons, turtles, and more.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Farewell Dinner
DAY 18 – DEPARTURE DAY
Today you will be taken to the airport for your international flight.
Meals Included: Breakfast
HIGHLIGHTS
DATES
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