This Highlights of Madagascar Vacation Package takes you on an unusual adventure in one of the most exotic places on the planet.
Our 14-day Madagascar Tour travels from the bustling city of Antananarivo through central Madagascar to the southwest coast of this remote island. Explore the unique rainforests of Madagascar and see all kinds of exotic animals and plants, including endemic lemurs and rare orchids.
Then, journey through incredible wild landscapes and visit a colorful town steeped in colonial history. Next, meet the local Malagasy people on a homestay in the village of Fiadanana. Round your budget Madagascar trip off with snorkeling and time out on the beautiful tropical beaches of Madagascar island.
Our Madagascar Vacation Package kicks off in the vibrant capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo. Arrive in Antananarivo at your leisure and explore the city or rest after your journey. This evening you'll get together to meet your Madagascar tour guide and fellow travelers. Your tour guide will tell you more about the adventures ahead at the meeting.
Should you arrive in Antananarivo a day before the Madagascar Tour departs you may want to book a three-hour walking tour of the city. It's important to book this the evening before day one as the walking tour begins at 08:00. Sights on the Antananarivo tour include the cathedral and the Queen's Palace as well as a visit to the vibrant local market.
Guests usually have dinner together on the evening of day one.
This morning we set off in our private vehicle heading east, through a landscape of rice paddies, waterfalls, and remote forest stations, to Andasibe-Perinet National Park.
You have the rest of today and tomorrow to explore Andasibe-Perinet National Park, the most visited park in Madagascar and home to Madagascar’s largest lemur, the Indri. With a barely visible tail, black and white markings, and the cutest face, this Lemur cannot survive in captivity. Its unforgettable cry carries for up to 3km in the forest.
There is much to explore in the rainforest with another eleven species of lemur as well as, gecko, chameleon, an array of birdlife, and beautiful orchids adorning the canopy. One of the most bizarre creatures is the giraffe-necked weevil, its long neck coming in handy when getting into a fight over a mate.
There's time to explore other small private or community reserves around Andasibe, and go on guided night walks inside those reserves or along the main road. Walk to the little town of Andasibe or simply enjoy the relaxing tranquillity of the surrounding forest.
Our accommodation over the next two nights is in bungalows with shared facilities.
We hit the road to Antsirabe on day four of our Madagascar Vacation Package. Along the way to Antsirabe, we stop to view rice paddies and Merina tombs.
On arrival, hop on one of the multi-colored rickshaws and explore this quaint town, rich in colonial history, as seen by the French-style historic buildings. Alternatively, walk the tree-lined avenues of this city where Malagasy and French colonialism combines to make an attractive European district where French cottage-style houses are built next to Scandinavian villas with English-style gardens.
Antsirabe means ‘where there is much salt' and is one of Madagascar's major trading centers for semiprecious stones and minerals. It's also well-known as a spa town due to its volcanic lakes and thermal waters.
If you happen to arrive here on a Saturday, visit the souk-like open-air market, a veritable Pandora's Box. Located in a walled compound the sights and sounds will draw you in where you will find something for everyone from food, clothing, jewelry, and more.
Today promises to be fascinating as we spend time with locals and learn more about their way of life. Before leaving Antsirabe we visit Lake Andraikiba, considered a must-see for any visitor and steeped in mystery and legend.
There are specific rules linked to the lake which include no pork meat around the lake and no silk fabrics are allowed to be soaked in the lake. Legend has it that a pregnant woman drowned in the lake many years ago and is sometimes seen at dawn reclining on a rock next to the lake.
From here you may choose to hike the four kilometers to Fiadanana surrounded by beautiful landscapes and views of distant mountains.
We are hosted by the local community in accommodation designed as a traditional style house and which has been purpose-built with guests in mind. There is a kitchen and a dining/lounge area to enjoy lunch or a drink, and a beautiful veranda overlooking the rice terraces. Although the accommodation is basic the experience of living like a local for one night is worth any discomfort.
The locals are welcoming and guests should grab the opportunity to interact with them on a community visit. Visit a traditional healer and listen to the stories and legends of the ghost talker.
Day six of our Madagascar Tour starts with a cultural experience. This morning you get the chance to gain some insight into the traditions and rituals of the local Malagasy people.
After a local breakfast overlooking Mt Ifasina, we take a short hike back to our tour vehicle. Then we journey to Ranomafana, a village named after the hot springs and known as 'misty land'.
The nearby Parc National de Ranomafana is one of the most important mammal sites in Madagascar, where we may enjoy an optional forest walk on day seven, but today is all about the journey and the scenery.
This morning you can choose to get up early and join a forest walk or explore on your own. For those who want to enjoy the wildlife, the dense rainforests are home to an abundance of wild animals, insects, and birds.
After the early morning forest walk, you can take a swim in the hot spring, visit the local town and market, or indulge in a massage.
This afternoon we board our vehicle and travel south through Madagascar's scenic wine-producing region en-route to rural Ambalavao, famous for its "Papier Antemoro", a papyrus-type paper impregnated with dried flowers and sold throughout the island. We visit the paper factory for an insight into how this unique paper is produced and perhaps purchase some to take home.
If time allows, we visit a silk factory to learn how locals make fabric or clothing from silk and how the natural process for dyeing the fabric works.
On day eight, our Madagascar Vacation Package takes us to Ranohira. En route, we visit Anja Park, where you can see some families of ring-tailed lemurs in their natural habitat.
As we approach Ranohira, the massif of Isalo becomes visible in the distance.
On arrival, we relax to prepare ourselves for a hike in Isalo National Park tomorrow.
Today we spend the whole day trekking in Isalo National Park, the second oldest national park in Madagascar. Here, erosion has carved fantastic figures in the sandstone, from sharp needles standing up in the sky to rocky blocs apparently unstable on their base.
Seemingly dry, the Isalo National Park is a land endowed with an important network of streams feeding the tributaries of the river Mangoky. It is a sacred land, as it also shelters the Bara ancestors' cemeteries, dug on the cliff sides to prevent pillaging.
We will discover the massif of Isalo, its canyons and endemic flora such as Pachypodium and aloes, and fauna including lemurs and birds. We will even have the chance to go for a refreshing swim in the natural cascades swimming pool.
Speak to your CEO about arranging a picnic lunch to take with you into the park.
In the evening, we visit a tree-planting project initiated by the local organization, Soa Zara. The project is working to protect the environment around the town of Ranohira through tree planting, conservation education, sanitation projects, and other initiatives. You'll learn about why deforestation is such a big problem in Madagascar, how it threatens to wipe out the country's unique biodiversity, and what we can do to stop it. Get hands-on as you plant indigenous trees alongside the rest of the group.
Day 10 of our Madagascar Vacation Package sees us traveling west through desert landscapes. On our drive, we pass through several frontier-style sapphire mining towns and baobab trees.
This drive will also pass by the tombs of the Mahafaly; a local tribe in Madagascar known predominantly for their large tombs. They were built for chiefs and kings and are covered in stones, sculptures, and horns. The more important the deceased, the more horns and statues adorn the tomb. One of the largest tombs has over 700 zebu horns! As this is a sacred site we will just be passing by and photography is not permitted.
Continuing we arrive in the coastal town of Ifaty with its magnificent beaches bordering the Mozambique Channel, where we relax for the next couple of days.
The next two days of our budget Madagascar Tour are dedicated to taking it easy after our more active trekking and wildlife exploits inland.
There are many activities to enjoy or just chill on the beach, working on the tan, swimming, napping, or reading a book. Whatever you choose, Ifaty comprised of two small fishing villages called Mangily and Madio Rano is the ideal place for some respite.
Options include going snorkeling or scuba diving on the reefs, visiting the spiny forests, and paddling a dugout canoe.
We board our private vehicle for the last time today as it takes us to Toliara for our return flight to Antananarivo. Tonight you can celebrate your unforgettable adventure in Madagascar, dining out on the town and exploring the city's nightlife.
Please note that due to the unpredictability of local flights, if we are unable to secure your domestic flight, we will instead transport you to Antananarivo in 4x4 vehicles. This journey can take about 10 hours.
Today signals the end of our adventure-filled Madagascar Vacation Package. Depending on your travel plans you may be able to explore Antananarivo and take a local tour before you leave today.
Accommodation on this Highlights of Madagascar Vacation Package is in simple, good quality hotels with one night at a local community guesthouse.
This Madagascar Tour includes 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, and 1 dinner. When meals are not included there is the opportunity to try local cuisine which we encourage. Generally, food is not expensive and the group tends to eat together in order to try a variety of dishes, however, there is no obligation to eat together.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
This tour accepts travellers of 12 and older, however, travellers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
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