Highlights of Madagascar

Highlights of Madagascar

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14 Days From

$3900

Highlights of Madagascar

14 Days Starting and ending in Antananarivo

Visiting: Antananarivo, Ranomafana, Ranohira, Isalo, Toliara, Anakao, Tsimanampetsotse National Park, Nosy Ve

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

WZIA3

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 16

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please advise requests

Tour operated in:

English
From: $3900

NB: Prices correct on 08-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Cut off from mainland Africa, Madagascar is a dream come true for intrepid explorers. Understandably, the wildlife is the main draw (much of it found nowhere else on Earth) and it’s the animals, and particularly lemurs, that take centre stage on this trip. Accompanied by experienced local trackers, we visit Andasibe in search of the indri, the largest lemur, and the cloud forest of Ranomafana National Park to look for rare golden and greater bamboo lemurs. We also search for ring-tailed lemurs in Anja Reserve and have a final day wildlife-watching in Tsimanampetsotsa National Park.

Highlights

  • Discover the best of Madagascar, one of the world’s great wildlife-watching destinations

  • Team up with skilled local trackers for unforgettable encounters with wild lemurs

  • Marvel at the amazing rock formations, spectacular canyons and natural swimming holes of Isalo National Park

  • Discover the otherworldly spiny forest of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park

  • Unwind with beach time in Anakao and a gentle walk along the white sands of Nosy Ve island

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Start Antananarivo

Location: Antananarivo

Meals Included: Breakfast

Our adventure starts in Antananarivo, the picturesque capital of Madagascar, which is often shortened to Tana. There will be a group meeting and briefing in the evening followed by an optional group dinner for those who would like to join.



Accommodation: Hotel Belvedere (or similar)

Day 2 : Antananarivo City Tour; Drive To Andasibe

Location: Antananarivo

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning, we embark on a city tour of the capital. With busy markets, friendly people and an ancient town on a hill with freestone churches and ancient royal places, it is a magnificent place to explore. We then drive to Andasibe through the green vegetation of the east. This first stop brings us to the humid part of the country with many primary forests and lakes. Along the way, we see Merina villages in the rocky mountains. We arrive in Andasibe around 4pm and the rest of the afternoon is free to relax. In the early evening, we take a twilight
octurnal walk along the road, close to the Andasibe Nature Reserve, looking for the nocturnal species of lemur as the torchlights pass their eyes.



Accommodation: Hotel Feon’ny Ala (or similar)

Day 3 : Morning Trek In Andasibe National Park And Afternoon Visit To Vondron’Olona Miaro Mitia Ala Reserve

Location: Antananarivo

Meals Included: Breakfast

Discover Andasibe National Park (also known as Perinet) and its wildlife on a four-hour walk. Expert trackers work with our leader to provide the best opportunities for wildlife viewing. The park is home to the teddy bear-like indri, the largest of the lemur species in Madagascar, as well as other flora and fauna and a wide array of birdlife. Listening to the piercing yet melancholy cry of the indri in the morning is an evocative sound and for those who are prepared to follow them through the thick rainforest, the reward is often a close-up view of these beautiful creatures. A group of five diademed sifaka has recently been reintroduced to Andasibe from Mantadia; if we are lucky, we may spot one of these unusual creatures.



In the afternoon, we visit the Vondron’olona Miaro Mitia Ala Reserve, a community-run reserve where we can see several species of lemurs and birds. The reserve is an untouched paradise for endemic animals and plants. There are groups of indris, which we hope to see in their natural habitat, and their white-headed relatives, the diademed sifakas, jump between the treetops. For reptiles and amphibian lovers, the reserve is home to countless frogs along the crystal-clear river and several amazing chameleons live in the forest.



Accommodation: Hotel Feon’ny Ala (or similar)

Day 4 : Return To Antananarivo; Continue To Antsirabe

Location: Antananarivo

Meals Included: Breakfast

We drive back to Tana, and head south to Antsirabe, across the highland landscape of beautiful rice fields. The spectacular eroded hills called lavaka remind us of the Far East with rice fields and a green landscape or vegetables and fruit trees.



Antsirabe, or the Place of Salt, is a city known as the centre of the beer industry. Founded by Norwegians in 1856, it is the only place in Madagascar that really feels and looks like a European city. It has a temperate climate and all fruits and vegetable that grow in cold climates are found here.



Accommodation: Les Chambres du Voyageur (or similar)

Day 5 : To Ranomafana

Location: Ranomafana

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, we drive for approximately 12 hours to Ambositra, the centre of the wood-carving industry in Madagascar. We are still in the highlands, where the houses are decorated with ornately carved wooden balconies and brightly coloured shutters. Further on we pass le col de tapia, a type of tree resistant to the bush fires of the area. The landscape is still dominated by rice fields, pine forests and eucalyptus trees, and rocky mountains. Our destination for the day: Ranomafana National Park.



Accommodation: Centrest Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 : Full Day In Ranomafana National Park

Location: Ranomafana

Meals Included: Breakfast

Parc National de Ranomafana, with rainforest hills and abundant wildlife, has long been considered one of the highlights in Madagascar, and is one of the most heavily visited national parks here. The entrance is about 4mi (7km) from Ranomafana village, while altitudes in the park range from 2,625ft to 3,940ft (800m to 1,200m). In addition to densely forested hills, the terrain here is characterised by numerous small streams, which plummet down to the beautiful Namorona River. Although much of the region has been logged, the easternmost part of the park retains relatively large areas of primary forest.



We walk in the park for approximately five hours looking for lemurs, chameleons and other animals. As we track the wildlife for the best viewing opportunities, the walk has the potential to be challenging if we need to walk at a quick pace through the forest. We hope to see golden bamboo lemurs, which are unique to this park, plus other lemurs such as eastern woolly lemurs, red-bellied lemurs, grey bamboo lemurs, and red-fronted brown lemurs. This park is also home to other mammals including tenrecs, bats and carnivores such as mongooses and the Malagasy striped civets.



Accommodation: Centrest Hotel (or similar)

Day 7 : Drive To Ranohira, Visiting Anja National Park En Route

Location: Ranohira

Meals Included: Breakfast

We have an early start as we leave Ranomafana National Park. The scenery changes dramatically as we head to the small town of Ranohira, a journey of approximately nine hours. We stop near Ambalavao to visit Anja National Park along the way, a small reserve where several families of ring-tailed lemurs can be seen among the vegetation.



Accommodation: Orchidee de l’Isalo (or similar)

Day 8 : Full-Day Trek In Isalo National Park Visiting Monkey Canyon And Natural Swimming Pools

Location: Isalo

Meals Included: Breakfast

After an early start, we spend our day exploring Isalo National Park, a vast region of wind-polished and water-scoured rock towers, deep canyons, gorges and oases often described as Eden. If the conditions are right, we walk in the magnificent Canyon des Makis in search of cheeky ring-tailed lemurs and the Verreaux's sifaka. We also visit the Piscine Naturelle (Natural Swimming Pool), a beautifully lush spot in such an arid landscape where we can swim and relax. The combination of coloured rock formations, strange plants and enveloping silence make this one of the most captivating places in Madagascar.



Accommodation: Orchidee de l’Isalo (or similar)

Day 9 : To Tulear, Visiting Zombitse National Park En Route

Location: Toliara

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, we continue to Tulear. This brings us new scenery, among the dry forests of the west and the spiny desert of the south. On the way, admire the different Mahafaly tombs and the Antandroy tombs from the road and visit Zombitse National Park for a few hours. The Zombitse National Park forest is of particular interest to birdwatchers, as it is home to one of Madagascar's rarest endemics, Appert's greenbul, as well as other species such as giant coua, crested ibis and cuckoo roller. Verreaux's sifakas, red-fronted brown lemurs and sportive lemurs are also seen here.



Accommodation: Hotel Victory (or similar)

Day 10 : Boat Transfer To Anakao; Free Day For Optional Activities

Location: Anakao

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning, we take a boat transfer to Anakao arriving at around 9am. This Vezo (meaning the people who fish) fishing village lies on the southwest coast of Madagascar and has white-sand beaches. The rest of the day is free for optional activities, including snorkelling, diving, pirogue (a small boat similar to a canoe) excursions, swimming and more.



Accommodation: : Prince Anakao (or similar)

Day 11 : Full Day In Tsimanampetsotsa National Park

Location: Tsimanampetsotse National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast

An early 4x4 transfer (approximately two hours) takes us to Tsimanampetsotsa for a full day in the national park. A large, shallow soda lake is the standout feature here, while a large limestone plateau has some of the most striking spiny forest vegetation in Madagascar with countless endemic species. The park sits on a large underground aquifer that runs north, evidenced by numerous sinkholes and caves. The lake is renowned for its waterfowl, notably flamingos and other rare endemic birds including the Madagascar plover. We may even be lucky and spot the emblem of the park, the very rare Grandidier’s mongoose. In the late afternoon, we return to Anakao.



Accommodation: : Prince Anakao (or similar)

Day 12 : Excursion To Nosy Ve To See Red-Tailed Tropic Birds Nesting On This Small Island

Location: Nosy Ve

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today, we take a boat excursion to the small island of Nosy Ve to see red-tailed tropic birds (white seabirds with red bills and long, thin, red tails). If we are lucky, we may see the females roosting under small shrubs, well hidden from airborne predators such as hawks or eagles. A stroll around the shoreline, including a long white-sand beach, takes about one hour. After our exploration, we return to Anakao, usually around lunchtime. The rest of the afternoon is free for optional activities.



Accommodation: : Prince Anakao (or similar)

Day 13 : Fly To Antananarivo

Location: Antananarivo

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today, we transfer to Tulear airport for our flight to Antananarivo. Depending on the flight schedule, you may have free time in the afternoon to explore Tana on your own.



Accommodation: Belvedere Hotel (or similar)

Day 14 : Visit To Ambohimanga; End Antananarivo

Location: Antananarivo

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning we visit Ambohimanga, the fortified village and its royal palace. Ambohimanga, otherwise known as Blue Hills, was for a long time forbidden to Europeans. The kings and queens returned to this hilltop village for rest and relaxation. From here began the line of kings and queens who united Madagascar into one country. Ambohimanga remains spiritually significant for the Malagasy people with ceremonies and rituals still taking place. Our adventure ends after Ambohimanga.



Please note: Clients must not book flights leaving before 2.30pm.

What's Included

  • All breakfasts

  • All accommodation

  • All transport and listed activities

  • Tour leader throughout

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request)

  • Visas or vaccinations

  • International flights

Food

Food standards in Madagascar can vary and are probably not of the same standard you are used to at home. The cuisine has been strongly influenced by the French and a three-course meal should cost 43,000-70,000 ariary (US$10-US$16). A one-course lunch should cost (US$4.40-US$7.60). Please allow approximately 1.4m ariary (US$325) for the meals not included, plus a little more if you enjoy a drink with dinner. Malagasy lager is reasonably priced and easily available. Malagasy wine is also reasonably priced but is not to everyone’s taste. It is sometimes possible to get hold of French or South African wine. A delicacy in Madagascar is flavoured rums, which are widely sold and very reasonably priced.



Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this trip – please inform us before departure of any dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared.

Accommodation

In Madagascar, we spend 13 nights in hotels, each well located for our activities and in beautiful settings. The daily itinerary has the accommodations normally used; below are a few example properties.



Antsirabe: Les Chambres du Voyageur (night 4)







In Antsirabe, we stay at this husband and wife-owned hotel. They exhibit arts and crafts from the Zafimaniry ethnic group and there is a beautiful garden home to many endemic plants.



Ranomafana: Centrest Hotel (nights 5-6)







The Centrest Hotel is 10 minutes from the entrance to Ranomafana National Park and has enviable views of the park’s mountains and rainforest. The 18 spacious rooms are among the delightful gardens and there is an open-air restaurant and a bar to enjoy.



Anakao: Prince Anakao (nights 10-12)







On a secluded beach, Prince Anakao offers privacy at the end of a thorough tour of Madagascar. Rooms are spacious and have uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean. There are a number of water sports that can be booked if you don’t feel like relaxing on the white-sand beach, plus the hotel restaurant serves freshly caught seafood and traditional Malagasy dishes.

Check out our Q&As

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes, our local guides are English speaking.

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    The minimum age for this tour is 16 years old.

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.

  • Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?

    We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.

  • Are flights included in this tour?

    International flights are not included with this tour.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Highlights of Madagascar

There were only six of us on the trip so this was a real bonus. It meant that we had lots of room in the minibus and when being guided around we could spend a long time viewing the wildlife. Saw more than was mentioned in the trip notes and spent longer in the national parks as being a small group we all agreed on what we wanted.

Wow, Wonderful Place and Excellent Holiday

I travelled there with some expectations regarding wildlife especially. These were exceeded. I was amused, impressed and very pleased at the number of wildlife sightings and especially the great opportunities I had for some brilliant wildlife photography.

An Extraordinary Trip

Madagascar is an extraordinary country facing numerous challenges. Its national parks are excellent and much of the scenery is spectacular. It is, however, very poor and facing many environmental challenges. This makes it all the more creditable that the hotels and food on this trip were both so good.

Great trip to see Lemurs

Loved the trip, great country, great people, great guide and great wildlife

Life changing and unforgettable experience

This was a truly life-changing trip. By that I mean, it was an experience of many extreme highs, such as seeing the unique and beautiful wildlife, coupled with being witness to some very difficult scenes, such as the slash and burn practice and huge areas of deforestation. The trip has left me wanting to learn more about this incredible country, its people and its wildlife. Would very much like to visit again and investigate further into the issues this country is clearly facing. This is a very special country and any visitor will be rewarded in many ways.

One of the best trips ever!

Madagascar is amazing with so much unique wildlife, plants and trees. A well organised trip, with good accommodation. Comfortable bus with lots of breaks on the long journeys. A mixture of leisurely time on the bus and in the towns, with some very strenuous treks in the reserves. Be prepared for heavy rain and blistering heat as you pass through the varied landscapes.

How do you choose highlights?

What a remarkable journey of exploration, a rare opportunity to begin to understand, at first hand, a country, people, landscape and biodiversity unlike any I have experienced before. An intimate trip which does not try to disguise the challenges and difficulties of life in Madagascar but very honestly celebrates its diversity and energy. Whilst our main reason for taking the trip was the unique, endemic wildlife, which we were lucky enough to see so much of, we were equally staggered by the incredible range of environments and landscapes that we journeyed through and the glimpses that we got into the villages and lives of the proud, friendly people who call Madagascar home. Travelling by road in order to include so many high lights in 2 weeks is quite hard work, but surely the best way for any visitor to really appreciate this incredible country.

Madagascar in June

This was our first holiday with Exodus and our first group holiday and looking back was probably one of the best holidays we have had. It was great to see such a wide variety of landscape and we were very lucky with the amount of wildlife we saw. We were in a group of 10 people and it was nice to share the experience with others. Our group leader, Rija made the trip so interesting. The final few days on the beach was very relaxing.

fascinating Madagascar :)

Wow where do I start?! I have dreamed of visiting Madagascar for many years now and it didn't disappoint. There were a few unfortunate moments along the way, but I'm so chuffed I got to experience this truly unique destination. I wanted to visit Madagascar due to how biodiverse the country is, animals found nowhere else and bizarre trees and plants, but not only did these astonish me but the people too are also very unique. 18 different ethnic groups listening to different music, living in different houses and dressing really brightly and uniquely. Just watching them as we travelled was captivating. The children were so sweet, not having much but making the most out of playing with stones and making little boats out of wood and plastic, laughing with their friends was heartwarming to see. I’m not going to lie though the poverty was really hard to witness, I have never seen poverty like it, just wishing there was something I could do to help. Witnessing the devastation of slash and burn, loss of wonderful rainforests and with that many of the unique wildlife disappearing too, is utterly devastating. Only 30 years ago was Madagascar called the green Island, its now named the red island due to such a huge area of forest disappearing. No wildlife outside of the national parks, once it would have been abundant with many wonderful species. The trip itself was amazing, however I do think you have to be a hardened traveller. There are some really long days in the van (which I did know about) but it can be quite difficult, due to the fact our van was inadequate, it wasn’t made for those roads and had NO air-con which was unbearable on some of the hotter days! I would suggest reading the trip notes and day to day itinerary THOUROUGLY to make sure you can handle it, not just for yourself but also your fellow travellers. Some of the days i.e the day in Ranomafana was tough, looking for lemurs in thick bushes and on steep ledges, if you’re not fit it would be quite dangerous. Early starts and long days travelling can affect anyone no matter how fit you are. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Not only were the long drives tough, all of us on our trip got bad sickness bugs, I think your bound to get one, prepare for it with the correct medication etc. Thankfully I was bedbound on one of the beach days, as not sure what I would have done if it was a ten-hour drive, stopping every ten minutes ha-ha! Please also bare in mind you don't get told what time your internal flight is until the day before, we got told at dinner time we had to get up and ready for our speed boat transfer at 4am. Not ideal and it put a dampener on our final meal together! I mean funny looking back, on a speed boat with no lights, whilst feeling sick! I can laugh now as I’m all comfy and well! ha-ha :).Also, I would like to add on day 8 where is says: Full-day trek in Isalo National Park visiting Monkey Canyon and natural swimming pools. Was very misleading, our guide Claudia got me and my partner aside as she knew we had originally booked the trekking trip (which got cancelled) and said she thinks it would be better if we got a private guide which could take us on a longer hike and visit the swimming pools etc, we went ahead with this chuffed at the time. Had a fabulous day, in fact the best on the trip! But we technically paid for what should have been included anyway, so we were a little annoyed. Upon speaking to the rest of the group, we find out all they did was walked in the park for a few hours and didn’t visit the swimming pools then went back to the hotel before 12pm. We felt like they have been robbed of a fabulous day, I know one of the couples could have managed this hike and they were definitely disappointed. I don’t understand why this happened and I feel like Exodus should provide two guides, one guide for the longer hike and one guide for the people who can’t manage it. All in all, this was a truly amazing adventure of a lifetime. I will never forget it! It was a dream come true. I mean how lucky am I to see sifaka in the wild and spend time with some truly amazing people. Thanks to my group who also made this trip amazing! Great couples and laugher made this trip even better 😊.If you’re up for an adventure of a lifetime with some mad moments thrown in there, Madagascar is waiting for you to explore it!

Once in a Lifetime Trip

The main objective of this wildlife trip was met in that we saw 14 species of lemur thanks to the efforts of the local guides and their spotters. This was interspersed with about 90 species of birds over two thirds of which were endemic species with examples from most of the endemic families. Other wildlife such as reptiles and other mammals were few and far between mainly because the majority these are nocturnal. The travel between the National Parks enabled us to have a good insight into the culture, beliefs and customs of the local people together with visiting various historical sites. We found the hotels better than we might have expected and particularly enjoyed the 3 nights at the beach hotel at Anakao. The food also was generally good especially the fish and seafood at Anakao. Wifi was available everywhere we stayed. Insects didn't seem to be a problem. You should easily have enough local currency if you follow the Exodus advice and most of us changed currency back to Euros at the airport before coming home.

Read all 18 reviews

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  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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