Tour Details
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Departs on Friday. April to November
12 days from $7995.00Arrive Antananarivo, Madagascar
Welcome to Madagascar! You are met upon arrival in Antananarivo, usually late in the evening, and escorted directly to your deluxe luxury hotel.
The Malagasy capital city of Antananarivo, or “Tana” as it’s known to the locals, is located in the Central Highlands of the county, about 4100 feet above sea level.
Antananarivo to Perinet
This morning, depart for a guided drive to the highlands to the Perinet Reserve in the eastern rainforest. It is one of Madagascar’s most popular reserves due to its large variety of rare rainforest animals, notably the baboon-sized Indri, largest of the lemurs. En route, visit La Mandraka Nature Farm to see an array of Madagascar’s endemic chameleons, snakes, insects and reptiles.
Arrive and settle into your lodge, located minutes from the main entrance to the Perinet Nature Reserve. The reserve area offers a plethora of brown and eastern grey bamboo lemurs and the Indri, as well as superb birdlife viewing.
Hint: Dispensing bananas assures your popularity with the lemur population, which can pay off in wonderful photographs. The lemurs reach out and hold your hand while they gently eat the banana from your palm (B,L,D)
Perinet
Arise early (the animals and birds are most active in the early morning), to see the rare Indri with its haunting call, as well as a number of other lemurs. A wide variety of fauna and flora also flourishes in this moist mountain forest, including beautiful and varied insects, spiders, butterflies, reptiles and many orchids.
Take a guided visit to the Analamazaotra Reserve. Watch the Indri, and listen as their distinctive siren-like calls emanate from the mist enshrouded canopy. Other wildlife prevalent in this area includes diademed sifaka, black and white ruffed lemur, Goodman's mouse lemur, eastern woolly lemur, Parson's chameleon, and leaf tailed geckos.
This afternoon is at leisure to explore on your own or with a camp guide. You may also choose to explore the fauna and the flora of the forest on horseback.
This evening, take an expert hosted nocturnal walk to look for such creatures as the aye aye and tenrecs (spiny hedgehogs). (B,L,D)
Perinet
Today, visit Mantadia National Park to admire a variety of plants, including rare orchids, lemurs and breathtaking waterfalls.
This evening explore the Vakona Reserve, before returning to the lodge for dinner. (B,L,D)
Perinet to Antananarivo, Fort Dauphin & Ifotaka
Early this morning drive back to Antananarivo and transfer to the airport for your flight to Fort Dauphin, located along a beautiful, sandy bay on the southeastern tip of Madagascar. The region of Fort Dauphin is home to a world of unique, endemic lemurs, plants and birds, and three different ecosystems: the southern spiny succulent forest, the wet rainforest, and a transitional forest that lies between them.
You are met upon arrival and assisted with check-in for your shared charter flight to Ifotaka. Arrive at your home camp in the afternoon.
The Mandrare River Camp, located on the banks of the river, is very comfortable and intimate, with just six tented accommodations. (B,L,D)
Ifotaka & the Mandrare River
The Mandrare River region is a lush oasis in this otherwise barren and dry region, attracting a great diversity of wildlife. Spend two days exploring this region with the camp’s expert local guides who take immense pride in explaining their complex customs and way of life, as well as the unique wildlife.
The birding is exceptional, with at least 15 resident species in camp and many more in the surrounding wooded areas, including scops owl, malachite kingfisher, verreaux's coua and many raptors. Enjoy wildlife viewing in the adjacent Gallery and Sacred Forests, with their abundant sifaka and ring tailed lemur populations. Guided day and night walks allow you to appreciate the ecology and nocturnal wildlife of both forests.
Visit the village of Ifotaka to learn about the beliefs and customs of the Antandroy “Tandroy” people. This tribe herds cattle, and still practices fadi (taboo) and ancestor worship.
And take time to relax on the neighboring sandy beach. (B,L,D)
Ifotaka to Antananarivo
Enjoy your last morning in camp before you are escorted to your shared charter flight to Fort Dauphine, where you will connect to your flight to Antananarivo.
You are met upon arrival, and escorted to your hotel. (B,L,D)
Anjozorobe
Early this morning depart with your driver for Anjozorbe. Explore one of the last remnants of natural forest in the highlands of Madagascar, which is home to over 600 endemic plant and animal species.
This evening return to Antananarivo and enjoy dinner at your hotel. (B,L,D)
Antananarivo to Anjajavy
Early this morning board a scheduled charter flight direct to Anjajavy. There is no road to Anjajavy - it lies in the heart of the Menabe Sakalava territory. There are barely signposted paths through the bush and forest. After a flight offering magnificent low altitude vistas, you land on a private runway on the Anjajavy peninsula.
Nestled in a nature reserve of 1350 acres, the Relais & Chateaux Anjajavy Hotel consists of a beautiful ensemble of rosewood villas scattered over a long fine sandy beach on the Mozambique Channel. This is an extremely diverse environment, where flora and fauna offer a perfect reflection of Malagasy nature.
This afternoon, take a naturalist-led walk through the nature reserve alongside the hotel. It is home to over 1,800 floral species, most of which are endemic to the country along with many medicinal plants. Tsingy, the celebrated millennial coral remains, can be found throughout the forest and overlooking the bay. The forest is home to many animal species such as the famous Sifaka lemur (Verreau’s propithecus), the bird of paradise, chameleon and Cuvier’s oplure (a type of iguana). (B,L,D)
Anjajavy
Spend two days exploring and relaxing in this wonderful, remote region. Enjoy a boat tour of Moramba Bay’s outstanding scenery. The landscape is reminiscent of Southeast Asia, but with its own distinctive twists - including a mushroom rock formation and ancient baobab trees, a sacred place of worship for the local people.
Visit the local fishing village with a local expert; hike through the forest to glimpse rare birds, chameleons and more; meet villagers and discover local arts and crafts at the weekly market and craft shops.
Take time to relax, and enjoy the included resort water sports. And don’t miss taking tea at the hotel’s Oasis, a uniquely landscaped retreat that features aquatic plants, papyrus reeds, tree ferns and palm trees, as well as humming birds, lemurs, malachite kingfishers and Malagasy foudis. (B,L,D)
Depart Anjajavy & Antananarivo
This morning fly back to Antananarivo. You are met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel, where a dayroom has been reserved until your evening departure.
Relax in your dayroom at the hotel or spend time exploring the city. The local craft markets, or “La Digue,” are bright, colorful and a fun place to look for mementoes, and a fitting last stop on your journey.
Late evening transfer to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination. (B,L,D)
Hotel Colbert, Antananarivo
The Hotel Colbert shines in the heart of the capital Antananarivo, a prime location offering panoramic views of the city. Our goal is to make you feel at home, ensuring that our four-star service gives you a unique travel experience. Whether on leisure or business, Hotel Colbert offers the best service to make your stay enjoyable.
Andasibe Hotel, Perinet Nature Reserve
Andasibe Hotel offers comfortable and spacious bungalows. The rooms include hot running water, toilet, telephone, satellite TV, air conditioning, mini bar, safe, living area and a private terrace. The restaurant offers varied menus including typical Malagasy flavors or Asian cuisine. There is a small treatment room for massages, which is a great reward after a day of walking in the forest. In the heat of the day you can relax beside the hotel's swimming pool or head out onto the little river and enjoy some kayaking.
Mandrare River Camp, Antananarivo
Luxury tented camping at it finest, interweaving unique wildlife, local culture and ecotourism - all of this can be found at the Mandrare River Camp. As the sun rises over rugged mountains, fingers of orange light sparkle across the river to awaken the forest and camp within. The distant singing of the local tribe as they fetch water from the river, the morning calls of the Coucal and Crested Coua, welcome travelers to another glorious day on the banks of the Mandrare River. The camps luxury en-suite tents are generously spread out in the shade of tamarind trees, all with breathtaking views across the tranquil water to the sacred mountains beyond. The seclusion of the camp affords intimate access and insight to the spiny forest; home to an abundance of unique wildlife and the fascinating Antandroy tribe that co-habit this arid and otherworldly landscape.
Anjajavy L'Hotel, Anjajavy
Set along the Mozambique Channel in an extremely diverse environment where flora and fauna offer a perfect reflection of Malagasy nature, this delectable hotel comprises an outstanding complex of 25 rosewood villas facing the sea. Anjajavy Hotel is ranked by European standards as a Four-Star plus establishment and is ideal for the demanding eco-tourist. Each villa features a large terrace overlooking the sea, a living room area and breakfast area and a bed room. A small staircase provides access to the first floor which features a relaxation room that can be used as an office or childrens/guest room. The bathroom boasts a vast bath with separate lavatories. Your room is maintained at the ideal temperature for you by an individual and silent air conditioning system.