13-Day South Paradise of Madagascar

Antananarivo

Tag 1: Welcome To Madagascar

Welcome to Madagascar!

Your visa can be issued at the airport. After getting your luggage, you ought to exchange money right away.

The driver who'll wait for you outside of customs will surely assist if you want.

Afterwards, he will bring you to the Urban hotel, located right in the city center.

Andasibe

Tag 2: Have Fun In Andasibe

After taking breakfast at your hotel, you will drive eastward to Andasibe. 

This national park is considered one of the nicest and most well-known parks of Madagascar.

There, you will have some time to visit some private parks at night at your own expense.

Here are some options: 

The Mitsinjo Park, which has a lot of animal and tree/flower species to see. You can meet lemurs there as well, but the private park is more famous for its diversity of amphibian species, especially colored frogs.

VOI (Vondron'olona Ifotony): this is a small local reserve managed by local people, which also protects different species of animal and flowers.

Vakona Private Park, your hotel’s private reserve, which is famous for its lemur islands, its crocodile park, and also the possibility of a night visit to get the chance to see nocturnal species.

Andasibe

Tag 3: Discover Andasibe National Park

Spend the morning visiting Andasibe National Park.

There, you will find 11 species of lemurs, many species of birds, large chameleons, an orchid park, rosewood trees, lianas, etc.

In this forest, the largest of the lemurs is found - the Indri.

You can choose between different kinds two- to eight-hour hikes.

Spend the night at the same hotel.

Antananarivo

Tag 4: Explore Majestic Antananarivo

After one day spent in the rainforest of Andasibe, you will drive back to the capital city of Antananarivo. This journey will take you three hours again and will enable you to admire the beauty of the Eastern Madagascar landscape for the last time.

Once in Antananarivo, you will stay at the same hotel where you spent your first night in Madagascar.

But, before spending the night there, you will have a few hours to spend in the historical upper town of Antananarivo in order to discover the traditional gastronomy of the island.

During this cooking class, you will participate in making some Malagasy snacks and dishes with a cook and his family.

Fort-dauphin - Mandrare River Camp

Tag 5: Marvel At The Lemurs In Zenavo

Today, your domestic flight is awaiting you to bring you to the southern coastal city of Fort-Dauphin.

Once there, you will be transferred to the Mandrare River Camp.

Upon arrival at the Camp settle into your tent and enjoy the majestic views over the Mandrare River. A 3-course lunch will be served on our river terrace.

Around 17:00, depart for a night walk in the Forest of Zenavo.

This is a fantastic way to see diurnal lemurs bedding down, and the nocturnal lemurs begin to wake in the eerie and prehistoric Spiny Forest.

You will spot sifakas and sleeping white-footed sportive lemurs, then once the sun has set, two mouse lemur species, sleeping birds, chameleons and owls.

Mandrare River Camp

Tag 6: See The Sacred Gallery Forest

After a delicious breakfast of freshly baked croissant and pain au chocolat, fresh fruits, cereals and breads, continue to the stunning Sacred Gallery forest to the south of the Camp.

Depending on the river depth, you will walk or take a boat across the Mandrare River to reach this largely deciduous forest.

Inquisitive groups of ring-tailed lemurs and the always entertaining verreaux sifaka are the highlights of this excursion.

Return to the Camp for lunch and a relaxed afternoon. In the late afternoon, head for a walk through the Sacred Spiny forest filled with the ancestral tombs of the local Antandroy tribe, as well as an extraordinary array of flora and fauna, unique to the spiny forest.

Your English-speaking guide and a tracker from the local community will give you an introduction to Antandroy culture and customs.

Mandrare River Camp

Tag 7: Enjoy A Moonrise Experience In The Mountains

After a cup of tea or coffee, head to the Spiny Forest for an early morning walk.

Witness the sunlight break through the octopus trees while looking out for the many endemic birds, such as the crested coua, a variety of vangas and the running coua.

Head back to the Camp for a sumptuous breakfast followed by a visit to the local market (on Thursdays and Saturdays) or the local village to meet the fascinating Antandroy tribe.

Lunch will be served at the Camp followed by a relaxed afternoon watching life along the river from your tent terrace.

At 17:00, depart for a sundowner amid the baobabs.

Watching the sunset and moonrise with a view across the baobabs to the mountains beyond is a magical experience.

In the evening the local village may come to perform beautiful traditional dances, accompanied by singing and music.

Mandrare River Camp

Tag 8: Visit Anony Lake

After breakfast, depart for a day trip to stunning Anony Lake.

This salt water lake is separated from the Indian Ocean by a series of large sand dunes and it is home to greater flamingos and a variety of salt water birds.

The lake is located about two-hour away from the Camp.

On arrival, walk along the lake shore to a beautiful picnic spot.

Then, climb the 70-foot high sand dunes for an incredible view of the surrounding area and go for a swim in the lake.

Return to the Camp in time for dinner.

Manafiafy

Tag 9: Go For A Night Coastal Rainforest Walk

Today, you will be transferred to Manafiafy Beach & Rainforest Lodge. This process will take about 4 hours. Manafiafy, also known as Sainte Luce, is a beautiful sandy bay, fringed with forest-covered mountains and wildlife-rich mangroves.

Upon arrival, check into your luxury bungalow.

If you want, you can go snorkeling in some places that will be shown to you. Then, at 16:30 pm, head for a night walk in the Coastal Rainforest. Explore the last untouched block of coastal rainforest in southern Madagascar and spot some of the 5 species and 3 sub-species of lemur, over 80 bird species, over half of which are endemic, and an abundance of geckos, chameleons and other reptiles present in the forest.

You'll see nocturnal lemurs leaping through the trees, Madagascar scops Owl, satanic leaf-tailed geckos and other masters of camouflage. Return to the Lodge for dinner.

Manafiafy

Tag 10: Visit The Stitch Project

Head to the Stitch Project and the local woodworking shop to interact with the local Antanosy community. Stitch was created by the NGO Azafady to provide local women with sustainable livelihoods by training them in embroidery, English and business skills.

Embroidery is a traditional Malagasy skill used by women to make beautiful purses, belts, and more. After a sumptuous 3-course lunch and a bit of a rest, head to the nearby mangrove network at 16:00 for birdwatching and photography.

Ideal for botanists, landscape photographers and adventure seekers, this 40 km network stretches from Manafiafy to Fort Dauphin with the magnificent Anosy mountain range forming the backdrop.

Motorboat or kayak excursions last anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days. Today you will be exploring the mangroves by motorboat.

Manafiafy

Tag 11: Go On A Sunrise Walk

Before breakfast, head for a sunrise walk in the coastal rainforest.

On this walk, you will see groups of red-collared lemur foraging for food as they leap through the rainforest canopy.

The red-collared lemur is endemic to south-eastern Madagascar, lives in groups of up to 20 individuals and is active largely at dawn and dusk. This is a great time for birding, some species to see are the crested coua, the giant coua, the hook-billed vanga, the lesser and the greater vassa parrots.

Return to the Lodge for a well-deserved breakfast.

Relax until your late afternoon excursion to see Madagascar's largest bat, the flying fox, roosting in a nearby community forest, then filling the sky at dusk as they fly off in search of food.

Return to the Lodge for storytelling on the beach. Immerse yourself in Malagasy oral history and culture as the stars form a canopy overhead.

Manafiafy

Tag 12: Go Whale Watching At Manafiafy

Whale watching and deep sea fishing are available at an extra cost. Manafiafy is one of the best places to see humpback whales in Madagascar with regular sightings of mothers and their calves.

After lunch, head to Manafiafy village.

Manafiafy is a lovely Antanosy village with traditional wooden houses and pirogues lining the beachfront. Learn about the local customs and interact with the fishermen and their families.

End your day with a sundowner overlooking Manafiafy bay from a rocky outcrop offering stunning views of the area.

Antananarivo

Tag 13: Farewell, Madagascar!

Today, you will be transferred back to the airport of Fort Dauphin. There, you will take your return flight to Antananarivo.

Upon your arrival in the capital, you will be transferred to the Bois Vert hotel, a hotel near the airport so that you can easily take your overnight intercontinental flight.

Then, you will leave the country with hopefully unforgettable memories.

Safe travels home, and visit soon!