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Start Antananarivo
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Day 1 Antananarivo
Arrive at your hotel. "Tana" (as Antananarivo is know to the locals) is a colourful, bustling city boasting cobbled streets, marvellous French cuisine and lively markets packed with local crafts. The day will be at your leisure to enjoy all there is to offer in this vibrant city.
All meals to your own account.
HOTEL (Hotel Shangai or similar) 4 Rue Rainitovo, Antshavolo. |
Day 2 Andasibe
After breakfast we start with our first day on the road traveling east, through beautiful landscape of hills with dense tropical rainforest. If the group wants to buy a picnic hamper (such as bread, cold meets cheese and drinks), we will make a short stop in Ambohimangakely; otherwise lunch will be in Moramanga at one of the village restaurants serving Malagasy cuisine.
During the morning we will visit a reptile park, which is owned by one of Madagascar's most respected naturalists, Andre Peyrieras. This center provides an opportunity to photograph some of Madagascar's most extraordinary reptiles and invertebrates. The main focus of the park is the breeding of comet moths and various butterflies. We will arrive in Moramanga at approximately 12:30 where we will stop for lunch. Continuing on we should arrive in Andasibe and our hotel at around 15:30. The rest of the day is yours to explore. Dinner tonight can be taken in various restaurants in the area, with a choice of Malagasy and Chinese cuisine. There is a great French restaurant at the Buffet de la Gare. If the group decides to eat away from the hotel, the vehicle is available for transfers. Our hotel is Hotel Feony'Ala. We stay in wooden bungalows on the edge of the forest where, in the early morning, you will hear the songs and calls of the Indri. (Indri indri is a species of lemur)
Breakfast. All other meals are to the client's own expense.
HOTEL (Feon'ny ala Hotel or similar) Central Andasibe |
Day 3 Perinet
The National Park of Andasibe-Mantadia (Perinet Reserve) is situated here and covers an area of 810 hectares at an elevation of about 1000 m (3300ft). It is the only place to see the 'Indri indri' Lemur, an endangered species and also the largest of the lemurs. These lemurs can be seen bounding from tree to tree and their territorial calls can be heard at least a mile away. Because some Indris in the Perinet Reserve see people frequently, one can follow them unobtrusively and watch for hours as they go about their business. Indri lemurs live in small family groups and feed on a wide variety of leaves and fruits. This mountainous massif has many tree ferns and orchids not to mention the many bird, chameleon and invertebrate species.
We will have breakfast at the hotel and then depart for the entrance to the Park (1.5 km journey). There are various optional walks available, a 2-hour walk, 3-½ hour walk and a 5-hour walk. The excursion includes an official obligatory guide for the group - if any individuals wish to walk separately from the group they would need to hire a guide at the Park office. (3 clients per guide at approx USD 7 per guide) The vehicle will wait at the gate for the last of the group to finish and then return you to your hotel. It is also possible to take a walk to the village and back to the hotel on foot.
The rest of the afternoon is free at your leisure to have lunch and visit the village.
In the evening you will have a rare opportunity to observe the nocturnal animals in the natural surroundings. Dinner will be after this excursion - and again there are many choices available. Breakfast is included. All other meals are to the client's own expense.
HOTEL (Feon'ny ala Hotel or similar) Central Andasibe |
Day 4 Antsirabe
Today we depart Andasibe traveling via the vibrant capital of Tana and head south to Antsirabe. It is a long traveling day, but the stunning scenery will make up for the journey. We should arrive in Antisrabe at approximately 18:00 where we will check into the hotel. The rest of the evening is free to explore and take dinner - there is a large selection of restaurants from steak houses, to French/Malagasy and Chinese cuisine.
Breakfast.
HOTEL (Hasina Hotel or similar) Avenue jean Ralaimongo |
Day 5 Ambositra
We have a free morning in Antisrabe to explore. This elegant French City is famous for its gem stones such as tourmaline, beryl, amethysts, rose, and quartz. You can watch skilled craftsmen cutting and polishing these beautiful stones in the local 'bijouterie' shops. Here is the place to hire the famous local transport - the "pousse- pousse" (rickshaw - prices vary from USD 2 to USD 10 per person.) Alternatively you could take an optional excursion to one of the volcanic lakes of the region, the spectacular 262 ft deep crater lake of Tritriva. After lunch we will depart for Ambositra, Madagascar's capital for crafts and woodcarving. We should arrive at approximately 16:30 at our hotel and have the afternoon free to walk around the village and try your hand at bargaining for crafts.
Breakfast. |
Day 6 Ranomafana
Up early for a guided walk to some of the woodcarvers, where you are free to view or buy the collection of carvings, mainly from the Zafimaniry region. After this we travel south to Ranomafana and its National Park with impressive waterfalls, thermal baths and a wide variety of lemur and bird species.
Breakfast.
BUDGET HOTEL (Manja Hotel or similar) |
Day 7 Ranomafana
The Ranomafana National Park covers an area of 41 000 hectares and has dense rainforest of medium altitude with waterfalls and rapids. It is home to 12 species of Lemur including the golden bamboo hap lemur and is also an exceptional area for spotting the 118 species of bird. Of these 68 are endemic to Madagascar. Well-built trails allow you to see a variety of vegetation and scenery, but it's the sheer majesty of the forest itself that makes the Park so beautiful. Orchids, tree ferns, palms, mosses and a huge variety of flowering plants and bamboo, not to mention geckos, chameleons and beautiful little coloured frogs. Ranomafana means 'hot water' and as it's name suggests there are also hot thermal baths supposedly reported to have healing qualities. It's possible to hire a masseuse for an hour of pampered relaxation! Once again there are options for the length of walk you can do - 2 hours, 3 ½ hours and 5 hours. WildLife Adventures includes the services of a guide for the group. The rest of the day is free to visit the village or the thermal baths and to have lunch. We will head back to the Park at approximately 16:30 for an early evenings viewing of nocturnal lemurs, after which dinner is at your leisure.
Breakfast.
BUDGET HOTEL (Manja Hotel or similar) |
Day 8 Fianarantsoa
Today we head south for Fianarantsoa (meaning 'place of good learning') and the capital of the Betsileo people. This is the second largest town in Madagascar and an education centre. The town is situated in the middle of the islands richest tea and wine producing area and the town is a maze of cobbled lanes, steep alleys and medieval architecture. You are free to explore the town and markets at your leisure. It's also a good place to change money at and catch up with communications, and there is a large selection of restaurants to have dinner.
Breakfast
HOTEL (Cotsoyannis Hotel or similar) Ampasambazaha - Rue du Prince Ramaharo |
Day 9 Ranohira
Departing after breakfast we head for Ranohira. The journey will be broken up by a visit to a local paper factory in Ambalavao - this is an open-air factory, which is well worth the visit for a chance to see the step-by-step ancient paper making process. The people in this area are Betsileo, but their papermaking copies the coastal Antaimoro tradition, which goes back to the Muslim immigrants who wrote verses from the Koran on this paper. This Arabic script was the only form of writing known in Madagascar before the LMS developed a written Malagasy language nearly five hundred years later using the Roman alphabet. Antaimoro paper is traditionally made from the bark of the avoha tree from the eastern forests. After the bark is pounded and softened in water it is smoothed on to linen trays to dry in the sun. While still tacky, dried flowers are pressed into it and brushed over with a thin solution of the liquid bark to hold the flowers in place.
The village of Ranohira is situated on the edge of the Isalo National Park. This park covers 81,540 hectares of the wildly eroded Jurassic sandstone massif. The elusive wildlife encountered here are the Fosa (largest mammal predator in Madagascar), the ring-tailed lemur, Verreaux's Sifaka and the brown lemur.
We will arrive in Ranohira at approximately 17:30 and check in to your hotel. Dinner can be taken at the Isalo Ranch restaurant.
Breakfast, dinner
HOTEL (Isalo Ranch or similar) 5 km from Ranohira |
Day 10 & 11 Isalo National Park
Isalo National Park was established in 1962. It covers many hectares of wildly eroded Jurassic sandstone. A magical place where sandstone ridges have been sculpted by wind and water into weird and fantastic forms. As you may expect, there are a host of superstitions (locally known as 'faddy') and one tradition requires the placing of stones on existing mounds to worship the ancestors who guard the paths. Many of the rocks also play host to lots of old concealed Sakalava tombs.
We will venture into the fantastic Isalo National Park on both these days for either full or half day walking excursions. It is possible to divide the group up depending on levels of fitness.
Breakfast, dinner
HOTEL (Isalo Ranch or similar) 5 km from Ranohira |
Day 12 Ifaty via Tulear
We will depart after breakfast for the southwest coast town of Tulear. The roads are badly potholed but the scenery is beautiful. We will arrive in Tulear and have three hours for lunch and exploring. Tulear is one of Madagascar's main seaports. Banks, restaurants and souvenirs are available.
In the afternoon we'll depart for the coastal paradise of Ifaty.
HOTEL (Mangily Hotel or similar) |
Day 13 Ifaty
Ifaty is fast becoming very popular for its stunning beaches and scuba and snorkel dive sites. You can take a walk along the gorgeous beaches, which stretch into tiny fishing villages. For the adventurous take a visit to the fascinating spiny forest, an amazing collection of baobab trees in weird and wonderful shapes. It is also possible to go scuba diving, and snorkeling on the reefs by local pirok. For meals - there are great restaurants that all specialize in fresh seafood.
HOTEL (Mangily Hotel or similar) |
Day 14 Antananarivo
Today's schedule depends on the flight departure times from Tulear to Antananarivo. We will have a chance for a last swim in the ocean before we head back to Tulear and await our outbound domestic flight back to "Tana". The flight time is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. We will be collected at the airport in Antananarivo and transferred to our hotel, and there should be enough time to visit a local craft market.
The rest of the day and evening is free to experience at your leisure in "Tana".
Breakfast.
HOTEL (Shangai Hotel or similar) |
Day 15 Antananarivo
Today's schedule also depends on your flight departure times from Antananarivo. Your vehicle will be available for the morning and if your flights are later it is possible to visit the holy hill of Ambohimanga. We will then transfer you to the airport and assist with check-in procedures. A fond farewell to all of you from beautiful Madagascar!
Breakfast. |
End Antananarivo
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Rate includes
Tour guide
All accomodation
All camp meals
National Park fees
Airport transfer with domestic flight
Accomodation is on bed and breakfast basis only
Lunches and dinners are included on day 10 and 11 only(all other meals will be to the clients account) |
Rate excludes
International Airfares
Travel and medical insurance
Personal spending money
Visas
Passports
Vaccinations
Personal taxes(including departure and border taxes)
All optional activities
Unscheduled or optional national/game parks and other activities
Gratuities
Sleeping bag if needed
Restuarant meals
All drinks
All other items of personal nature |
Group size
Minimum 4 people |
