The pearls of Madagascar

After breakfast, you start with a guided visit at Analamazaotra National Park. It is better to leave the hotel early (about 7:30AM) to meet easily the Indri-Indri and the Diademed Sifaka in their forest home. The visit takes about 3 hours. Within a mile of the park you can hear the peculiar call of the indri very early in the morning until noon and again in the late afternoon. Indris (called Babakoto in Malagasy) are the largest living lemurs at all reaching up to 1 meter. Andasibe is the best place to observe the Indris given that there are a couple of families habituated to humans. It lives in small groups and cannot survive in captivity. There are several legends trying to explain its origins since it is considered a sacred animal in the whole Madagascar. Apart from the Indri, another 13 lemur species inhabit these forests, such as woody lemur, grey bamboo lemur, diademed sifaka, brown lemur, red mouse-lemur, red-bellied lemur, black and white ruffed lemur.  In the afternoon we visit Andasibe village, known as “the City of Waters”, and stroll through the local market to see some Malagasy craftspeople working.  Then, you will enjoy an amazing up close and personal experience with lemurs on the private Lemurs Island and then on to view many other species in the Vakona Reserve Zoo, where you will see many crocodiles in the huge river enclosure, native birds, and other wildlife in well-kept surroundings.

Breakfast, then, we depart early back to the capital city and have around 4 hours drive through the spectacular eroded hills called lavaka. On the road, we visit the Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic. The famous exotic animal breeding centre owned by naturalist Andre Pereyras, where we see almost all the chameleon species of Madagascar – as well as leaf tailed geckos, lemur, cocquerel’s Sifaka, and other interesting animals, such as butterflies, moths (the giant Atlas Moth), and tenrecs. 

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight TNR (Departure at 11:00am) to the west coast of the island, destination to Morondava MOQ (Arrival at 12:00pm). Then, check-in at your hotel. After lunch, enjoy the rest of the day in Morondava : Relax on the beach for the rest of the day, and admire the incredible sight of sunset. 

For this day, you can choose whichever tour you want : visit of the Baobab Amoureux and Baobab Alley, or visit of Kirindy Reserve. Discover the most scenic road in Madagascar : Baobab Avenue. Stuning, this is the popular attraction all day long. However, sunset is the best and most popular time of the day. 

It is also possible to visit the Kirindy Reserve. It is located, in the north, about 42 km following the secondary road which a bit dusty. Kirindy is the best place in the whole island to observe fosa. Other nocturnal species included: the rare Coquerel's giant mouse lemur and pygmy mouse-lemur, fork-crowned lemur, grey mouse lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur and red-tailed sportive lemur. Several bats, tenrecs, mongoose and rodents complete the mammal population.Kirindy is also known for its endemic flora. There are three species of baobab: the Andasoniarubrostipa or the fony baobab, with a bottle shaped trunk with major horizontal branches, between 5 and 20 meters, the AndasoniaZa, a tall tree that ranges from 20 to 30 meters, and the Andasoniagrandidieri, the biggest of the six species of baobab, up to 30 meters. 

Today, you will have a very long drive, so it is better to leave early Morondava (7:00AM). After breakfast, drive directly to Antsirabe with enjoying the beautiful landscape of the Menabe area, through the spectacular red hills. Some stops could be done on the road for pictures and breaks if it is necessary. Lunch in Miandrivazo, and then continue to Antsirabe. Our destination is the highland town of Antsirabe, with its wide colonial streets, volcanic lakes and colourful rickshaws. “The Place of Salt” is the centre of beer making in Madagascar and is known for its handicrafts. Founded by Norwegian missionaries in 1856, it is the only place which really feels and looks like a European city – with its elegant spa and the railway station. It has a temperate climate and so fruits and vegetables which grow in cooler parts of the world are grown here. Check-in at the hotel.

After breakfast, we will do a small city tour by Rickshaws (Visit: the railway station, the Independence Avenue and the famous Hotel des Thermes). We visit a number of the town’s famed craftspeople to watch them working on the precious and semi-precious stones that Antsirabe is famous for. Today we continue to wind our way through the Highlands’ scenic landscapes, where the houses are made with ornately-carved wooden balconies and shutters with bright colours. Further on we pass the “le col de tapia”, a type of tree resistant to bush fires. The landscape is still dominated by very photogenic rice fields, pine forests, eucalyptus trees and rocky hills. At the Malagasy arts and crafts capital, Ambositra, we stroll through the city with visiting workshops of Zafimaniry artisans – skilled sculptors working on marquetry rosewood and ebony.

This morning we search Ranomafana National Park‘s rainforest for lemurs, accompanied by our local naturalist guide. This is a high-altitude rainforest reserve where the Golden Bamboo Lemur was discovered in 1986. The forest is home to 11 other lemur species, endemic chameleons, Leaf-tailed Geckos, Mantella Frogs and a myriad of birds. We embark on a quest to see the fabled “Hapalemur aureus” – the Golden Bamboo Lemur – which is only found in Ranomafana. We will also see many different species of birds, such as Ground Rollers. The park is particularly rich in flora and features many plant varieties unknown elsewhere, including different types of orchids and ferns. The approximately 40,000 ha of Parc National de Ranomafana, with its rain forest-covered hills and abundant wildlife, has long been considered one of Madagascar’s highlights. Altitudes in the park range from 800 to 1,200 metres above sea level. In addition to its densely-forested hills, Ranomafana’s terrain is characterised by numerous small streams which plummet down to the beautiful Namorona River. 

Although much of the region has been logged, the park retains relatively large areas of primary forest. This day includes strenuous walks in the rainforest. After 4 hours visit, we will get back to the hotel for lunch, and get rest a little bit before starting the Guided night walk in the area around our hotel to try and spot the Rufous Mouse Lemur, the Greater Dwarf Lemur and some of the other nocturnal wildlife. After the visit, back to the hotel.

Early departure to drive via Fianarantsoa, cultural capital of the Central Highlands, to the pleasant rural town of Ambalavao. This is the site of one of the largest livestock markets in the South (Wednesday mornings only.) We visit a local winery and a workshop making the unique Antemoro paper, which is hand made from the bark of a local tree using a method is inherited from Arab culture. We also visit a silk factory in town and learn about the local way of making fabric from silk thread and the process of dyeing it with natural dyes. We then continue to Anjar Community Reserve for a short walk, during which we have the chance to see Madagascar’s iconic animal – ring-tailed lemurs (LemurianCatta). In the past, visitors fed the lemurs, so the majority of the animals are unafraid to come near us to pose for photographs. We continue to Ihosy, capital of the Bara tribes, who are herders of Zebu cattle. Further on we pass the volcanic peaks of the Andringitra massif, which serves as a transition between the green Highlands with its very spectacular granite rock formations and the dry south. Our journey south takes us through a landscape of rock formations typical of the dry Grand South, some of which are sacred. We pass through the legendary ‘Porte du Sud’ and cross the desolate expanse of the Plateau de Horombe with its deep red soil, arriving late afternoon in Ranohira, gateway to Isalo National Park.

Today, we explore the stunning desert plains, deep canyons, sand stone formations, grass lands and palm-lined oases of Isalo National Park. We hope to encounter the 3 lemur species that are found here – Red-fronted Brown Lemurs, Ring-tailed Lemurs and the loping, bipedal Verreaux’s Sifaka. We will also see vegetation, such as Uapaca bojeri, Pachypodium rosulatum or ‘elephant’s foot’ and Aloe isaloensis, a native species of aloe endemic to Isalo. The eroded mountains also served as a place where the Bara people kept their dead before they could bury them in their actual tombs. This day includes strenuous walks. “Picnic lunch in the park”. This afternoon, enjoy a massage at the spa, or take a dip in the pool where you can have a nice view of the Isalo wonderful mountain.

Today, we need to leave the hotel as early as possible to reach the great city of the Southwest coast, Tuléar. This journey will introducing us to new scenery among the dry forests of the west and the spiny desert of the south. We pass through the sapphire mining boom town of Ilakaka, a frontier town vaguely reminiscent of the Wild West. En-route, we see the locations of different ornate hillside ‘Mahafaly Tombs‘, which were built for chiefs and kings and are covered in stones, sculptures and horns. The more important the deceased, the more horns and statues thewith. One of the largest tombs has over 700 horns of zebu cattle! As this is a sacred site we will just be passing by. Tomb is adorned; Photography is not permitted. We also pass the area of the ‘Antandroy Tombs‘. This is the driest part of the country – called the “Deep South” – where the landscape is dominated by cactus-like, spiny forests of different euphorbias. In this area giant baobab trees, which can be hundreds of years old, grow. 

When we reach Tuléar (also known as “Toliara“), installation at the hotel and dinner.

Today, transfer to Tulear’s airport and fly back to the Antananarivo. You will be picked up by our driver, then drive to the craft market for shopping and purchase some souvenirs. Lately, transfer directly to the airport for your external flight.