St. Marie - Pangalane - Zuidelijk

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Sainte Marie Isle (In the East of 

Madagascar). Flight program: Departure TNR 09:15AM, Arrival SMS 10:10AM. This day is dedicated to 

relax on the beach with enjoying the wonderful landscape of the area. According to one’s endurance and 

speed, opportunity to go to mountain by bike from the hotel to the Capital Ambodifotatra going through 

the pirates cemetery, the islet Madame (the former Palace of Queen Betty and Aquarium) and first church 

of Madagascar (1837).

After breakfast, transfer directly to the place for embarkation on the big ferry to go to Mahambo. The transfer will take around 2h30. On your arrival, check-in at the hotel, and then prepare oneself to start the surf activity, your guide will show you which place is better to do it. After surfing, you could walk around to discover this beautiful area. 

This day is dedicated to transfer you up to the capital of betsimisaraka Tamatave by car and then follow 

the Pangalane Chanel up to Palmarium by motor Boat. On this boulevard, we will cross barges, "bushboats" (taxis-bush fluvial), canoes ..., local transport ... Spontaneous greetings between sailors ... The shouts of joy of the children on the banks accompany us all along our navigation. We are spectators of unusual and unforgettable scenes of life.

In the morning, you will start a guided day walk at the Palmarium Reserve. It is a little island where inhabit ten species of lemur as Indri, Sifaka, Coronatus, Varécia, variegata, Propithèques, particularly the wellknown Aye-Aye. There is also the best and endemic Madagascar palm tree as Dypsis, Ravenea, Orania, Voanioala and Lemurophoenix). Around 6:30PM, you will start a guided night walk.

After breakfast, you will reach Andasibe by following the pangalane channel up to Manambato, then 

continue by car up to Andasibe. On your arrival, check-in at the hotel and then relax for the rest of the 

afternoon. 

After breakfast, Guided visit to Analamazaotra National Park (It is better to leave the hotel at 7:30AM). 

This morning you need an early start to catch the Indri-Indri and the Diademed Sifaka in their forest 

home. The visit takes about 4 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. Lunch.

In the afternoon, 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..

Around 6:30PM, beginning of the Guided night visits, the visit will take 1hour and half, and then drive 

back to the hotel.

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 and even aye-aye. In the afternoon, 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 river enclosure, native birds, and other wildlife in well-kept surroundings. After the visit, we will leave Andasibe by driving directly back up to Antananarivo (Capital).

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight TNR to the west coast of the island, destination to Morondava MOQ. On your arrival, drive directly to the North, about 42 km following the secondary road which a bit winding, to reach the famous Kirindy Park. Check-in at your hotel. Around 6:30 PM, beginning of the Guided night walks at Kirindy Reserve. Kirindy is the best place in the whole island to observe fosa. Other nocturnal species includes: 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.  

After breakfast, around 7:00 AM, beginning of the Guided day visits at Kirindy reserve. Kirindy Reserve is home to seven species of lemur. The most common are the common brown lemurs and the Verreaux's sifakas. These long-legged, seven-pound lemurs, white with dark patches, leap among tree trunks high in the canopy, propelled by their powerful hind legs but continually maintaining an upright posture. 40 bird, 50 reptile and 15 amphibian species are also found in this magnificent forest. After Kirindy’s Reserve visit, back to the road to Morondava, and we stop at 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. Arrival in Morondava at the end of the afternoon, transfer to the hotel.

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 in Antsirabe by Rickshaws (Visit: the railway station, the Independence Avenue and the famous Hotel des Thermes). Direction towards the South enjoying the beautiful landscape Betsileo composed of terraced ricefields. Main stop at Ambositra for lunch, followed by a small tour of the city to discover the typical Malagasy craft of the region. We’ll 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.

In the afternoon we visit the orchid arboretum located near the village. Here we find many orchid species, 

but also reptiles such as chameleons and geckos. We also visit a village of the Tanala ethnic group, the 

forest people of southeastern Madagascar. After dinner you can join us on an included 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.

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 (Lemurian Catta.) 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, sandstone formations, grasslands and palmlined oases of Isalo National Park. We hope to encounter the 3 lemur species that are found here – Redfronted 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”. In the evening, drive back to the hotel with one stop at the famous window of Isalo to appreciate a breathtaking and spectacular sunset. 

This part of our journey continues down the paved RN7 to its end in Tulear on the Southwest coast, 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 today 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 the tomb is adorned with. One of the largest tombs has over 700 horns of zebu 

cattle! As this is a sacred site we will just be passing by. 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. For most of the year these hardy trees have no leaves, so 

their bare branches look like roots – giving them the name "upside-down trees." This is an area of dry and 

sandy soil where the local people battle to find drinking water.

This day is dedicated to relax and enjoy the beach. In the afternoon, guided visit in the Reniala reserve 

(Visit of the baobas forest, spiny forest, …), a dry forest typical of the dry south, meeting the diversity of 

fauna and flora of the region, including the varieties of Baobab. Relax on the beach for the rest of the day.

After breakfast, transfer directly to the Airport of Tulear for your flight to Antananarivo (Departure at 

09:35am, arrival at 11:35am). On your arrival, you will be transferred in town for shopping and purchase 

some souvenirs at the craft market. And then, transfer directly to the airport for your international flight, 

according to your flight timming.