Madagascar Wildlife Tour

Arrive in Antananarivo. The city is cheerfully stacked on the sloping sides of the Highlands. This medieval capital is affectionately known as ‘Tana’, enjoys a pleasant climate (1350m). Today we will drive to Andasibe village otherwise known as Perinet, where we will make an evening walk in search of nocturnal wildlife.

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Lunch

This morning you may consider some optional birdwatching. After breakfast we will enter the reserve. Although only eight square kilometres, Andasibe Reserve boasts nine species of Lemur, including the largest, the Indri indri, whose piercing voice can be heard throughout the forest. Colourful chameleons and many birds can also be seen as we spend the day walking trails in this beautiful forested reserve. This afternoon there may also be a chance of an optional walk round the local village outside the reserve.

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we will take a drive to Mantadia national park. Here we will take a walk in the park where we have a chance to see Black and White Ruffed lemur, Diademe Sifaka. This area is also good for bird watching. On return to Andasibe in the afternoon there will be optional visit to a private reserve with more opportunities to spot birds and amphibians.

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Breakfast

Heading south we reach the spa town of Antsirabe, the coolest place in Madagascar. Its climate made it a favourite spot with European missionaries and their influence can still be seen in the colonial architecture and churches. Antsirabe is also the agricultural and administrative centre of Madagascar and is also regarded as the ‘pousse-pousse’ capital.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive to the volcanic Lake of Tritriva. Local myths and taboos have grown up around this mysterious lake which seems to have many guises, changing colour from one day to the next. We have the opportunity to walk round the lake before driving to Ambositra in the afternoon. We’ll visit some of the craft shops, which produce carvings of Malagasy life, furniture and detailed marquetry work. We shall stay at a local development guest house, and there may be the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Malagasy meal and see a folk dancing display this evening.

Although the accommodation we use on this night stop is modest and of lower standard than what is provided throughout the rest of the trip, by staying here we directly support an important base for the development of health projects, agriculture, water supply and the empowerment of women within the local community. The accommodation is dormitory style, simple but clean, with shared facilities. Hot water is not available. For more information about the project and our Responsible Travel approach, please read the section "Why choose Explore".

Overnight Simple Local Community Dormitory Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The drive to Ranomafana takes up most of the day, however the winding road passes varied landscapes of rugged ridges, huge boulders and rural villages surrounded by rice paddies. En route we will stop in Ialatsara for lunch. In 1987 in Ranomafana National Park a new species of lemur named the Golden Bamboo was found. There are many hidden waterfalls and the Namorona river flows through some impressive gorges, flanked on either side by tropical rainforest.

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning will will enter the park for an early morning walk, but you may choose to do some optional birdwatching before this. Most lemur species are endangered, the last survivors of a once abundant family of primates, now confined to pockets of forest and bush throughout Madagascar. Deforestation has taken a heavy toll on these arboreal creatures – about 80 species remain. With luck we may see some of the species found in the park including Red-Bellied lemur, Grey Bamboo lemur, Milne-Edwards’ sifaka and perhaps the Black and White Ruffed lemur and the extremely rare Golden Bamboo lemur. We may also spot the Malagasy boa constrictor, chameleons, the black parrot, cuckoo roller and many other birds. In the afternoon there will be an additional optional walk within the park with a chance to spot the species not already seen during the morning.

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Returning to the main road this morning, we continue south via the regional capital of Fianarantsoa, the academic centre of Madagascar. Leaving the highland plateau and descending through superb mountain scenery to the plains we pause at Ambalavao paper workshop before arriving at Anja Community Reserve. Here we have the chance to watch troupes of ring-tailed lemur among the granite boulders. Continuing south the pine trees thin out and the fertile soil of the highlands gives way to drier savannah, cactus, termite mounds, and the dust of the midsouth. We finally reach our destination late in the afternoon. Ranohira, situated on the edge of the Isalo National Park.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

One of the highlights of our trip is Madagascar’s ‘Grand Canyon’ in Isalo National Park. Dervla Murphy, in her book ‘Muddling through Madagascar’ describes it thus – “Landscapes that are literally incredible. You don’t believe it. You think you’re hallucinating. How can wind and water have done all this?”. Natural erosion has produced fantastic canyons and bizarre outcrops of wind-blasted sandstone. Sparse dry deciduous forest, including species of dwarf-like baobab and succulents, is found in the park. We plan to walk to a natural oasis pool known as ‘Piscine Naturelle’ and see tombs of the Bara people. This afternoon you have the opportunity to take an optional walk within the park to Namaza to see the Cascade des Nymphes.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we continue our journey south. The temperature rises as we lose height and head for the coast, crossing the savannah plain, dotted with herds of Zebu cattle. The south of Madagascar is largely desert, and weird cactus-like plants unique to the island smother the land and make up the vast areas of so called ‘spiny desert’. Close to Sakaraha is the Zombitse National Park. Here we will walk near the remarkable dry forest which is home to many birds, including black parrots, the Madagascar buzzard and the cuckoo roller. The very rare Apperts’ Greenbull is also here. As we continue our drive, we’ll pass by a number of fascinating Mahafaly Tombs before reaching the town of Toliara once an important port of call for Dutch and English ships plying the trade routes during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

After breakfast this morning we transfer by boat from Toliara to the small fishing village of Anakao, located to the south, just past the Onilahy river estuary. The rich turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean beckon from our beach hideaway. 

Please note: due to limited space on the boat we kindly request that you take a smaller overnight bag to Anakao. Your main luggage will be stored in Toliara.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today has again been left free to enjoy Anakao.You may wish to spend your day here relaxing on the beach; alternatively there is the option to take a trip out to the island of Nosy Ve, located just off Anakao’s western shore. The island is still considered a sacred site for the local Vezo people and with its reefs and colonies of Red-tailed tropicbirds, it is an ideal place to soak up the tropical atmosphere of this island paradise, and an opportunity to do some snorkelling.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we depart Anakao and return to Toliara for our flight back to Tana, where we will spend the night.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we head to the oldest palace in Madagascar situated on Ambohimanga, a forested hill, north of Antananarivo. It was from this fortress that the Merina, a highland tribe, first established an effective administration and military command under the King Andrianampoinamerina. The fort includes the original king’s hut and later European buildings. From here we have magnificent views over the fertile rice fields below. We will then continue on to the Lemur Park which is located approximately 25km outside Tana. Nine species of lemurs coming from different regions of Madagascar wander freely in this botanical garden covering an area of five hectares of small forest situated by the Katsoaka River. The park also contains many species of the flora of Madagascar. In the afternoon you may have a chance for some last minute sightseeing or shopping in Tana before our final night of the tour.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning our tour ends in Tana after breakfast.

Included meals: Breakfast