Itinerary Details

African Travel: Magical Madagascar

Day 1 Arrive Antananarivo, Madagascar
Tonga Soa! Bienvenue! Enjoy a fetching French-Malagasy welcome and your first night in ‘Tana,’ Madagascar’s 500-year-old capital.
Maison Gallieni

Meals: (D)

Day 2 Antananarivo / Andasibe
Meet your guide and begin your journey past rice fields and fruit stands to Andasibe, gateway to the Perinet Reserve. Check into your airy bungalow beneath the palms and enjoy the music of the rainforest. Later this afternoon visit a private reserve operated by Mitsinjo, a local NGO.
Mantadia Lodge

Meals: (BLD)

Day 3 Andasibe
Spend a fascinating day exploring Mantadia National Park. Be on the lookout for Grey bamboo lemur, Red-bellied lemur and White ruffed lemur. This is a naturalist’s goldmine with many seldom seen species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Perhaps you’ll spot a Scaly Ground Roller or a Red Breasted Coua. While the trails are slightly more difficult, the rewards are great as the forest is taller, wilder and less crowded. In the evening you may choose to go on a night walk to witness the antics of the nocturnal species.
Mantadia Lodge

Meals: (BLD)

Day 4 Andasibe / Antananarivo
After breakfast, visit the Perinet Reserve or, as the Malagasy call it, the Analamazaotra rainforest. As you walk with your guide, listen for the haunting wails of the Indri Indri, the largest of lemurs. There are another 11 species of lemur to spot as you walk through the rainforest. This is a birdwatcher’s delight and special ones to look out for are the Velvet Asity and Nuthatch Vanga. After lunch, return to Antananarivo.
Maison Gallieni

Meals: (BLD)

Day 5 Antananarivo / Mandrare River
Fly to Fort Dauphin where your guide awaits your arrival to transport you to the southern island’s arid, other-worldly terrain. Settle into your tent and enjoy the majestic views of the river and mountains beyond. Late in the afternoon, if time permits, 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. The Ringtail Lemurs and Verreaux’s Sifaka bed down for the night as a whole host of different and interesting creatures start to stir. Torchlight unveils the shining eyes of White-footed Sportive Lemurs and Grey and Grey-Brown Mouse Lemurs scurrying through the trees looking for their next meal.
Mandrare River Camp

Meals: (BLD)

Day 6 Mandrare River
Awaken to the tantalizing aroma of baked croissants before setting out for the Sacred Gallery forest. A guided walk among the tamarind trees will reveal large groups of Ring-tailed lemurs and dancing Verreaux’s sifakas. Return to camp for lunch and a relaxed afternoon by the pool. In the late afternoon, go for a walk through the Sacred Spiny forest dotted with the ancestral tombs of the local Antandroy tribe, as well as an extraordinary array of flora and fauna, unique to the Spiny forest. Learn about the Antandroy culture and customs. Toast your day with sundowners on the river bank.
Mandrare River Camp

Meals: (BLD)

Day 7 Mandrare River
Immerse yourself in the tapestry of valley life as you spend the morning with your guide at the local marketplace, mingling with the Malagasy who have travelled from afar to buy and sell their wares. Lunch will be served in camp followed by a relaxed afternoon observing life along the river. Later this afternoon enjoy a sundowner among the baobabs, watching the sun set and moon rise is a magical experience. In the evening the local village may come to perform their beautiful traditional dances, accompanied by singing and music.
Mandrare River Camp

Meals: (BLD)

Day 8 Mandrare River / Antananarivo
After breakfast, your driver will take you to the airport in Fort Dauphin for your flight to Antananarivo. Settle into your hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
Novotel Convention & Spa Antananarivo

Meals: (BD)

Day 9 Antananarivo / Depart
Return to the airport for your international departure flight.


Meals: (B)