Discover the beautiful Island Madagascar with its unique nature and culture - the only place where you can see Lemurs and other unique wildlife. An unforgettable trip with a competent guide.
THE BIG ISLAND Does an island with such a diversity exist?
Sand beaches, sun, sea and coconut trees are all present all along the coast. And just nearby, the beautiful scenery can change marvellously: tropical forests, dry forests, steppes and savannahs, large valleys both green and red ones are lined up offering you a genuine beauty of the nature. The island shelters an unique fauna and flora that is the reason why the visitor never gets tired of travelling from one region to another .
On top of that you will encounter friendly and smiling faces wherever you go reminding you of the friendly nature of the land and its inhabitants. Local people have a simple way of living but are truly happy. At dawn, most of the peasants eagerly go to work in the fields.
You can only see all this on the island continent Madagascar. No wonder it has become one of the most sought after destinations. And yet, mass tourism has not reached the island and its charm has been preserved.
You too, can discover this fascinating world and its strong cultural identity through. Experience a once in a lifetime adventure.
We can make your dream come true
ITINERARY : Tana - Périnet - Tana - Antsirabe - Ranomafana - Ranohira (Isalo) via Fianarantsoa and Ambalavao - Ifaty via Tuléar
Day 1 Arrival in Tana Arrival at the airport welcome and transfer to the hotel. City-tour in Tana. Hotel Grégoire*** BB
Day 2 Tana - Périnet 142 km Transfer to Marozevo, 72 km from Tana. Visit of the exotic farming centre of Mr.Pereyras where you will see chameleon species of Madagascar, butterflies, lizards, snakes and other interesting animals. Continuation to Périnet. Possibility for a Nocturnal walk near the Reserve of Périnet. Feon'ny Ala Hotel (Bungalow near the Reserve)/ Mikalo Hotel BB
Day 3 Périnet In the Reserve of Périnet you can see the Indri, the biggest lemur species in the world. The Indri differ from the other sorts through their loud communication calls that can be heard even from 4 km distance. Lunch at the Restaurant Feon ' Ny Ala. Visit of the village Andasibe. Mikalo Hotel / Feon'ny Ala Hotel (Bungalow near the Reserve) BB
Day 4 Périnet - Tana 170 km Drive back to Tana. Hotel Grégoire*** BB
Day 5 Tana - Ambositra 250 km Departure for Antsirabe by car in the Highlands through the green rice fields. Continuation to Antsirabe, the town was built by the Norwegian missionaries and is famous for its rickshaws, thermal springs, semi-precious and precious stones. Visit of a stone cutter factory, of workshops producing small velos with recycling tins and souvenirs items made of zebu horn. Continuaiton to Ambositra, capital of the Zafimaniry region, known for its sculpture and marquetery. Hotel l'Artisan BB
Day 6 Ambositra - Ranomafana 240 km Drive to Ambatovaky, visit of a Smiths' village. Drive to the National Park of Ranomafana, where the golden bamboo lemur was rediscovered in 1989. Several endemic animal species can be seen : birds, chameleons, frogs, insects and lemurs. Possibility for a nocturnal walk near the National Park. Hotel Ihary/ Hotel Le Grenat/ Hotel Manja BB
Day 7 Ranomafana In the morning, visit in the National Park of Ranomafana. In the afternoon, possibility to swim in the Thermal swimming-pool in the village. Hotel Ihary/ Hotel Le Grenat/ Hotel Manja BB
Day 8 Ranomafana - Ranohira via Fianarantsoa and Ambalavao 360 km Drive to Fianarantsoa. Transfer to Ambalavao, the wine-growing region and the biggest zebu-market of the island.
Stop at the Antaimoro paper-manufacturing centre; nice papers are made all by hand from plants similar to papyrus, the so-called "Avoha" and decorated with many flowers.
You have left the Hauts-Plateaux and enter the Bush in the South. In the next town Ihosy, the capital of the Bara tribe (mostly shepherds), you will meet Bara people with spears and large zebu herds, a sign of wealth in the southern region. Continuation through the grasslands of Horombe to the ruin-like massif of Isalo, home for lemurs and sapphire. Motel de L'Isalo Orchidée de l'Isalo Hotel HB
Day 9 Ranohira Walking in the National Park of Isalo, to the waterfall of Namazaha or to the "natural swimming-pool"; a delightful oasis in the middle of the ruin-like massif. The tombs of the Bara people are placed between the rocks in the Park. Birds, snakes, lemurs. live there. Nice palm-trees remind you of the Arabian landscapes. Motel de L'Isalo HB
Day 10 Ranohira -Tuléar - Ifaty 267 km Traveling towards Tuléar. On your way you will see the fantastic baobabs that can be used as water reservoir for the inhabitants. On this day you will see the famous big Mahafaly tombs. These are particularly interesting because of the sceneries representing the daily life of the deceased. Drive to the amazing Arboretum of Antsokay which shelters more than thousand species of endemic plants of the South, visit. Continuation to Tuléar. Transfer to Ifaty. Lakana Vezo Hotel BB
Day 11 Ifaty Here you can enjoy a whole day of relaxation with a nice view on the sea as Ifaty is an idyllic and quiet fishers' village, a paradise for divers. Free schedule. Possibility for nautical activities. Lakana Vezo BB
Day 12 Ifaty - Tuléar - Tana Transfer to Tuléar, flight back to Tana. Transfer to the airport for the flight back to Europe
INCLUDED - Bed and Breakfast during the trip except in Isalo - Half board in Isalo - Car with English speaking driver including fuel from Tana to Tuléar - Tuléar/Ifaty/Tuléar - Transfers airports/hotels/airports - Entrance fees for the parcs et reserves according to the programme. - Flight from Tuléar to Antananarivo with taxes
NOT INCLUDED - International flights - English speaking Local guides for the parcs et reserves according to the programme. - Meals and Drinks - Personal expenses - Any Insurances
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With great sense of satisfaction, we would Like to say that our first trip to Madagascar was fantastic.
All Credit to the tour operator, who has stretched herself beyond to make the group comfortable. The tour Guide Mr Jean Jaques with his unparalleled knowledge of flora and fauna made our trip a super success.
We honour both of them and thank them from the bottom of our Hearts. We would be doing this trip Regularly.
2
Client:
Karin McCollum - from United States
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
If you want to be in the caring hands of someone who meets you at the beginning, explains everything line by line, sends you off with the English speaking driver, meets you again upon your return to debrief you on how things went, sign up NOW with this tour operator, with Fanja as your manager.
Think of a mother sending her children off to camp with love and concern for her dependents. She was every bit as stellar as all the other recommendations stated and leaves nothing to chance. She truly wants to ensure your trip is fantastic and settles only for the best for you.
Thank you, Fanja, and driver Hengu!!
3
Client:
Jo and Howard Fine - from United States
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
Before I begin, I must say............it is impossible to capsulate our experience in a brief paragraph.
We would be most happy to provide you our thoughts on one of the most pleasurable trips we have ever taken. And, thank you, Africa Guide, for providing this most appreciated referral.
First of all, a little background on us. We are certainly globetrotters, seeking to see as much of the world as we can in a lifetime! We have been to 132 countries, and have made a pact with ourselves to not return to any........unless it is passing through, or in conjunction with another "new" itinerary. However.......that may now change!
In 2004, we had watched an episode of "Lonely Planet", now known as "Globetrekkers", on the country of Madagascar. Since seeing that one episode, Madagascar has been on our "short list"! Only now, have we found the time to go and complete our dream!
We love to customize our own tours to each our destinations, thus controlling lost time that might be spent on something we are not interested in seeing. So when we received Africa Guide's referral, that was one of the first issues we discussed with the tour operator. Fanja was every traveler's dream of a tour operator! She truly represents the epitome of "grace"! She began a supportive dialogue with us upon our first contact, and it has continued until this day.
Fanja was diligent in her effort to ensure that we were able to include each of the destinations on our checklist; and that they could realistically be covered in a 10-day itinerary. Ten days, however, was just an appetizer in a land with main courses spread out in so many directions. And, Madagascar just may be the first country in which we break our pact to "not return" to a destination we had previously visited!
We began our tour the minute we were picked up from the airport, heading south to Antsirabe, where we arrived at nightfall. Our driver and English-speaking guide, Mr. Romance, was as positive as his name! He stuck with us the entire trip, and did a superb job of introducing us to his country. He stopped when we needed, or when we asked for a "photo stop". He openly discussed the culture and lifestyle of the country. He was attentive, and strived to keep us comfortable and informed.
One of our most dubious side trips, proved to be the most adventurous and fun! We longed to take a drive into the back country somewhere in Madagascar, and we chose Andringrita National Park! Fanja knew it would be a difficult journey, and was always upfront about this. But, it only intrigued us more! She did not question our enthusiasm, and cheerfully agreed to work with contacts in Ambalavo to arrange a 4Xwheel drive vehicle and driver for us. We set off on a 27 mile see-saw ride, which took 3.5 hours to complete, due to poor road conditions! We spent a few hours enjoying the beauty of the park, trekking the trails, and enjoying a picnic lunch at a view point before turning around to repeat the 3.5 hours in our return.
The operator offers services with a high degree of ethics, cooperative spirit, and an intent to please their clients. Fanja responded to all our pre-trip questions within 24 hours! If we had a lodging preference, she agreed to arrange it. She was there at the airport to meet us when we arrived, she came to the hotel prior to our departure home, and she followed up with us once we returned home. Should we decide to return to Madagascar, Fanja and her agency will be our first contact!
And one final note: One of the most magical places on earth has to be in the area of I'Isalo National Park! The park is studded with rock formations that seem to grow out of the land! Perhaps our most awesome experience within these dramatic "rock stars", occurred during our dusk-time visit to La Fenetre de I'Isalo; a "must do" stop after a day of trekking, to watch the sun set through a natural opening in a large lichen-covered rock. There, we......... by pure happenchance.......... caught a glimpse of the rising full moon, perfectly centered, as we gazed through the opposite side of this interesting geological oddity! What a photo; what a memory! Only timing and luck.......or by good "Grace"??? And the Le Jardin du Roy Hotel, which was just a few miles away, and where we stayed, continued to carry on the spirit of this land. Our room was literally surrounded on two sides by big, beautiful boulders! Waking up in the middle of the night and seeing the moonlight reflecting off the stone boulders, kept this magical park alive! A footnote to the note: Hotel Le Jardin surpasses many 5 star hotels in the US! It is castle-like, built with tons of stone, each placed in an almost artistic pattern. Huge cathedral ceilings. And all the amenities of the finest of hotels; including the food and its presentation!!!
We did see the lemurs, chameleons, zebu, and other endemic animals, but it was the landscapes, the spiky plantlife, and the peoples and their cultures that held the most interest and intrigue for us. Madagascar has something for everyone! But one can't wait too long. Forests are being replaced with rice fields. Natural habitats to wildlife are being lost. But the people and their lifestyle remain largely unaffected by Western influence, for now. It remains a country that is still on the frontier of tourism. And now is the best time to go! The vanilla is the best! And Dzama's Coco Punch.....is to die for!!!
Our tour exceeded our expectations, and it was all made possible by the assistance, the patience, and the expertise of this operator and Fanja!
4
Client:
Don & Cherie Chantler - from Australia
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 9/10
Comment:
We had a really great trip through Madagascar. The tour was well organised, the driver was excellent and the itinerary gave us a great introduction to the sights of the island.
Fanja was really helpful throughout, from the initial briefing session to dealing with the chaos at Tuliar airport!
The real downside of the trip was the overbooking of our return flight from Tuliar to Tana. This completely disrupted our holiday and meant that we missed the connecting flight to Mauritius. When we checked in to fly back to Antananarivo on Air Madagascar, we were told that the plane was full (even though we HAD tickets), and there were no other flights back for 30 hours. We believe that there is widespread corruption by Air Madagascar staff at Tuliar airport who take bribes from passengers to ensure their seat on the plane.
The tour operator worked really hard to sort out this problem. The driver came back to the airport to try to help, and they re-scheduled our flights, organised additional accommodation and took us to the Head Office of Air Madagascar (with little result).
Overall a great place to visit, so different and interesting, the operator is a great travel company, would recommend them to anyone, but beware of flying Air Madagascar who have the monopoly for internal flights.
5
Client:
Brian - from United Kingdom
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Madagascar. The arrangements all worked well and, although there were one or two aspects of the trip where improvements to the itinerary could be made, all in all we thought that our trip was the perfect introduction to an incredibly diverse and interesting country.
We loved seeing all the wonderful animals on our trips into the National Parks, and the guides and in particular our driver were excellent.
We certainly hope to return to see different parts of the island and would definitely use the same travel company again.
6
Client:
Nicholas Hartley - from United Kingdom
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
We had an excellent holiday.
All the contact with the tour operator prior to our trip was very helpful and the organisation of the tour was well planned.
The system of contact via your web site initially but then direct with operator worked well.
Thanks for the contact
7
Client:
Lesley and Nigel - from United Kingdom
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
We, a 50s couple, had an amazing time travelling over 1000km over the 11 days from the capital, Tana, to Ifaty on the south-west coast and then by internal flight back to Tana and a couple nights in Andasibe.
Walked through rainforests - day and night, hiked across the National Park of Isalo, rode in Zebu carts. Hotels were sometimes a little basic but all were charming, can particularly recommend the Hotel l'Artisan, Ambositra and the Ifaty Beach Club (Oh, and the French restaurant at Hotel Grégoire, Tana).
Our driver, Aro, was great even with the challenges of Madagascan roads and in organising good guides at all the national parks. Food was good (Zebu fillet can be delicious) but you need to be constantly aware of taking basic hygiene precautions.
Yes, lots of good memories - not least the friendliness of the Malagasy people.
8
Client:
Janet South - from United Kingdom
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
The operator put together an independent 15-day trip for two of us, travelling south from Tana to include the major cultural experiences as well as some of the nature reserves.
Everything worked very well and we were particularly impressed by our driver, Mamy,
We would recommend this firm to anyone.
9
Client:
Griselda Cacho - from Mexico
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
My trip in Madagascar was fantastic. The service by the operator was excellent.
The places I visited were interesting and the variety of landscapes is amazing. I would have liked to spend more days in Isalo as it has a lot to offer to adventures like me. (I travelled by myself).
10
Client:
Linda Kohl - from United States
Trip:
This trip: Nature & Culture Tour of Madagascar
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
Our tour was "fantabulous" ("fantastic+fabulous").
Fanja (the tour operator) and our driver were more than willing to help us with our sometimes difficult requests. In addition, Fanja took great care in changing the itinerary to accomodate some of the specific requests that we had. (For example we added a day to the tour, added another national park, and requested a specific lodging at the park.)
We loved our tour: the weather was great, the culture and nature were captivating, the accomodations were very good, and the concern for our enjoyment exceptional. I would recommend the operator to anyone.
