As young couple or friends, do you want to visit Madagascar and have a small budget but desire to discover the country and have a close contact to its population? Then this is the right trip for you.
Day1 Arrival in Tana Arrival at the airport welcome and transfer to the hotel. Hotel Overnighting in a simple but comfortable hotel BB
Day2 Antananarivo City-tour in Tana.Visit of the palace on the sacred hill of Ambohimanga. Hotel Overnighting in a simple but comfortable hotel BB
Day3 Antananarivo - 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. The visit of the stone cutter factory is a must. Continuation to Ambositra, capital of the Zafimaniry region, known for its sculpture and marquetery. Hotel l'Artisan/ Hotel Violette / Hotel Mania BB
Day4 Ambositra - Ranomafana 170 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
Day5 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
Day6 Ranomafana-Manakara 120 km Drive to the East Coast, to Manakara, today You will pass through Ravinala Forests (Travelers' Palm) and export plants plantations such as cloves, Leeche-trees and Pepper.... Hotel La Vanille or similar BB
bold]Day7 Manakara: Excursion on wooden canoe on the Pangalanes Channel Hotel La Vanille or similar BB
Day 8 Driving by Train from Manakara through Rain Forests to Fianarantsoa 160 km
You continue the trip to Fianarantsoa by trip. With the slow Malagasy train and the many stops You can have a close look at the way of living of Tanala Tribe, who lives in and on Forests. ZomatelBB
Day9 Fianarantsoa - Ranohira via Ambalavao : (visit of the villagers' lemurs Park Anja) 300 km
City-tour in 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. Visit of the villagers' lemurs Park Anja, where you will have teh possibility to see ring tailed lemurs (maki) and brown lemurs very closely.
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 HB.
Day10 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
Day11 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. Lunch at Resaurant "Auberge de la Table", after the walking in the amazing Arboretum of Antsokay which shelters more than thousand species of endemic plants of the South such as the spiny plants and the the euphorbiaceas. Continuation to Tuléar . Transfer to Ifaty. Ifaty Beach Club Hotel/Lakana Vezo BB
Day12 and 13 Ifaty Here you can enjoy 2 whole days of relaxation with a nice view on the sea as Ifaty is an idyllic and quiet fishers' village, a paradise for divers. Walking in the Baobab forest near the Hotel to see the spiny forets, especially interesting birds and other animals Free schedule. Possibility for nautical activities. Lakana Vezo BB
Day14 Ifaty - Tuléar - Tana Transfer to Tuléar, flight back to Tana. Overnight in a simple but comfortable Hotel BB
Day15 Tana Free day. Overnight in a simple but comfortable Hotel BB
Day16 Flight back to Europe Shopping at an artisans' market. 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 - Transfers Tuléar/Ifaty/Tuléar - Transfers airports/hotels/airports - Flight from Tuléar to Antananarivo with taxes
Not Included - International flights - Visas (if required) - Local guides and entrance fees for the parcs et reserves according to the programme. - Meals and drinks - Personal expenses - Any Insurances
Price Per Person: EURO 1425 Airfare Included From: Tuléar to Tana
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This trip: Madagascar Budget Trip - Canoe, Train & Car
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
Great experience!
A friendly and very attentive tour company run by lovely and multilingual Ms. Fanja and conducted by Mr. Romance, the extraordinary driver-guide-translator and my newest friend.
Highly recommended!!!
2
Client:
Blasco D'souza - from Australia
Trip:
This trip: Madagascar Budget Trip - Canoe, Train & Car
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
I spent nearly three weeks in Madagascar in March. What an amazingly unusual and varied country! I am still struck by the unique harmony of the tall red brick houses and red earth combined with intense greenery of terraced rice fields in the Haute Plateau. The majestic granite outcrops near Fianarantsoa could have come from 'Lord of the Rings'. Even the cleared hills south of Ranohira had an uncanny beauty...and all of this is before the big attractions of wandering through primary rainforests laced with disarmingly inquisitive fauna, clambering over craggy limestone formations of Isalo Massif, and lazing on an idyllic beach or snorkelling in the fringing reef.
As my opportunity to travel came up at very short notice I was delighted to receive a quick response from the operator to my enquiry through the Africa Guide website. After I indicated an interest in trekking in national parks, wildlife and photography the administrator (Fanja) quickly adjusted the itinery and suggested better accommodation sites as they became available.
The term 'budget holiday' really is a misnomer because it suggests you must be 'roughing it', but this is far from the case. I travelled in in a very comfortable private car, stayed in hotels ranging from good to inspiring, and I was served such big breakfasts that lunch was often not required. Just remember, don't always order an entree and main meal unless you are ravenous! Even the most elaborate seafood meals were inexpensive by Australian standards and the service was always great.
My driver (Mamy) was excellent with his quiet attention to safety combined with a great sense of humour as well as providing intriguing stories behind the numerous sights. When initially reading about travel to Madagascar I suspect some people may be intimidated by various authors mentioning a need to speak Malagache or French. For an Anglophone with only a small amount of high school French I was pleasantly surprised to encounter English speaking staff at all the hotels and tourist sites,..and Mamy was never far away to sort out any misunderstandings.
Madagascar has to be experienced.
3
Client:
Alan Feigenbaum - from United States
Trip:
This trip: Madagascar Budget Trip - Canoe, Train & Car
Rating:
rating 8/10
Comment:
I participated in the 16 day Madagascar tour including the Manakara to Fianarantsoa train trip.
It was a wonderful time for the most part but the stay at the Manakara beach bungalow was not up to par.
Other than that everything else was fine. All hotels were very clean, with hot showers, flush toilets, and good food. prices were reasonable too.
Would recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys strange flora and fauna.
Tour Operators Reply:
Thanks for the constructive feedback as it does help us to improve services.
I am pleased that Alan had a good holiday but sorry that the Beach Bungalow was not up to standard.
Alan did mention to us about his dis-satisfaction with the Manakara Beach Bungalow, he explained it was clean but too primitive. I told him we had the same remarks from a client a short while before he arrived and we wanted to change the itinerary and book at another hotel. Unfortunately as the telephone connexion to Manakara were all out of order so we could not change the hotel at that late stage.
We no longer use Manakara Beach Bungalow.
4
Client:
Chris Dyt - from Australia
Trip:
This trip: Madagascar Budget Trip - Canoe, Train & Car
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
My wife and I completed "The Budget Trip, train to Manakara, trekkings", in October 2006. Our trip was almost identical to the suggested itenary with only slight modifications to incorperate a couple of extra days in some places, and reduce time in one place. All this was easily arranged before hand via email with Mrs Fanja.
The tour operator organised a great driver for us, who spoke more than reasonable english, and who did alot more for us than just drive, such as helping organise excellent guides for walks in National Parks. He was also a wealth of information about the local customs, habits, etiquette and could suggest great places to eat.
The accomodation ranged, from quite/very luxurious in some locations, to clean and comfortable mid range places, through to only two places where whilst clean, the beds were pretty uncomfortable. This was mainly due to a lack of other options in those places (and the scenery outside was excellent).
Really "Budget Trip" is a bit of a misnomer, you stay at pretty much the same places that other trips do (in fact where most tour operators put tourists). We chose the trip because of the extra time in National Parks, and the train trip to Manakara which was just fantastic.
Having someone who knows the different towns and hotels pre book for you makes a big difference, especially in peak season where the limited accomodation must pack out. Having a driver is really the only way to do it if you want to move around at any sort of pace and still be able to stop where you wish.
Really I cant fault the operator, they communicated very well, organised a great tour, driver and accomodation. Minor hiccups (outside of their control) were dealt with quickly and with no effort from us. I'd heartily recommend them.
