Madagascar Adventure

Tonga Soa! Welcome to Madagascar. You'll start your journey in the country's capital – the bustling Antananarivo, surrounded by rolling hills. If you arrive early, maybe head to Analakey to visit the street markets or seek out a cafe to soak up the local atmosphere. You might also like to check out the Musee de la Photographie – a small museum showcasing the history of Madagascar between 1850 and 1870 through a series of old photographs assembled into short videos. Your adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm tonight. After, why not keep the introductions going with an optional dinner with your group at a local restaurant.

Start your day with an early morning flight to Tulear, where you'll head straight to Reniala Private Park for a memorable breakfast beneath the majestic baobab trees. Afterward, a local guide will lead you on a walk through the Spiny Forest, one of the last remaining areas of primary forest in southern Madagascar. Along the botanical trail, you'll encounter fascinating trees, including the towering baobabs with varieties like the 'dwarf,' 'teapot,' and 'rhinoceros,' some reaching over 13 meters in circumference. Birdwatchers can look forward to spotting rare species such as the Long-tailed Roller and Red-headed Coua among the 65 bird species in the reserve. During your walk, you'll also learn about Madagascar's unique flora, their traditional uses, and the vital importance of preserving this fragile ecosystem. The reserve further contributes to the local community by creating employment opportunities, particularly for women.

Today is yours to enjoy at your leisure. You might choose to relax by the pool or beach or take a stroll through the hotel’s stunning gardens. Looking for something more active? Why not visit the Recycling Museum in Tulear, an institution dedicated to environmental protection and raising awareness among locals and visitors alike.

Depart from Ifaty in the morning and make your way to Tulear. Here, your leader will show you the sites and sounds of Tulear with its charming buildings, wide lanes, and vibrant rickshaws (pousse-pousse) zipping through the streets. Locals prefer rickshaws over cars, keeping the air refreshingly clean for a city of its size. Explore tree-lined avenues with tamarind and flamboyant trees, and enjoy the lively atmosphere created by its diverse community. Afterward, pick up some food for lunch and continue to Isalo National Park.

After breakfast today, you’ll make tracks to Isalo National Park for a full day of exploration with your leader. Isalo is known for its variety of landscapes, from rainforests and rolling plains teeming with life to strange geological formations and deep-cut canyons. The park is home to over 80 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles and 14 species of mammals, including three lemur species – ring-tailed, red-fronted and the dancing sifakas lemur!

Today, you’ll say goodbye to Isalo National Park and hit the road for Fianarantsoa – a colourful town known for its heritage site. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Anja Community Reserve. The forest in Anja was designated a protected area by the Government of Madagascar in 1999. The reserve extends over 30 hectares and is enriched with all kinds of flora and fauna, most notable for its dense population of semi-tame ring-tailed lemurs. Anja has become a vital example of how community management of natural resources can effectively protect the area and benefit the community. Based on their individual skill sets, some locals work as guides and spotters or they perform administrative tasks for the reserve. The villagers will be your guides as you explore the reserve this afternoon. Tonight, you’ll stay at Ecole Hoteliere La Riziere at the foot of Fianarantsoa’s Old Town. This hotel sits above the town on a hill, providing views of the community and the rice fields below. It also doubles as a school, providing basic hospitality training to young people in the community, 65% of whom are female. Their education includes learning the challenges of sustainable development and the income from the establishment finances this training, making it possible to reduce the tuition fees for disadvantaged students.

Today you’ll explore the long, paved roads, twisting alleys and old houses of Fianarantsoa. Wander past tiled roofs and flower-studded balconies, then visit a typical Malagasy village for an insight into how most of the island's population live. Explore the surrounding countryside, dotted with rice paddies and vineyards that produce Fianarantsoa's famous wine. You'll get a chance to sample the local cuisine with a lunch stop in the village. In the afternoon, travel to Ranomafana National Park. This area is a haven for small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects, as well as palms, bamboo, orchids and carnivorous plants. This park is also home to 13 species of lemur, including the famous golden bamboo lemur, which was first reported in the area in 1985. Its presence is one of the main reasons why the government decided to protect this forest. With your free time later this afternoon, maybe visit the thermal springs the town is named after – located across the Namorona River. The outdoor swimming pool fed by the springs is a popular spot to take a dip.

Today, you’ll explore Ranomafana National Park on a 4-hour guided walk. Keep your eyes peeled for lemurs, striped civets, mongooses, goshawks, geckos, frogs and butterflies. You may even spot the incredible net-casting spider or the world's smallest chameleon! Then, transfer to ValBio Research Centre, which sits just outside the beautifully lush national park – under the direction of renowned primatologist Patricia C. Wright, the centre works to protect Madagascar’s unique and biologically diverse ecosystems through conservation projects that directly benefit local communities. You’ll get a chance to tour the centre with a researcher and sit down for an informal session to learn about the work they do. Have some lunch here, then if you have the energy, maybe head out on another included walk through the national park to spot more wildlife.

Today, you’ll make the journey to Ambositra – home to the third-largest ethnic group in Madagascar, the Betsileo people. Ambositra is known as the arts, crafts and wood carving capital of Madagascar. You’ll stop by the Id’om Art workshop and learn more about marquetry – the practise of cutting and assembling small pieces of coloured wood, using a hand-operated jigsaw. The jigsaw is created from old car tyres’ wire and it can take up to 2 months to make a 1-m-wide artwork. You’ll see how these craftsmen create their amazingly detailed marquetry with sheets of naturally coloured wood and you’ll have the opportunity to browse the impressive artworks on display.

This morning, you'll visit the nearby Sandrandahy association to learn about the process of silk production, which is an important part of Malagasy culture. When a Malagasy is buried, their body is wrapped in a large silk sheet known as a 'lambamena' and after a few years, the family traditionally returns to the tomb to exchange the sheet for a new one. The association supports over 40 women from neighbouring villages – a holistic approach to community development, with traditional silk weaving as its hub. After learning more about this initiative, you’ll drive to Antsirabe, located in the Malagasy highlands. This evening, sit down for a group dinner in the gazebo within the grounds of the guest house.

Today is a long travel day as you make your way to Andasibe. The most visited park in Madagascar, Andasibe National Park is famous for the 11 species of lemur that call this place home. This afternoon, relax at your accommodation and get ready for tomorrow’s adventures.

This morning, you’ll set out to discover all the unique wildlife in Andasibe National Park on a guided walk. Look out for lemurs, endemic birds, frogs and insects. Later, you'll take a night walk through the forest of Analamazaotra Special Reserve. This forest was formed in 1999 by residents of the village of Andasibe in east-central Madagascar. Today, the organisation is composed of more than 50 members from the local community who focus on conservation, research and sustainable development initiatives. In total, the reserve positively impacts more than 400 households in the Andasibe area. Experience the rainforest after dark, where nocturnal mouse lemurs, chameleons, geckos, frogs and fireflies come alive.

After breakfast this morning you’ll head off for your final stop in Antananarivo. When you arrive back in Antananarivo, you’ll take part in a hands-on Madagascan chocolate workshop led by a local chocolate maker. Learn about the ingredients used in chocolate-making, the refinement process and some of the secrets as to why Malagasy chocolate is so unique and delicious. After preparing your own take-home chocolate creations, Malagasy pastries will be served with a selection of local teas, coffees and for the adventurous, rhum arrangé (flavoured rum). Tonight, why not keep the celebrations going with a final dinner with your group and toast your Madagascar adventure with a local beer or two.

With no activities planned for today, your adventure ends after breakfast and you’re free to leave at any time after check-out. Departure transfers are available, just speak to your booking agent or local leader. If you’d like to extend your time in Antananarivo, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.