Upon arrival into Ivato Airport you will be greeted by your private, English speaking guide who will accompany you to your hotel in the upper town of Antananarivo. ‘Tana’ – as the locals call it has fascinating traditional architecture and a more Indonesian influence than the rest of Madagascar.

Main Destination: Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation: Maison Gallieni

Luxury guest house located in Antananarivo (City)

 

Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)

 

After breakfast, your guide will transfer you east to Andasibe, a stunning rainforest park, about 4 hours’ drive from the city. The park consists of two protected areas, the Perinet Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park. Perinet is world famous for its population of Indri lemurs, which are the largest living lemur species. The journey to Andasibe offers first time visitors to Madagascar an introduction to rural life with rice fields, redbrick houses and roadside stalls selling seasonal fruits and vegetables lining the route.

In the afternoon, visit of Lemur Island, Vakona Lodge’s Private Reserve that protects a number of habituated lemurs. There are four species to see, the bamboo lemur, the black & white ruffed lemur, brown lemur and one diademed sifaka.

Main Destination: Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Accommodation: Mantadia Lodge

Mid-range lodge located outside Andasibe-Mantadia NP

 

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

After breakfast you will head to Mantadia National Park (1.5 hour drive) with a picnic lunch. Look for some of the lemur species in this stunning park including the indri, diademed sifaka, grey bamboo lemur, red-bellied lemur and white ruffed lemur. While the trails are slightly more difficult, the rewards are great as the forest is taller, wilder and less crowded than Perinet.

There are an abundance of birds including the scaly ground roller, the pitta-like ground roller and the breasted coua. To do justice to Mantadia you need to spend a whole day in the park. This is a naturalist’s goldmine with many seldom seen species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Enjoy a picnic by the Rianasoa Waterfall before hiking back to the vehicle and return to the lodge. In the evening, you may choose to go on another night walk with your local guide.

Main Destination: Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Accommodation: Mantadia Lodge

Mid-range lodge located outside Andasibe-Mantadia NP

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

After an early breakfast, enjoy a visit to the 810 hectare Perinet Reserve with a local guide in search of the Indri. With a barely visible tail, black and white markings and a surprised teddy–bear face, this lemur is one of the few animals in the world that cannot survive in captivity.

There are other 11 species of lemur to spot as you walk through the rainforest. You may find a troop of grey bamboo lemurs, common brown lemurs, diademed sifaka and the black and white ruffed lemurs. Birdwatchers should look out for the velvet asity, the blue coua and the Nuthatch vanga and many more endemic species. Perinet is home to many reptiles, invertebrates, and some of Madagascar’s over a thousand orchid species. After lunch, drive back to Tana and continue to your hotel in town.

Main Destination: Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation: Novotel Convention & Spa Antananarivo

Luxury hotel located in Antananarivo (City)

 

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)

 

Today we’ll transfer to Ivato Airport for a short flight to Fort Dauphin. In Fort Dauphin, you will be met by a guide and vehicle from Mandrare River Camp who will escort you to one of the best restaurants in Fort Dauphin. After an early lunch, drive to Mandrare River Camp (4 hours).

Upon arrival at the camp, settle into your tent and enjoy the majestic views over the Mandrare River. At around 5:00 pm, depart for a night walk in the Forest of Zenavo. This is a fantastic way to see diurnal lemurs bedding down and the nocturnal lemurs begin to wake in the eerie and prehistoric Spiny Forest. You will spot sifakas and sleeping white-foot sportive lemurs, then once the sun has set, two mouse lemur species, sleeping birds, chameleons, owls and now active sportive lemurs.

Main Destination: Fort Dauphin (Town)

Accommodation: Mandrare River Camp

Luxury tented camp located just outside Ifotaka Forest

 

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

After breakfast, you will head out to the stunning sacred gallery forest to the south of the camp. Depending on the river depth, you will walk or take a boat across the Mandrare River to reach this largely deciduous forest. Inquisitive groups of ring tailed lemurs and the always entertaining Verreaux sifaka are the highlight of this excursion. Return to camp for lunch and a relaxed afternoon by the pool.

Late in the afternoon, 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. Your private guide and a tracker from the local community will give you an introduction to Antandroy culture and customs. Your visit is followed by sundowners on the Mandrare River banks.

Main Destination: Fort Dauphin (Town)

Accommodation: Mandrare River Camp

Luxury tented camp located just outside Ifotaka Forest

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

After breakfast, drive to Fort Dauphin (4hours) in time for your Tsaradia flight back to Tana. Upon arrival into Ivato Airport you will be greeted by an English speaking guide from MCC who will accompany you to your hotel just nearby the airport. You stay in a Superior room and have access to the hotels great facilities included a fantastic restaurant.

Main Destination: Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation: Novotel Convention & Spa Antananarivo

Luxury hotel located in Antananarivo (City)

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

After an early breakfast, your driver will take you back to Ivato Airport in time for your scheduled charter flight to Maroantsetra. The densely forested Masoala Peninsula contains the largest remaining block of protected rainforest in Madagascar and harbours a wealth of rare and unique species including the red-ruffed lemur, seen only in Masoala. You are met on arrival and transfered to the jetty to board the 2 hour boat voyage across Antongil Bay to Masoala Forest Lodge. Sightings of dolphins and whales are likely.

On arrival at the lodge beach, you are welcomed ashore and settle into your thatch and canvas tree-house. The afternoon activities include exploring the beaches and coastal forest in the lodge area and maybe enjoying a swim in the sea, before taking a guided walk along the coast past Tampolo Point, with the possibility of spotting white-fronted brown lemurs in the coastal forest. Return to camp to sundowners on the beach before dinner is served in the beach house.

Main Destination: Masoala National Park

Accommodation: Masoala Forest Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Masoala NP

 

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

You have two days exploring with Masoala. Explore the primary rainforest in search of the red-ruffed lemurs, dwarf chameleons and other wildlife endemic to this forest. The afternoon activities could be a snorkel on the nearby coral reefs, rich in diversity, or a guided sea kayak to the look-out rock at the “Secret Cove” for the sun set, with the chance of a close encounter with bottlenose dolphin or green turtle.

Sightings of the incredible scaly and short-legged ground-rollers are regular. Mixed species flocks can contain an incredible diversity of vangas – the islands most celebrated bird family. After a couple of hours walk, take a welcome swim in the crystal clear pools of the Tampolo River at the foot of the forested mountains. In the evening, enjoy a guided nocturnal walk with the intriguing possibility of seeing some of the secretive nocturnal wildlife such as leaf-tailed gecko, mouse lemurs and maybe even the elusive aye-aye.

Main Destination: Masoala National Park

Accommodation: Masoala Forest Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Masoala NP

Meals & Drinks: All meals included

 

This morning you head back to Maroansetra by boat in time for you scheduled charter flight back to Tana. Upon arrival your driver guide will assist you in checking for your outbound flight.

Main Destination: No major destination visited

Accommodation: No accommodation

End of 12 Days Madagascar Tour

INQUIRE NOW

GENERAL INFORMATION ON A MADAGASCAR SAFARI

 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: All visitors to Madagascar must have a valid passport with at least 4 consecutive blanks pages.  Any applicable visa and/or relevant documentation are the responsibility of the traveller.  For further information on Visa requirements visitors are advised to contact their nearest Madagascar Embassy or Consulate.

 

LANGUAGE:English

 

TIME: GMT +3

 

VOLTAGE: 220 Volts/AC50Hz. Sockets are UK style, 3 pin square plugs. Power is from the government in the city/major towns and generator with inverter back up in the Safari Lodges and Camps.

 

CURRENCY: Foreign currency must be changed at the Bank, Bureau de Change, and Hotel/Safari lodge/Camp/Resort.   Major Credit Cards, Master card, Visa, American Express, are usually accepted throughout the country.  Where credit cards are accepted, the payment will normally be recorded in US$ regardless of the card’s default currency.

 

CLOTHING: Dress is mainly informal and should be comfortable as well as practical. Something warm should be brought along for early morning and evenings. Safari clothes are available from hotels/lodges/camps.

 

BAGGAGE: Where possible, travel light. Baggage space on safari is limited to medium suitcase or soft bag per person plus reasonable amount of hand luggage. There is 15 Kilogram per person limit on all flights to the wildlife sanctuaries. Excess luggage must be stored in your arrival hotel.

 

WATER: You will find many different of opinion of what is safe and what is not. We recommend for peace of mind, to drink local Bottled Mineral water. It is important to drink plenty of water especially during the hotter months. We would recommend that guests drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration.

 

HEALTH; East Africa is a safe and secure destination; however, it is a good idea to take a few precautions.  Kindly consult your GP or local doctor at least 6 weeks before you travel, with regards: Malaria prophylactics. East Africa is a known malaria area and preventive measures are essential. You are advised to take one of the recommended anti-malarial drugs.  Be sure to wear long sleeved shorts and trousers after sunset and spray the exposed parts of your body with a mosquito repellent spray Remember to protect yourself from direct sun rays with sunscreen cream or safari hat.

 

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS: For those guests with specific dietary requirement, please ensure we are notified prior to travel

 

GRATUITIES: As a guideline and dependent on how happy you are, we would suggest the following: The General Hotel/Lodge/Camp Staff – Approximately U$ 10.00 per person per day Driver Guides – Approximately US$ 15.00 to US$ 20.00 per person per day.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY: Please be careful when photographing public buildings, airports, bridges, the national flag and people in uniform.  Ensure that you have sought permission before photographing local people and their villages.  If in doubt, please check with your guide.

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