A fantastic tour with the English-speaking guide Klaus Heimer, who has lived in the country for more than 12 years as a photographer and journalist. Meet the locals, enjoy the knowledge from the guide and many good photo opportunities. you will also experience some culinary highlights and of course several encounters with the lemurs that are only found here. According to Abbreviationfinder, Madagascar is a country located in eastern Africa. See Countryaah for more countries starting with letter M.
The trip is for 18 days / 17 nights. We can help book flights and possibly extra nights on request.
Highlights:
Antananarivo, Andasibe National Park, Palmariun Private Reserve, Sainte-Marie, Ranomafana National Park, Ampefy etc.
This is included in the trip:
- Accommodation in hotels specified in the program or equivalent hotels with breakfast. On Sainte-Marie with half board (breakfast and dinner)
- All transfers according to the program
- Entrances and local guides to parks or reserves (Andasibe and Ranomafana)
- Car, minibus or bus with driver depending on the size of the group
- One bottle of water per person per day
- Train ticket Fianarantsoa – Manakara
- Motorboat Manambato-Akanin ´ny Nofy – Tamatave
- English and German speaking guide
- Tourist tax
Price from: SEK 25,095 per person.
For more detailed information, see program and travel facts / price
Day 1. Antananarivo
When you land at the airport in Antananarivo, a driver is waiting in the arrival hall with a sign with your name on it. He will take you to your Belvedere hotel for overnight stay. The capital of Madagascar is also called Tana.
Day 2. Antananarivo – Andasibe
Early morning and we leave Tana and drive east to Andasibe. On the way there we stop at the reptile park in Marozevo, where we can see chameleons and other animals such as butterflies and frogs up close. We check in at Andasibe Forest Lodge . In the evening there is the opportunity to go on a night hike with a guide that shines with a flashlight so that we will hopefully see the nocturnal lemur “Muslim wall”, sleeping chameleons, tree frogs etc. The hike takes place on a straight, paved road. Overnight at Andasibe Forest Lodge by 142 km and about 3.5 hours driving time.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3. Andasibe – Akanin´Ny Nofy
The morning begins with a guided hike in the park Analamazaotra (first a little uphill then mostly straight ahead) where the largest of the lemurs is, Indri Indri. It can be up to 80 cm long and has a singing sound that we will hopefully hear. Here are more kinds of lemurs, different birds and other animals. We then leave for Brickaville and then continue on a gravel road to Manambato which is located on Lake Rasoa. We then take a boat along the Pangalanes Canal to Akanin´Ny Nofy (meaning the nest of dreams) at Lake Ampita and Palmarium Hotel or Annexet. The power is powered by a generator that shuts off at night. We travel 125 km on a normal road and then 7 km gravel road and finally 1.5 hours boat ride on the canal.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4. Akanin´Ny Nofy
In the morning we walk in the Palmarium private reserve where we get to see several different kinds of lemurs, certainly some up close. When darkness falls, we go by boat to a small island where the night lemur Aye Aye is found. Overnight at Palmarium Hotel or Annexet.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5. Akanin´Ny Nofy – Tamatave – Foulpointe
We take a motorboat to the mainland and Tamatave which is the largest port city in Madagascar and then continue to Foulpointe. Here we can view an old fort, enjoy the sea, the food and walk along the beach. Overnight at Manda Beach Hotel . 60km drive and about 2.5 hours by boat.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6. Foulpointe – Soanierana-Ivongo – Sainte-Marie
We leave early in the morning for the east coast and Soanierana-Ivongo takes the ferry over to the beautiful island of Sainte-Marie which is an old pirate island. We stay at Lakana Hotel which is located on the beach between the airport and the city of Ambodifotatra. Should there be too many waves and the ferry is canceled, we will change the program a bit and sleep another night at the Manda Beach Hotel in Foulpointe. 100km drive and about 1.5-2h ferry.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 7. Sainte-Marie
Here we have a day off where we can discover the southern part of the island with Ile aux Nattes or the northern or eastern part of the island by bike or on foot. For those who want, you can indulge in water activities or just relax on the beach. Take the opportunity to see the pirate cemetery at low tide and enjoy the beautiful sunset. July-September you can book an election trip directly with the hotel. Overnight at Lakana Hotel . If the boat to Sainte Marie was canceled due to too high waves, we start going back to Tana and spend the night in Andasibe or Moramanga, depending on availability.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 8. Sainte Marie – Antanananrivo
We fly up (or go up if we did not come to Sainte Marie) to Tana and the afternoon is free. Overnight at Belvedere Hotel .
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9. Antanananrivo – Ampefy
After breakfast we go west towards the “wild west” and make several stops to photograph the beautiful nature that we pass. We stop at a lemur park where there are 9 species of lemurs that have 5 hectares of land to move freely on. We stop in a small village where we see several people making small cars and other things from recycled cans and other metal objects that are then exported around the world. We go via Miarinarivo and visit a dormitory where we have lunch (only applies when the school is open) Our last stop for the night is Amefy, which is located by Lake Itasy (means rich in fish), where we spend the night at Kintana Fleuron . 120km and max 3.5h driving time.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10. Ampefy
Today we explore the area around Ampefy, the waterfall on the Lily River, geysers and the lookout point Ilot de la Vierge. In Analavory, they have a market that we visit. Overnight at Kintana Fleuron again. Max 100 km drive, some gravel roads.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11. Amoefy – Faratsiho – Antsirabe
Today we go through one of the coldest areas on Madagascar, we drive towards Antsirabe, known for its rickshaws and gems. We visit the crater lake Andraikiba and if time also allows a workshop where they make miniature bicycles from old cans. Overnight at Flower Palace . 155km drive, and approx. 5h drive
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12. Antsirabe – Ambositra – Fianarantsoa
Our journey now continues south through beautiful landscapes down to Fianarantsoa. We visit a lookout point that gives us a beautiful view of the city of Ambalavao. Overnight at Villa Sylvestre . 240km and 6h driving time.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13. Fianarantsoa – Manakara
Today we will ride the “Jungle Express Train”. The train departs at 7 o’clock in the morning and we will travel over 67 bridges and through 48 tunnels and through tropical forest to Manakara which is located on the east coast of Madagascar. At each station the train stops, fresh fruit, fish and cakes are sold. The train journey takes at best 8 hours but usually takes longer, about 10-12 hours. Before we reach Manakara, the train will cross the runway and this is only available in 3 cities worldwide. Once in Manakara, we check in at our hotel Partenay Club.
If the train should not leave for any reason, we will visit the historic part of Fianarantsoa and then go to Ambalavao to spend the night at the Bougainvillées Hotel . 163km, 8-17h with the jungle train.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14. Manakara – Ranomafana
The morning is free for your own activities. We can go down and see when the fishermen come back with their catch or do a canoe trip on the Pangalanes canal. Then we go together further up to Ranomafana. Along the way we pass palm trees, spice plantations etc. We take a night walk along the road to try to see the Muslim wall, chameleons and other nocturnal animals. Overnight at Lodge Chez Gaspard . 200km
If we have not been able to travel by train, we will visit the Anjara reserve which is located about 12km south of Ambalavao, where we have a great chance to see families of the so-called cat wall. We then go to Ranomafana and spend the night.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15. Ranomfana – Sahambavy
Today we visit the approximately 40,000 hectare Ranomfana National Park located on the Namorona River. Here are i.a. golden bamboo lemurs, brown lemurs and Sifakan (related to the silk lemur). In the afternoon we continue to Fianarantsoa and from here we take an old train to Lake Sahambavy (if the train works and there are at least 4 people on the trip). Otherwise we drive there and spend the night at Lac Hotel which is right on the lake. About 65km drive.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 16. Sahambavy – Ambositra
We are now heading north again and going to Ambositra. We visit Zafimaniry which is a workshop where people work with wood carving. Overnight at Grand Hotel . About 150km drive.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17. Ambositra – Antsirabe – Antananarivo
After breakfast and a walk through the city, we drive back to the capital via Antsirabe. Depending on arrival, there may be time to visit a market where we can buy the last souvenirs for those who have room left in the luggage. Transfer back to the airport to fly home to Sweden again. You may need an extra night near the airport. (Overnight stay will be added). 170 km drive.
Meals: Breakfast
Price from: SEK 25,095 per person, part in a double room, excluding flights
Single room supplement: SEK 4,700
The group consists of a minimum of 2 people and a maximum of 15 people.
This is included in the price:
- All transfers according to the program
- Accommodation in hotels specified in the program or equivalent hotels with breakfast. On Sainte Marie with half board (breakfast and dinner)
- Entrances and local guides to parks or reserves
- Car, minibus or bus with driver depending on the size of the group
- One bottle of water per person per day
- Train ticket Fianarantsoa – Manakara
- Motorboat Manambato-Akanin ´ny Nofy – Tamatave
- English and German speaking guide
- Tourist tax
This is not included in the price:
- Flights to and from Madagascar, from approximately SEK 10,000 per person
- Domestic flights Sainte Marie – Tana, from approx. SEK 2,750 per person
- Visa EUR35 per person. Paid on site
- Security tax at the airport, approx. SEK 100 per person
- Other excursions on Sainte Marie that are booked on site
- Cancellation protection taken out before the first payment
- Travel insurance, can be bought and also as a supplement to home insurance
- Necessary vaccinations, contact your local vaccination clinic for advice
