We designed this itinerary specifically for wildlife enthusiasts looking to explore the very best that the “eigth continent” has to offer. This active itinerary allows guests to learn about exotic and endemic species from expert naturalist guides across a variety of habitats on this massive island. Along the way, you’ll encounter a multitude of lemur species like ringtails and the indri-indri, stealthy chameleons, rare birds, and unique amphibians – some of which may not even be named! From the eastern rainforests of Andasibe to the coastal mangroves and spiny desert forests of the south, you’ll experience a varied cross-section of this amazing biodiversity hotspot. Each of the camps and lodges are perfectly located for wildlife access and local community exploration. The cultural encounters here are as fascinating, with a blend of Malagasy and Indonesian-Arab ancestry creating a rich milieu of traditions and taboos. The Antandroy are particularly interesting in the far south, as they have barely been affected by modern development.
Wildlife viewing is all done on foot, often off-trail, so come prepared with some comfortable hiking shoes. Getting around is also more challenging than some other parts of the world – be sure to check out our notes on the roads and internal flights. But for those intrepid few who are undeterred by these inconveniences, Madagascar is a treasure trove of wildlife and cultural experiences unlike anything in the rest of Africa.
Welcome to Antananarivo, Madagascar! Upon arrival at Ivato Airport, you will be met by your driver and guide and transported to your hotel. The afternoon is yours to relax or explore the sprawling Analakely Market, before dinner.
This morning you’ll hit the road bound for Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, about four hours away. Enjoy the bucolic scenery, stop to try some local delicacies, and maybe even take a ride on a pousse-pousse rickshaw along the way. You’ll arrive in time to explore Andasibe village. After dinner, a night walk in the local forest with an expert local guide unveils a myriad of nocturnal species: mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs, dwarf lemurs, woolly lemurs, chameleons, and frogs.
Today is all about Madagascar’s endemic wildlife. Spend a full day in the massive Mantadia National Park. Lemur species abound, with the indri indri the star of the show and whose haunting call can be heard from over two miles away. As you hike through the forest, you have a great chance at seeing the diademed sifaka, grey bamboo lemurs, red-bellied lemurs, and white ruffed lemurs. Frogs and chameleons found nowhere else on Earth are also prevalent. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the banks of the Rianasoa Waterfall. This afternoon you’ll visit Lemur Island, a project that protects rescued lemurs. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself staring an inquisitive lemur right in the eyes! After dinner, you have the opportunity for another night walk to check out the local nocturnal species.
This morning you’ll head to the popular Analamazaotra – Perinet Reserve. There are a dozen species of lemur to spot as you and your guide hike through the reserve. Birders will be enthralled by the velvet asity, the blue coua, the nuthatch vanga, and other endemic species. After a picnic lunch, head back to Antananarivo, where there will be time to explore the huge Rovan’i Manjakamiadana (Queen’s Palace) – a sacred site containing royal tombs and an excellent museum.
Fly to the southern tip of Madagascar today (see flight notes below) and the charming seaside town of Fort Dauphin. After a local lunch, head out on a four-hour drive to your camp where you can settle in and admire the views over the Mandrare River. At dusk, depart for a night walk in the Forest of Zenavo to watch both the diurnal lemurs heading to bed and the nocturnal species coming alive in this other-worldly spiny forest. Sifakas and sportive lemurs abound, along with mouse lemurs and owls.
As dawn breaks over the Mandrare River, you’ll be paddled across the river to the sacred and deciduous gallery forest. The highlight of this forest are the charismatic, photogenic, and ever-active ring-tailed lemurs. Another famous inhabitant is Verreaux’s sifaka, an endangered lemur that gets all of its water needs from eating succulent leaves. Return to camp in time for lunch and relax at the pool for a bit before heading back to the spiny forest with an indigenous tracker from the local community.
At dawn, you’ll head once more into the spiny forest looking for those species you have not yet had the chance to glimpse. As the lemurs warm, you might just catch them leaping up to 30 feet between the spiny octopus trees, seemingly impervious to the sharp thorns! Head to the local village and market today, where you’ll learn about the fascinating culture, customs, and taboos of the Antandroy tribe that inhabits this region. Sundowner cocktails are served in the shadow of the local baobab forest, and local villagers often perform traditional dances here.
This morning you will be transferred to the airport by private vehicle to catch a flight to Anjajavy. You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your lodge, where you will enjoy a guided night walk to search for mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs, scops owls, and other creatures of the night.
You will have two full days to explore the swamps, tsingys, mangroves, and caves of the enchanting Anjajavy Peninsula with your private naturalist guide. Trek to fossils of extinct giant lemurs, greet the dawn with a morning birding walk to see some of the rarest species in the world, or snorkel or kayak the tranquil turquoise waters of the jaw-dropping Moramba Bay.
It’s farewell to the beach as you are transferred to the Anjajavy airstrip to catch your flight to Tana. On arrival, transfer to your hotel in the upper town of Antananarivo or, depending upon the flight schedules, you may have time to visit Ambohimanga. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the ancestral home of the royalty who united Madagascar under one rule. This sacred hill led to the former palace of King Andrianampoinimerinaand is an amazingly well-preserved window into Madagascar’s history.
Discover Madagascar’s beautiful handicrafts at the Digue artisan craft market and bring home some memories from your adventure (see our note on wood products) before heading to Ivato Airport for your international outbound flight.
These are the accommodations available for this trip. Please call and see which one is best for your style of travel.
