Highlights of this tour...
- Tranquil riverboat cruise
- Tsingy de Bemaraha
- Night wildlife walks
- Indri lemurs
- Avenue of the Baobabs
- Luxury accommodation available
- 4x4 adventures!
- English-speaking guides throughout
Tour details and itinerary
This popular tour route takes in the most iconic sights of Madagascar, including the majesty of the Avenue of the Baobabs, the otherworldly Tsingy de Bemaraha, and plenty of lemurs, not to mention a gorgeous river cruise.
Day 1: Antananarivo arrival and welcome
Arrive in the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, where our dedicated team member will help you with tasks like currency exchange, obtaining a local SIM card, setting up data on your SIM, and addressing any other requirements you may have.
Transfer to the Sakamanga hotel in the center of town which has a snack bar/pizzeria, a bakery/patisserie, a pool bar/garden restaurant, and the Sakamanga restaurant (up to 80 seats) offers French cooking and Malagasy specialties.
Accommodation
- Sakamanga Hotel
Day 2: Antananarivo - Antsirabe
Road trip 170km to Antsirabe, passing through the beautiful landscapes of the Merina people. Stop briefly at Ambatolampy and visit the manufacturers of pots and decorative items from aluminium.
After lunch, explore the surroundings of Antsirabe such as the Andraikiba and Tritriva lakes.
Dinner, B&B at the Ecolodge Chambre de Voyageur in Antsirabe, a charming and eco-friendly accommodation that offers a unique and immersive experience for travelers
Accommodation
- Ecolodge Chambre de Voyageur
Day 3: Antsirabe - Miandrivazo
In the morning, continue on to Miandrivazo. The road takes us across the highland landscape with its beautiful terrace rice fields and its spectacular eroded hills called ‘Lavaka’ and through a lush green landscape. Your guide will have some suggestions as to the best restaurant to have lunch. We will reach Miandrivazo in the afternoon.
Overnight in a modern and luxurious new hotel.
Accommodation
- Soa Lia Hotel, Miandrivazo
Day 4-6: Cruise along Tsiribihina river
For the next 3 days, the journey continues via riverboat through the breathtaking gorge of Bemaraha. Keep your eyes peeled for a variety of fascinating bird species like herons, couas, and ducks, adding to the charm of the journey.
The route includes land stops to visit villages and markets, refreshing natural swimming pools and waterfalls, and awe-inspiring Baobab forests. Keep an eye out for two captivating lemur species, the common brown lemur, and the Verreaux’s sifaka, adding a touch of wildlife excitement.
Delicious lunches will be provided on board, and in the evenings camping on the riverbank under the endless stars, with lively entertainment by the crew.
Accommodation
- Day 4-5: Full board camping on the riverbank
- Day 6: Orchidée du Bemaraha
Day 7: Visit to Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
On day 7, we make a guided visit to the Tsingy de Bemaraha national park, a stunning limestone forest shaped by water over millions of years. The Tsingy’s sharp pinnacles, deep canyons, and rich biodiversity make it one of Madagascar’s most iconic landscapes. Along the suggested Andamozavaky trail (4-6 hours), visitors may spot lemurs, rare birds, and lush vegetation hidden among the stone spires.
Visitors can spot 11 lemur species, including the red-fronted brown lemur, Cleese’s woolly lemur and the Sambirano lesser bamboo lemur. Other resident mammals are the small carnivorous falanouc and ring-tailed mongoose, and several bats. More than 100 bird species have been catalogued at present inside the National Park, including the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle and crested ibis, Madagascar wood-rail, giant coua or Coquerel´s coua.
The overnight hotel has a large terrace restaurant and 2 bars, allowing you to taste cocktails as well as a wide variety of specialties combining French cuisine and exotic flavours of Madagascar. The swimming pool located near the restaurant will satisfy you after a long day of trekking.
Accommodation
- Orchidée du Bemaraha
Day 8: Bekopaka - Kirindy
After breakfast we will head back south by 4WD vehicles to Kirindy by road and ferry. The journey will take us approximately 6 hours. We will pass by the Sakalava tribe tombs along the way – specially known for the very unusual paintings and carvings that decorate the outside of each tomb.
Lunch at the Mad Zebu Restaurant, the most incongruous find in dusty Belo sur Tsiribihina, possibly in all Madagascar. Dishes seem to come straight out of a Michelin-starred restaurant (the chef trained in prestigious kitchens in Madagascar and Europe), with exquisite creations such as pan-fried shin of zebu, prawn medallions, or snapper fillet with peanuts, risotto and coconut sauce, all elaborately presented. Vegetarian options are available too. Save room for dessert.
Night walk in Kirindy Reserve. A night walk is the best opportunity to watch nocturnal forest inhabitants such as the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) or gray mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus). A lot smaller but even more special is Madame Berthes’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), the smallest lemur on Earth. You will be lucky spotting this tiny guy between the branches in the night – but you will need really good eyes. In the night, another strange creature might be spotted: The giant jumping rat (Hypogeomys antimena) which is threatened by extinction and only occurs in Kirindy.
Overnight at the Kirindy relais, with its charming bungalows, eco-friendly vibes, restaurant-bar, pool and wi-fi.
Accommodation
- Le Relais du Kirindy
Day 9: Kirindy Reserve and Avenue of the Baobabs
Start the day with a guided visit to Kirindy Reserve. Kirindy is a meeting point for scientists all around the globe. The unbelievably dense forest is home to eight lemur species, 23 additional mammals, 50 reptile species and even 15 amphibians. Bird watchers have a lot to do with around 70 different species, too. And even botanically, Kirindy is gratifying: More than 200 plant species have adapted to the dry environment.
In the afternoon, we will be heading to Morondava, where the landscape will be adorned with majestic Baobab trees. You will also have the chance to observe the daily life of the Sakalava people. We will make a stop at the world famous Avenue of the Baobabs to marvel at the magical sunset
Dinner, bed and breakfast at Chez Maggie, one of the most prestigious properties in Nosy Kely. With its spacious rooms, its green gardens and its location facing the Malagasy coast, it is a calm and luxurious refuge.
Accommodation
- Chez Maggie
Day 10: Morondava - Antsirabe
Today is a long travel day through the fascinating scenery of Betsiriry Plateau, some plains of savannah, and intercepted by some villages. Lunch at Miandrivazo. 50 km from this town, you will pass through Dabolava village where people are looking for gold, pounding with a pestle and a stone mortar; they sift them to distinguish gold from the sands. We arrive at our destination by early evening. Antsirabe is at an altitude of 1500m and has a cooler climate. The warm springs and thermal baths here were a real draw in the 19th century.
Accommodation
- Ecolodge Chambre de Voyageur
Day 11: Antsirabe - Andasibe
After an early breakfast, brace yourself for a scenic and immersive journey to Andasibe, which will be a longer transfer of approximately 9 to 10 hours depending on traffic conditions. As you embark on this extended adventure along the national roads numbers 2 and 7, be prepared to be captivated by the stunning landscapes that unfold before your eyes.
As you traverse the highland landscape, immerse yourself in the local way of life and gain insights into the traditional lifestyle of the Malagasy people. Admire the astonishing abundance of rice paddies, witness the architectural elegance of the long red clay houses, and explore the vibrant roadside markets showcasing a plethora of handicrafts, fruits, and meats.
While this transfer may be long, let the ever-changing scenery and the anticipation of reaching your destination keep you engaged and enthralled. Embrace the journey, as every mile brings you closer to the enchanting destination of Andasibe, where new adventures and discoveries await.
Dinner and overnight at Vakona Forest Lodge. Located a few kilometres from the village in an eucalyptus plantation and on the doorstep of the Andasibe National Park, Vakona Forest Lodge is a nature lover’s paradise. The hotel restaurant is situated in the middle of the hotel, with a centre fireplace offering welcoming warmth in winter. The food is excellent and produces international and Malagasy style.
Accommodation
- Vakona Forest Lodge
Day 12: Lemurs in Analamazaotra Reserve and Night Walks
Guided visit to Analamazaotra Special reserve.
Be captivated by the wonders of Analamazaotra, home to the most popular park within the reserve. This enchanting destination holds a special allure, primarily due to the presence of the rare indri, Madagascar’s largest lemur. Throughout the misty forest, the indri’s haunting and unforgettable wail resonates, creating an otherworldly ambiance that can be experienced throughout the day, but most prominently in the early morning. With approximately 60 resident family groups, each consisting of two to five indris, you’ll have ample opportunities to witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
While the indris steal the spotlight, the park is teeming with an array of other remarkable lemur species. Keep your eyes peeled for sightings of woolly lemurs, grey bamboo lemurs, red-fronted lemurs, black-and-white ruffed lemurs, and diademed sifakas, which are among the largest lemur species. In 2005, the Goodman’s mouse lemur, identified as a distinct species, was discovered here, further adding to the park’s biodiversity. As you explore, you’ll also encounter eleven species of tenrec, the vibrant and immense Parson’s chameleon, and an impressive array of seven other chameleon species. Additionally, the park boasts over 100 bird species, 20 species of amphibians, and the endemic Ravenea louvelii palm tree, which is found exclusively within its boundaries.
After lunch, spend the afternoon with lemurs at the private Lemur Island (Vakona reserve). A short walk from the hotel, it offers up close and personal encounters with lemurs, suspended walkways above a river teeming with crocodiles, and marvelous endemic birdlife.
Guided night walk: After dark, your guide will collect you from your lodge and be transferred to the start point of the location where you go for your night walk in the small rainforest parcel of VOIMMA, which is protected by a local guides association.
Accommodation
- Vakona Forest Lodge
Day 13: Andasibe - Antananarivo
Following breakfast, we embark on our journey back to Antananarivo, offering you a captivating view of the breathtaking Angavo mountain ranges that demarcate the boundary between two distinct climate zones. As we traverse the picturesque landscapes, you’ll be greeted by charming villages that dot the route, each adorned with bustling markets teeming with vibrant energy. This presents the perfect opportunity for you to capture mesmerizing photographs that encapsulate the region’s natural beauty and cultural essence.
On route, stop for visit at the fascinating park owned by the Peyrieras family, to see Cocquerel’s Sifaka, and chameleons and many other reptiles, and some other Malagasy animals such as butterflies, moths (the giant Atlas Moth) and tenrecs. Watch the chameleons being fed.
In the afternoon (in time for a late lunch), we arrive in Antananarivo.
And finally, it is back to the Sakamanga Hotel for a sundowner at the pool bar before you return home.
Accommodation
- Sakamanga Hotel
Feeling inspired yet? This tour is just an example, you can make any changes you like. Want to stay for longer at one of the parks, or visit somewhere else en route? It’s up to you. All of our Madagascar vacations are 100% tailor made. Check out suggested add-ons below, or get in touch to begin planning your dream Madagascar holiday.
