Madagascar's wildlife ploughed its own evolutionary furrow, resulting in a range of unique species, the most notable being the lemur.
These charismatic creatures survive in various different habitats, despite the depredations of deforestation and population growth, and on guided day and night walks you can expect to see mouse, dwarf and woolly lemurs, black and white ruffed lemur, diademed sifaka, common brown lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur and red-bellied lemur, amongst others. Of course, there is also a wealth of chameleons and frogs to see during your visit.
Madagascar is also richly endowed in cultural terms, and your visit wouldn’t be complete without delving into the country’s tribal structure and complex system of fady, or taboos.
Suggested Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
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Day 2:
Arrive Antananarivo & transfer to Andasibe
On arrival at Antananarivo you will be met by your driver and transferred by road to Andasibe, a drive of around 160 kilometres (three to four hours) with a stop en route. In Andasibe you will head directly to your accommodation and then the remainder of the afternoon is free to relax and recover after your journey.
In the evening you take a guided night walk to see Goodman's mouse, Crossley's dwarf and eastern woolly lemurs, chameleons, frogs and other nocturnal species.
Accommodation: Vakona Forest Lodge, 2-nights
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Day 3:
Mantadia National Park & Vakona Private Reserve
This morning, enjoy a guided walk in Mantadia National Park in search of indri, whose haunting cry echoes through the forest, before returning to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, head to Vakona Private Reserve to see lemurs and other endemic fauna and flora. In the evening you take another guided night walk to see further lemur species, chameleons, frogs and other nocturnal wildlife.
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Day 4:
Analamazaotra National Park, transfer to Antananarivo
This morning you go for a guided walk in Analamazaotra National Park to see diurnal species such as the indri, black and white ruffed lemur, diademed sifaka, common brown lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur and red-bellied lemur. In the afternoon drive to Antananarivo for an overnight stay. On the way back, you stop at Peyreiras to see some of Madagascar’s endemic reptiles.
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Days 5-7
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Fly to Fort Dauphin, visit Berenty Private Reserve
After a short flight to Fort Dauphin, transfer to Berenty Private Reserve for an intimate - and in some cases - approachable wildlife experiences. A night walk will give you the chance to try and see nocturnal species such as the grey mouse lemur and white-footed sportive lemur.
Accommodation: 3-nights shared between Berenty Lodge and Croix du Sud (Fort Dauphin), half board basis (the number at each accommodation will depend on flight schedules).
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Days 8-9
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Fly back to Antananarivo, city tour
A full day in Antananarivo gives you the opportunity to unveil the city’s treasures, including the local market, main streets, administrative quarter, old town and Ambohimanga Palace.
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Days 10-11
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Fly to Morondava, drive to Marofandilia
After a short flight to Morondava you transfer to Marofandilia and visit Kirindy, well-known for its high density of fosa and its diverse nocturnal lemurs such as Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, Coquerel’s dwarf lemur and lepilemur to name a few.
Your accommodation for the next two nights is Camp des Amoureux, a tented camp situated in the conservation area of Marofandilia. There are two walking trails from the camp where you can see baobabs, lemurs and several bird species.
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Day 12:
Visit the Allée des Baobabs
Lying between Morondova and Belon'i Tsiribihina, the Allée des Baobabs (Baobab Alley) is one of the most photographed sites in Madagascar. The alignment of its majestic trees, Andasonia grandidieri, make it a beautiful sight, particularly at sunset. After your visit, continue the transfer to Morondava where you spend the night.
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Day 13:
Return to Antananarivo
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Day 14:
Depart Antananarivo
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Day 15:
Arrive UK
