Wildlife and Culture of Madagasacar
The highlights of this adventure will include the hike into the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, home to more than 300 species of orchid, 20 species of lemur, Isalo National Park to search for the iconic Ring-tailed Lemur and Verreaux’s Sifaka, Spend three nights in the village of Anakao, learning about the local lifestyle and endemic flora and fauna.
Day One: Arrival in Madagascar
Upon your arrival in Antananarivo, the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will welcome you and then transfer you to the hotel for the overnight. Dinner and overnight at Palissandre Hotel.
Day Two: Ambohimanga, Tsimbazaza Museum
Today, we will go out and visit the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is an important part of Madagascar’s history. We will also visit the fortified royal palace there, viewing the spiritual sites, living quarters and royal burial tombs that are present on the hilltop. Have lunch taken at a local restaurant near Ambohimanga. The in the afternoon, we will drive back to the city to visit the Tsimbazaza educational center and museum for an overview of Madagascar’s flora and fauna. The museum contains specimens of Madagascar’s unique wildlife, including numerous lemur and bird species, as well as a skeleton of the extinct, giant elephant bird. The museum also houses an ethnographic display that introduces the Malagasy culture through jewelry, photographs and tools used in everyday life. Dinner and overnight at Palissandre Hotel.
Day Three: Andasibe-Mantadia
After breakfast, we will drive to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, located on the eastern side of the island. En route, we will have a stop at Peyreras Reserve. This small reserve is home to numerous species of chameleons, insects endemic to the region and several species of snakes and amphibians. We will have lunch at Feon’ny ala Lodge which is on the way to the park. Then later proceed to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Dinner and overnight at Vakona Forest Lodge.
Day Four: Mantadia National Park
After breakfast, we will to the rainforest in Mantadia National Park for a hike led by local park rangers. We traverse the trails in the park while keeping an eye out for the sifaka and the black-and-white ruffed lemur, you may go off the mail trail in order to get a better view of the lemurs. Have picnic lunch, then return to the lodge and leisure time in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Vakona Forest Lodge.
Day Five: Analamazaotra Reserve, Back to Tana, Antananarivo
This morning, we will drive to Analamazaotra Reserve, which forms part of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife that is found nowhere else in the world. Nine species of lemur live within the reserve, including the indri. Critically endangered, the indri is the world’s largest lemur. Look out also for the world’s largest chameleons, the Parson’s chameleon, which grows up to two feet long. Go back to the lodge for lunch. The later drive to a nearby private reserve for an opportunity to see several species of lemurs up close including the eastern grey bamboo lemur, white-ruffed, and common brown lemurs. Driven back to Antananarivo. Dinner and overnight at Relais des Plateaux.
Day Six: Lemur Researcher, Travel to Isalo National Park
After breakfast, we will briefly attend a presentation by a local lemur researcher, who speaks to the group about her research on the Crowned Sifaka and what she is doing to help protect the species. After the presentation, we will board drive to the airport to take our flight Isalo National Park. Have lunch at the lodge which also has a swimming pool, tennis courts, a spa. In the later afternoon, drive to the Isalo Interpretation Centre, which has information and displays on how the park was formed, the people that live around the park, and the wildlife found in the national park. Dinner and overnight at Relais de la Reine.
Day Seven: Isalo National Park, Namaza Canyon
This day, we will drive to Isalo National Park , then to the Namaza Canyon trailhead with the company of a local park ranger, our hike takes us into the canyon along a dry trail to a campground where lemurs are frequently spotted. In the canyon, we will find the Ring-tailed lemur and the red fronted lemur. There is also an additional, optional, hike further into the canyon, where the trail climbs steeply up to the idyllic Cascade des Nymphes, or Nymph Waterfall. Here it is common to swim in the pools at the waterfall’s base. We will have Picnic lunch in the park at the Namaza Canyon campground. The in the afternoon, wed rive back to he lodge via a local village where we meet the headman and learn about the everyday lives of people in the area. Dinner and overnight at Relais de la Reine.
Day Eight: Isalo National Park
Get the breakfast and go to Isalo National park. we will hike up the park’s plateau to the natural swimming pool, or La Piscine Naturelle, enjoying spectacular views of the escarpment and plateau. The cool water in this oasis is lined with palm trees and a cascading waterfall.Check on the burial sites of the Bara tribe. Go back to the lodge for lunch. Relax in the afternoon, you will also enjoy a performance of traditional song and dance. Dinner and overnight at Relais de la Reine.
Day Nine: Tulear
Today, you will drive to Tulear. On the way, stop to see tombs of the Mahafaly and Masikoro people, both of which are ethnic groups that live in the area. The Mahafaly commonly bury their dead chiefs and kings in stone squares that are topped with wooden sculptures and zebu horns. Large amounts of zebu horns and sculptures indicate a more important occupant within the tomb. The Masikoro tombs tend to be very ornate, with one tomb even in the shape of a warship. Have a stop also at Zombitse National Park, which protects the dry deciduous forest and the abundance of biodiversity within that forest. Zombitse is an essential transition zone between the arid and more humid areas of Madagascar, and also stands as a stark example of the deforestation problem on the island, being one of the few remnants of deciduous forest left. Embark on an hour-long walk in search of the unique biodiversity in the area like the Verreaux’s sifaka, Hubbard’s sportive lemur, and a variety of bird, butterfly, reptile and amphibian species. Have picnic lunch at the Zombitse picnic area. In the afternoon, proceed to Tulear, where you will see baobabs on either side of the road. Dinner and overnight at Moringa Hotel.
Day Ten: Oceanographic Museum, then Ifaty
We will spend the morning by visiting the Oceanographic Museum run by the University of Tulear. The museum displays the variety of marine life present in the Mozambique Canal, including corals, sponges, fish, tortoises, mollusks and a collection of shells. Of special interest is a specimen of coelacanth measuring nearly five feet in length, which was captured near the fishing village of Anakao in 1995. Coelacanths were once only known through fossil records, the oldest of which dates back approximately 360 million years, and they were thought to have gone extinct some 65 million years ago in the time of the dinosaurs. that theory changed when the first living specimen of coelacanth was found in 1938. Now, there are two known species of coelacanth, one that lives in the Western Indian Ocean waters, and another species found near Indonesia. Then we drive north along the coast to the village of Ifaty, where we spend the next two nights. Have lunch at the hotel. Inthe afternoon, we will visit a local Vezo fishing village to see how the locals live and work. We are likely to see examples of the traditional dug-out boats that are still made by hand today. Dinner and overnight at Les Dunes d’Ifaty
Day Eleven: Reniala Nature Reserve
After breakfast, we will head to Reniala Nature Reserve, located near the village of Ifaty, for the ecology walk with the local expert. This small, private reserve protects the native spiny forest, and is also a hot-spot for birding. Two species of endemic, threatened birds are found here: the long-tailed ground roller and subdesert mesite. In addition to these two extremely rare birds, Reniala hosts numerous other bird species such as the sickle-billed vanga, Archbold’s newtonia, white-headed vanga and Madagascar harrier hawk. Amongst the various endemic spiny forest plants, we will find the largest baobab in the Ifaty area, which is believed to be 1200 years old with an impressive girth measuring more than 30 feet. Near Reniala is the Tortoise Village where over 1000 radiated and spider tortoises are protected. Here, we will learn the story of these endangered animals and how they are being conserved. Go back to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon is at leisure. Dinner and overnight at Les Dunes d’Ifaty.
Day Twelve: Transfer to Antananarivo
This morning, you will drive to Tulear Airport. Then take your flight to Ivato International Airport. You will be picked up by the driver who will take you to the hotel for lunch. You can take an optional city tour or relax at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Palissandre Hotel.
Day Thirteen: Fly back home
After your breakfast, you will visit a local family co-operative that makes silk scarves, a craft that has been handed down through four generations. We will have the opportunity to see how the scarves are made, from the cocoon all the way to the finished product. The you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.
Trip Includes
Accommodations as per the itinerary
Expert-led lectures and expert-led field trips
Domestic flights
All meals as per the itinerary
Ground transportation as per the itinerary
Entry site and park fees
Traditional performances
Government Taxes