Madagascar: Tails of the Wild

Tonga Soa!  Welcome to Madagascar. Upon arrival in Antananarivo (Tana - the City of a Thousand Warriors) we will be met by our guide and transferred to our hotel. Most flights arrive around 9:30 PM so we should reach the hotel about an hour later after going through immigration and getting our luggage. Then it's time to get some well earned rest.

Meals: none

Lodging: Hotel de France

This morning after breakfast our guide will lead us on a tour of the city including a visit to the Andafiavaratra Museum. The museum affords a good overview of the history of the Kingdom of Madagascar and currently shelters the rare objects that were rescued from the former Queen's palace in the fire of 1995. It is Tana's unspoiled architecture, much of it dating back to pre-colonial times, that attracts visitors.

Tana has a lot of charming assets, but it seems to work overtime at hiding them. Fortunately for us, they will be uncovered.

Then we're off to Antsirabe with a stop for lunch and other places of interest along the way. The drive is about 4 hours. Known as the City of Salt, Antsirabe is a lovely town situated on the slopes of the nation’s second highest peak, Tsiafajavona. A stroll around its streets will bring us in contact with some fantastic little shops selling Malagasy artifacts, handicrafts and gems. Bargaining is a definite art form here. Antsirabe is also known for its pousse-pousse, Madagascar's equivalent of the Asian rickshaw. Time permitting, take one for a fun ride! You may also wish to try one of thermal springs and baths; there are private cubicles and body massages at bargain prices.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Hotel des Thermes

This morning our guide will give us a tour of Antsirabe and the surrounding area before driving to Ranomafana. This drive of about 8 hours will take us through the highland areas characterized by their very attractive architecture. The houses are made with ornately carved wooden balconies and shutters with bright colors. We'll also pass the 'col de tapia,' a type of tree which is resistant to bush fires and is home to the silkworms. In Ambositra we'll visit some of its renowned woodcarving shops. In Ambohimahasoa there is a stop for lunch. We then continue on to Ranomafana.

Rano is Malgache for water; mafana is Malgache for hot. About a hundred years ago a Malgache discovered hot springs in the valley, and the French created a spa around them. This has become the town of Ranomafana.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Setam Lodge

Enjoy a full morning visit of Ranomafana National Park, home to 12 species of lemurs including the newly discovered Golden Bamboo lemurs. The park also has interesting populations of birds, frogs, 75 types of chameleons, and beautiful orchids. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, we can take a swim in the thermal pools, if so desired, and visit the park museum. Evening brings a night walk through the forest in search of the mouse lemur, eastern avahi, and the striped civet cat.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Setam Lodge

After breakfast, we continue our drive southward toward Isalo. This is a long day in the vehicle (about 10 hours). Along the way we'll stop in Fianarantsoa for a little shopping, if you wish, and a picnic lunch. We can also stop at Ambalavao to visit the Antemoros Paper Fatory where they make very nice handmade paper artwork.There is also a bank and post office, if you need to use one. By sunset, we'll arrive at the village of Ranohira.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Relais de la Reine

Our guide will spend the morning with us in Isalo National Park, known for its unique rock formations and wonderful scenery, as well as for its Lemurs. We'll hike to Namazaha to see the canyons, Piscine Noire, Piscine Bleue, and Cascade. We'll then continue our walk to la Piscine Naturelle (natural swimming pool), for a picnic and a swim, if desired.

Note: We recommend good walking footwear/boots for this hike.

Returning to the village, we'll visit the Interpretation Center, where we will learn more about the Massif of Isalo: its geology, history, flora and fauna. We'll end the day by driving to ‘Fenêtre de l’Isalo’ for a beautiful sunset.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Relais de la Reine

Today’s drive or about 5 hours will bring us new scenery as we travel among the dry and spiny forests of the south to Tulear, the last city on Route N7 which crosses the country from north to south. As an introduction to the Spiny Forest we'll visit the Tulear botanical gardens, with its hundreds of endemic plants. Our guide will then take us on a tour of Tuléar and the well known seashell market.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Victory Hotel

Fly from Tuléar to Ft. Dauphin. From here we will depart overland on a 4 hour scenic drive to Berenty, a unique private nature sanctuary in the extreme southeast of Madagascar. Berenty is located at the end of a vast mountain range near many tropical beaches. Here, we will spend time exploring the Berenty Reserve, looking for lemurs and other wildlife with an experienced guide. We will also have the opportunity for an evening walk through the reserve in search of some of the nocturnal wildlife.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Berenty Lodge

We'll spend another full day at Berenty Reserve. Our guide will show us at least three species of lemurs, including the popular ring-tailed lemurs, cuddly and comical sifakas, and brown lemurs. This should rank among your best wildlife experiences ever. There are about 56 species of resident birds, including the large Madagascar buzzard. Time permitting, we may also visit the local museum.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Berenty Lodge

This morning we will be driven back about 4 hours to Ft. Dauphin to catch our flight back to Tana. On arrival, we will drive approximately 3 hours to Perinet Special Reserve where our guide will take us on a night walk looking for nocturnal animals. You may hear the cries of Madagascar's largest lemur, the Indri, Indri.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Vakona Lodge

You will be amazed at the game-finding skills and eyesight of our guides. The local people consider the resident singing Indri to be their ancestors. The Indri, along with eight other species of lemurs, live in the park. We may also find the island's largest chameleons, as well as many birds and butterflies.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Vakona Lodge

Enjoy another morning walk in the forest of Mantadia National Park, home of the Diademed Sifaka, and Vakona Reserve. We"ll have lunch before driving back 3 - 4 hours to Tana. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Tana on our own until dinner and our transfer to the airport for our departing flight.

Sadly, we must say goodbye to our guide and to Madagascar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

NOTE:  Madagascar frequently presents unique travel challenges.  In order to prevent unhappy experiences, the traveler must expect delays, itinerary and hotel changes if circumstance dictate and other obstacles such as poor roads and vehicles that have been nurtured to a long life.  Accommodations are some of the best available, but they are not without quirks and malfunctions such as lack of hot water at times. If you require more than basic food and comfort and are shaken by the unexpected, then this may not be the trip for you.  On the other hand, if you are open to adventure and are willing to accept the unexpected, then you'll experience amazing flora, exotic  wildlife and unique cultures.  Given all of this, Madagascar is one of the true destinations of a life time.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch