Activities

13 Days Madagascar Safari Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Antananarivo

Meet and greet upon arrival at the Antananarivo international airport. This is by our Malagasy English-speaking safari guide. This will be followed by a transfer to your hotel in Antananarivo city. Here you will have a briefing on the 13-day Madagascar safari trip. Your Overnight will be at Sakamanga Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2: Antananarivo – Andasibe National Park

The days on Madagascar safari trip starts with breakfast. This is followed by departure to Andasibe National Park.

You will leave the mountainous region and make a small stop at Marovezo. Here you will visit the Peyreiras Reserve. Be out to experience its butterflies, reptiles and chameleons, tomatoes frogs, snakes.

Later proceed to Andasibe and check into your hotel in time for lunch. In the afternoon you are going to visit Vakona private reserve. This begins with the lemurs Island.

You are going to discover the brown, the bamboo and the golden Sifaka. There are also the black and white lemurs and the ring-tailed lemurs. It is the best time to have a wonderful time with them and you will be able to take some close pictures with.

Proceed to the crocodile’s valley to see crocodiles, endemic birds and foussa foussana. The latter are the famous Malagasy animal carnivore, some turtles and others. Dinner and overnight will be at Sahatandra Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis.

About Andasibe Mantadia National Park

Andasibe-Mantadia is separated into two parts. The most accessible part is the Indri Special Reserve. But its also still known as the Perinet Special Reserve which was its old colonial name. (It’s also known as Speciale d’Analamazaotra. The Malagasy like to give everything 2 or 3 names!)

The 810 ha ‘reserve within a reserve’ has several well-maintained forest paths. They are mostly gentle in terrain.  You visit the Perinet Special Reserve at dawn to see the Indri lemurs when they are most active.

The Indri looks more like a teddy bear or bizarre panda than a lemur. He stands about a meter high, with a stump for a tail. The black-and-white markings and a beguilingly startled expression. You will see them with ease, even if you stay on the marked trails. 

But for longer sightings you must scramble after them through the forest. You got to crane up as they execute balletic leaps from tree to tree. Their long back legs are immensely powerful; an indri can propel itself 10 meters (30ft)!

Day 3: Andasibe

Full day on Madagascar safari trip that begins with breakfast. You will then head to Analamazotra National Park. Here you will discover the biggest lemur alive. This is the Indri Indri and other 13 lemur species, such as the wooly and the grey bamboo.

There is also the diademed Sifaka, the brown and the red mouse-lemur. Not forgeting the red-bellied and the black and white ruffed lemurs. You will discover orchids as well, medicinal plants, endemics... After the visit, drive back to Sahatandra Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis.

Days 4: Andasibe – Antsirabe

After breakfast on the 13-day Madagascar safari trip, you will leave for Antsirabe. This is by the famous national road number 7 through the typical landscape of the Highland. These include rice fields in terraces, red brick houses with thatched roofs.

First stop in Behenjy to taste the famous “foie gras” which is the specialty of this small town. Continue toward Ambatolampy to visit the craft aluminum foundry. This produces cookware like pots, spoons, forks that makes its reputation.

Nearby are other workshops are dedicated to produce "football games". They feature the best international football teams. Reach Antsirabe and upon arrival, check in at your hotel and then visit the city by Rickshaw.

Your Madagascar safari trip lets you discover the avenue place. Its beautiful garden, rail station and the old post office. proceed to Mr. Mamy and his workshop. You will get miniaturized rickshaw, cars and bicycles will amaze you.

You will have time to visit Mrs. Maminirina and her zebus’ horn workshop. Finally, you will end the day with the visit of the Malagasy’s candy shop manufactured by Mr. Marcel. After the visit, drive back to H1 Hotel where you are booked on bed and breakfast basis.

Day 5: Antsirabe - Ranomafana National Park

After breakfast, your Madagascar safari trip departs for Ambositra. This is the capital of Malagasy wood crafts. This is through the famous RN7 dominated by the green landscapes.

Upon arrival, you are going to visit some handcraft workshops to see craftsmen working. Marquetry and sculptures are made from precious woods like Rosewood; Palissandre and Eben woods.

You will visit the final products before having lunch. Later proced to Ranomafana National Park. Leave the highlands and enter the rainforest area. Upon arrival, check in at Grenat Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis.

Later you will embark on a nocturnal walk before dinner which is on own account.

Ranomafana National Park

Established in 1991, Ranomafana became a UNESCO World Heritage site a few years later. Today this rugged, mountainous park covers an area of over 40,000 hectares of rainforest. It is one of the most important mammal sites in Madagascar, protecting 12 species of lemur.

These include red-bellied lemur, red-fronted brown lemur and Milne-Edwards’ sifaka. We also have small-toothed sportive lemur, eastern woolly lemur and lesser bamboo lemur. There is the rare, and recently rediscovered, greater bamboo lemur and golden bamboo lemur. 

Standing on the edge of the high plateau, elevations vary between 600 and 1,400ms. This resulting in vegetation ranges from lowland rainforest to cloudforest to high plateau forest. The scenery is superb, with white-water rivers cascading down steep rainforest-clad slopes. Ranomafana village lies on the banks of the Namorona River, which descends to the east coast.

Your will spend time in the park hunting for lemurs and other animals, taking a picnic lunch with you. Rain is common in Ranomafana, making the steep forest trails slippery. After your morning lemur-hunting exertions you may prefer to return to the village. This is to soak in the thermal baths.

Like many of Madagascar’s parks one highlight here is a nocturnal forest walk. Look for the rufous mouse lemur and one of Madagascar’s few predators, stripped civet. Also worthwhile is an early morning bird walk. Here you might see some of the more secretive forest birds. They include yellow-browed oxylabes, Crossley’s babbler and slender-billed flufftail. We also have the vocal but elusive red-legged ground roller and pitta-like ground roller.

Ranomfana located in Fianarantsoa Province in southeastern Madagascar. It is around two hours drive from Fianarantsoa and around ten from Antananarivo.

Day 6: Ranomafana National Park

Your Madagascar safari trip begind with breakfast. This is to be followed by a 6 hours’ expedition in the forest with special guide to see 12 species lemurs.

Ranomafana National Park is the most important site of lemurs in Madagascar. It is the only confirmed site for the two rarest species: the great bamboo lemur and the golden bamboo lemur.

Varied species like Fulvus Rufus, VariecaVariegata, Hapalemurgriseus, Avahilanigeur, and Lepilemurmustelinus. There are also Propithecus diademaedwardsi, Cheirogaleus major and Daubentounia madagscariensis here.

More than 100 birds, five species of viverrids and reptiles are here. Lizards, butterflies and other insects have been recorded in this park.

In the higher areas, the trees are festooned with mosses and lichens. After the visit you will revert back to the hotel for lunch. This will be followed by a visit Ranomafana village. you will be here to relax at the natural swimming pool with its hot spring water. After the visit, back to Grenat Hotel for overnight booked on bed and breakfast basis.

Day 7: Ranomafana – Ranohira

After breakfast, your Madagascar safari trip departs for Ranohira. This will be via the colonial town of Ambalavao. You will stop to see some beautiful colonial architecture. You will also tour the famous Antemoro paper and silk factory.

Walk to discover its beautiful verandah. This makes them different with its old colonial houses. The Madagascar safari trip will procee to the 2nd biggest zebus market in Madagascar. Here you will discover a thousand of zebus and men.

Take a detour to Anja Community Reserve, located 12km south of Ambalavao. The reserve is dedicated itself to cultural preservation in the region. It is the most visited community managed forest and ecotourism site in Madagascar.

Guests can see and photograph the ring-tailed lemurs, chameleons, snakes and birds. In the other side. Anja is also a rich cultural site. It preserves ancient tombs from the previous two centuries.

There are two Betsileo tombs on the short loop. Funeral processions need the dead to be tied to a hand-made ladder. It is then pulled by a natural rope that is found in the reserve. Tenina Imperata cylindrical, and a thick herb with small white flowers is used to create the cord.

After the visit, proceed to Ranohira via the plateau of Horombe and a unusual landscape. Upon arrival, check in at H1 Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis.

Day 8: Ranohira

After an early breakfast, the Madagascar safari trip enjoys a transfer to the Park. You will be here to discover its fauna and its flora. Isalo massif is a plateau of continental stoneware’s dating the Jurassic. 

Today, you are going to begin the visit Natural swimming pools and reach Namaza site. Enjoy the panoramic views, rice fields, cliffs made an incision by gorges.

Your Madagascar safari trip will cross the luxuriant gorges. This is marked by its exceptional flora of the rain forest and by its many groups of Lemurs. Other habitats include birds, butterflies, lizards.

Proceed to join the Namaza site, go up till the top (800m altitude) and have a beautiful spot view of Ranohira. Walk through the Canyon till Namaza site.

After the visit, drive back to Ranohira and then reach the Isalo natural windows. you will be here to admire the sun set before driving back to your H1 hotel booked on bed and breakfast.

Day 9: Ranohira - Tuléar - Ifaty

Your Madagascar safari trip departs after breakfast heading to Tuléar. You will go through to Ilakaka, the famous sapphire village in Madagascar. 

Visit Zombitse National Park to discover its fauna and flora. Later continue to Tuléar through arid desert landscapes. Along the way, see Mahafaly tombs with totems carved from Aloalo and the famous Baobabs.

On arrival, transfer to the sandy road to Ifaty. You will then check in at Bamboo Club where you are booked on bed and breakfast.

Days 10 & 11: Ifaty

Two full days spent at leisure to relax on the beach or discover Ifaty

ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE IN IFATY

THE RENIALA RESERVE HALF DAY TOUR

Reniala Private Reserve is a small protected area of only 60 ha which is a spiny forest. It homes more than 2000 plants species (many of them local endemic). Some spectacular and old baobabs (there is a giant baobab of 12.5 m diameter). There is a complete endemic plants family, the Didieraceae.

Reniala includes a botanical trail and a bird sanctuary. It is a paradise place for birders because can easily observe some rare endemic species. These include the long-tailed ground roller and the subdesert mesite. Others are the red-capped coua or the blue vanga.

There are 65 bird species in total within the reserve. Visitors can also spot mammals including the grey-mouse lemur. This is one the smallest primates. There are some carnivorous and reptiles like the threatened radiated and spider tortoises. Others are warty chameleons, lizards and snakes.

DIVING & SNORKELING

Ifaty offers a great site for diving and snorkeling. Madagascar Sport Concept is a PADI diving school offering scuba diving lessons. They alos offeropen water diver courses and recreational dives. This is in the Tuléar region of Ifaty.

SEA TOUR BY CANOE - HALF DAY TOUR

Today your ill go sailing by pirogue in the lagoon. This is on the Great Barrier Reef. The boatmen usually offer you a full day. There is snorkeling in the morning and picnic with lobster in Ambolimailaka. Here we witness the arrival of the Vezo fishermen, dozens of dugout canoes.

Day 12: Ifaty - Tuléar – Antananarivo

Have the morning on Madagascar safari trip at the leisure. This is before a transfer to the airport in time for your flight to Tana. Meet and then transfer to your hotel in town.

You will visit Tana old town in the afternoon and then the handcraft market for souvenirs. Overnight will be at Sakamanga Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis

Day 13: Antananarivo

After breakfast, leave for Ambohimanga Kings Palace which is located at 22 km from Tana. This is the cradle of the Merina dynasty and the Mecca of the Merina Kingdom. It is the starting point for the unification of Imerina.

This ancient royal city has a reputation of bing a sacred city where no foreigner could enter. There's a lot to admire in this place. The entrance of the village and the old stone gate-shaped disc in the chambe. There is also the royal box of Andrianampoinimerina.

You also get to see the summer palace of the queens, the Horse Park and sacred ponds. The enclosure is surrounded by a wall made mainly of egg whites in place of cement. The door to the east has "Ambatomitsangana" inscribed on it. It is actually a large stone disc 4m in diameter rolled closed every night and open every morning by dozens of men.

After the visit your Madagascar safari trip proceeds to the Digue market. This is the place for handcrafts Malagasy that you will be able buy some souvenirs. Transfer to the airport in timefor your international flight.

---------- End of 13 Days Madagascar Safari Trip ----------

13 Days Madagascar Safari Trip Costs:

What is included in the cost of 13 Days Madagascar Safari Trip?

• Transportation in a private safari vehicle
• Driver Guide during the whole tour
• Accommodation booked on bed and breakfast basis
• Park entrance fees and local guide fees
• All speed boat and all boat fees

13 Days Madagascar Safari Trip Price excludes:

• Your lunch, dinner and drinks during the whole tour
• All the domestic flights
• All your international flights

What to Carry on the 13 Days Madagascar Safari Trip

• Light and a few heavy clothings for evenings
• Closed, comfortable shoes
• Sun protection like sun cream, hat
• Insect repellent
• Binoculars