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13-Nights Highlights of Madagascar - Classic from $2,239
G Adventures
OFFER ID 1532903
Highlights of Madagascar
Lemurs, wild landscapes, village culture, beaches - Madagascar might be an island but there’s nothing small about it. For those who like to get remote, this isolated island is packed with wildlife, landscapes, and people you’ll find nowhere else. And everybody loves lemurs! You’ll get to embrace local life and still have time to relax at the beach. Best of all, there’s always a local CEO (Chief Experience Officer) there to lead the way and provide a link to the unusual and extraordinary.
Highlights
Search for lemurs and unique wildlife, learn about native flora and fauna in world-famous national parks, visit local artisan workshops, lounge on beautiful beaches, savour a traditional lunch in a highland village
Accommodation
Simple hotels (13 nts).
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer), driver throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 16, avg 12
Meals Included
1 lunch
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Soa Zara Tree Planting Project, Ranohira
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your Discover Moment: Ifaty. Andasibe Indri Special Reserve guided walk. Paper Factory Visit. Anja Reserve walk. Isalo National Park visit. Walking Near Antsirabe. Andasibe-Perinet National Park Guided Walk. Free time in Ifaty. Internal flight. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
13 nights from $2,239 per person
G Adventures: Highlights of Madagascar
Day 1: Antananarivo
Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting. If you arrive early, we recommend speaking with the hotel reception to learn more about available activities around the area.
Day 2: Antananarivo/Ifaty
Travel by private vehicle to the airport for your flight to Ifaty. Upon arrival there will be free time for optional activities in this gorgeous beach area. From diving and snorkelling, to quad biking and the well-known Spiny Forest, there are so many opportunities for adventure.
Continue on to Ifaty today via plane where you will get to relax and enjoy the breathtaking beaches of the Mozambican Channel.While in Ifaty, opt to ride in a dugout canoe, visit the spiny forest reserve, go snorkelling or diving on the reef, or simply relax on the beach.
Day 3: Ifaty
Sit back for a full day of free time for optional activities in paradise. Opt for some hiking or hit the beach.
Day 4: Ifaty
Take advantage of one last free day in Ifaty and participate in one of the many area excursions. Perhaps try some diving off the coast in search of colourful life under the sea, or simply relax in the sand for one more awesome beach day.
Day 5: Ifaty/Ranohira
Drive through the desert landscape, viewing Mahafaly tombs and giant baobab trees en route from the beautiful Mozambican Channel beaches of Ifaty to Ranohira. In the afternoon, visit the G Adventures supported tree planting project which is creating a green corridor to protect the biodiversity of Isalo National Park.
Drive to Ranohira and through a landscape characterized by vast Savannah stretching to the horizon and lined by impressive mountain ranges crossing the centre of the sapphire region. According to experts of precious stones, this area is among the few places on Earth that is still rich in precious stones. On the way, you will also notice a number of Mahafaly tombs—belonging to a local tribe in Madagascar—they were built for chiefs and kings, and are covered in stones, sculptures, and horns. The more important the deceased, the more horns and statues the tomb is adorned with. As those tombs ares sacred sites, we will just be passing by, and photography is not/rarely permitted. While here, please follow the instructions of your CEO carefully.
Day 6: Ranohira
Spend the day exploring Isalo National park on foot. After a short trek in a small canyon, the group will take a break from the sun and stop at a fresh natural swimming pool. Then, continue walking to the "cascades", considered among the best waterfalls in Madagascar and boasting another large natural swimming pool. If you are lucky you may see sifaka, brown lemurs, or ring-tailed lemurs.
In the morning, pack a lunch to take into the park with you to eat during a picnic break later in the day - your CEO can help you arrange this. Between September and October (in the most arid zones), you can witness the pachypodium blooms.
Day 7: Ranohira/Ambalavao
Enjoy a scenic journey heading north. Stop along the way at Anja Park to observe the wildlife in a reserve managed by the local community with many historical and cultural ties.
As you travel to your next destination, stop for a visit of Anja Park and enjoy the area's wildlife. Continue enjoying the wonderful changes of landscape along the way to the pleasant rural town of Ambalavao.Visit a little paper factory where the locals will share their traditional methods of producing this unique, hand-made paper.If time allows, opt to visit a silk factory in town and learn about the local way of making fabric or clothing from silk, and the process of dyeing it with natural dyes.
Day 8: Ambalavao/Ranomafana
Travel to Ranomafana today, a little village named after the hot springs in the valley. The nearby national park is one of the most important mammal sites in Madagascar. Set out on a short or long hike through the forest of the park and get a feel for the incredible wildlife of the area. In the afternoon enjoy free time to soak in one of the hot springs, explore on your own, or relax at your accommodations.
Day 9: Ranomafana/Antsirabe
Leave the rainforest of Ranomafana behind and travel by private vehicle to the colonial town of Antsirabe passing rice paddies along the way. To break up the drive the group will stop in Ambositra, a quaint town known for its woodcrafts. Spend free time here and eat lunch on your own before continuing onwards to the thermal city surrounded by volcanic lakes.
Day 10: Antsirabe
Spend the whole day exploring the local life and communities of the Antsirabe highlands. Travel to Anjazafotsy for the start of the group walk. Choose between the longer or shorter option for this trail and visit villages along the route where you'll witness daily activities. Enjoy a traditional Madagascar lunch and in the afternoon opt for a cooking lesson to learn how to prepare famous Koba. Arrive back to Antsirabe in the early evening for free time.
Day 11: Antsirabe/Andasibe
Travel to Andasibe and Perinet National Park with scenic stops en route. Stay in a quiet area near Andasibe which is great base for exploring the Indri Special Reserve section of this massive landscape. The journey will take most of the day, but upon arrival, the group will have the option to go on an easy night walk alongside the park to observe wildlife like, frogs, reptiles, mice, and lemurs.
Day 12: Andasibe
Spend the day exploring Andasibe-Analamazaotra national park and the Indri Special Reserve located 1.5km (0.93 mi) from the town of Andasibe. One of the park’s primary purposes is to protect the natural habitat of the indri, a large black and white diurnal species that feeds on leaves and fruit. In addition to the indri, the park has 10 other diurnal and nocturnal lemur species, large chameleons, and the rarely seen blue coua.
The flora in this park is just as spectacular, with numerous species of trees, palms, and orchids (which flower in October/November).
Day 13: Andasibe/Antananarivo
Travel by private vehicle to Antananarivo. Spend free time here before an optional last night out on the town with the whole group. There are many places to choose from and your CEO can help you with suggestions.
Day 14: Antananarivo
Depart at any time.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Moderate facilities have modest enhancements to amenities and décor. These hotels or resorts are dependable, comfortable and some may offer standard features, such as select business services, Continental breakfast or coffee service and may have a swimming pool or small fitness center on-site. Guestrooms are comfortable, moderately spacious, in-room telephones, televisions and limited amenities. Moderate establishments provide suitable accommodations and service for budget-minded travelers.
Local Flights
The local flight on day 13 from Tulear (Toliara) to Antananarivo is included in the cost of your tour. It is important that we have your passport information at the time of booking in order to process these tickets. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and will be given to you prior to the flight departure.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
Reference this number when contacting our agency so we may better serve you. Also keeping this number handy will allow you to locate this document again quickly.
Kathleen Stahl Travel Services
529 36th Street
Des Moine, IA 50312
USA
(515) 271-8091