Madagascar – Rare & Luxurious Nature of the east

Arrival at Antananarivo airport, welcome by your driver guide, and transfer to the hotel.

Capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo is a raised city, looking like a large village that extends over several hills with an altitude between 1240m and 1470m. Dinner and overnight at the Palissandre hotel.

Breakfast. Departure for the visit of Ambohimanga (or blue hill), the most prestigious of the twelve sacred hills. The royal hill of Ambohimanga is the most significant symbol of the identity of the Malagasy people, based on the cult of the ancestors, and the starting point of their unification. Ambohimanga joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. Continue to Mantasoa, which is certainly one of the most beautiful places in the Malagasy highlands with its huge mythical lake well set in the middle of one of the last beautiful forests of the highlands. This haven of peace was already very popular in the days of Queen Ranavalona. Free Lunch. Dinner and overnight at Mantasoa Lodge hotel.

Breakfast. Day to discover Mantasoa: nature and history excursion, visit of the village, visit of the sites created by Jean Laborde, an ingenious castaway Auscitan who became the queen’s adviser. Back to the hotel. Lunch Free in a restaurant and free afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Mantasoa Lodge.

Breakfast. Continuation of the journey to the EAST coast for the region of the Pangalanes channel. Boarding and departure by boat on the Pangalanes canal which connects a multitude of lakes and lagoons along the Indian Ocean. You will discover lush vegetation, palm trees, pandanus, “elephant ears”, Ravinala (traveler’s tree). Throughout the journey, unusual and unforgettable scenes of everyday life such as these encounters with the “taxi-brousse”, the ballet of the fishermen with their canoes, the rafts carrying bananas. In short, a delight for all lover’s authenticity and discovery! Installation in the hotel. Free Lunch.  Dinner and overnight at the Bush House Hotel.

Breakfast. Day of exploration of the canal and its surroundings, take the opportunity to visit the villages, the Palmarium, private reserve of Ankanin’ny Nofy, the “dream nest”, on the shores of Lake Ampitabe, which includes several species of palm trees, and typical facilities for fishing. Free Lunch. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Boarding for Manambato and departure for Andasibe. Afternoon, visit the private reserve of Vakona with its lemur island, the best place to observe lemurs as close as possible: Variecia variegata, Fulvus, Bamboo, and who often accept to be photographed on their backs. Free Lunch. Dinner and overnight at the hotel at Vakona Forest Lodge.

Breakfast. Departure on a trail to discover the largest lemur in Madagascar, the Indri-Indri. In the special reserve of Andasibe also live 11 other species of lemurs, fosa (carnivores endemic to Madagascar and predators of lemurs), birds and other impressive reptiles. Madagascar is sometimes called “the lemur”, because the large island is home to 90% of the existing lemurs in the world.

Departure for Anjozorobe, a protected area of 200,000 hectares that covers the remains of the highland forests that form a corridor of 30,000 hectares. Facing the forest, Saha Forest Camp bungalows are perfect for finding refreshment and relaxation. Free Lunch. Dinner and overnight at Saha Forest Camp.

Breakfast at the hotel. A great day of total immersion in the customs and daily life of the local population: rice fields, fields, laterite, dense forest. Finally, this day will give you the opportunity to learn more about the positive impacts of biodiversity conservation on the local community. You can also participate in tree planting at the community nursery and thus contribute to community development and sustainable management of the site’s natural resources. Free Lunch. Return to Antananarivo and transfer to the airport for the international flight. Assistance with departure formalities.