Antananarivo

Antananarivo is Madagascar’s capital built on a rocky ridge and its 12 surrounding sacred hills. It became the centre of the Merina kingdom in the 16th Century with the royal palace (rova) built on the highest point and remained the capital throughout French colonisation to this day. The name Antananarivo means ‘City of the Thousand’, after the number of soldiers protecting it during King Adrianjaja’s reign. Today it is commonly known by its shortened name ‘Tana’.

Tana is an attractive city, with its colourful houses and cobbled streets, surrounded by rice fields and the white concrete Merina tombs, from where the dead will be exhumed in the famous famadihana ceremony, dotted around the empty countryside. There is a lot of sightseeing interest in the town itself, as well as in the surrounding area. There are a number of cultural, historical and natural sites within a day’s excursion from Tana, so it is worth spending a couple of nights in the capital.

Our preferred hotels include:

Lokanga Boutique Hotel

La Varangue

Royal Palissandre Hotel

Pavillion de l’Emyrne

Hotel Colbert

Antsiranana (Diego Suarez)

Antsiranana is Madagascar’s fifth largest town and the capital of its northernmost province. It has a beautiful deep-water harbour encircled by hills and its own sugarloaf mountain in one of the bays. The town played an important role during World War II when Madagascar was under the control of the Vichy French. In 1942 it was captured and occupied by the British and Allied forces and there is a British War Cemetery in the centre of town.

Often just used as a gateway to Ankarana Reserve and Montagne d’Ambre National Park, Antsiranana itself is definitely worth a visit. Its charming colonial architecture, the vibrant local market and lots of small stores, as well as its cosmopolitan population, makes a visit to this town an enjoyable and atmospheric experience. The Montagne de Francais offers great views and the three bays Baie des Dunes, Baie de Sakalava and Baie des Pigeons should also not be missed out.

Our preferred hotel is:

Allamanda Hotel

Eastern National Parks

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Located some 145 km east of Tana and world famous for its habituated Indri, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is Madagascar’s most visited and most accessible park. It was formed in 1990 when Analamazaotra, better known by its French name Perinet, was combined with Mantadia 20 km to the north.

In Andasibe the Indri is the largest of the lemurs, standing about a metre high. The long legs are extremely powerful and allow it to jump 10 m from tree to tree. It is not just its size but also its voice that makes this lemur stand out – it makes eerie, wailing sounds which can be heard up to 3 km away. There are 11 species of lemur in total in the park, plenty of insects and spiders and tenrecs can be found too; reptiles are a little rarer though if you are lucky you can spot the Parson’s chameleon – one of the largest in the world. It is also a great reserve for bird watching.

Mantadia is a little harder to explore. The trails are not as carefully constructed as they are in Andasibe; instead they are rugged and much harder work. Mantadia varies more in altitude still comprises virtually untouched primary forest and therefore has more species than its neighbour.

Our preferred hotels include:

Vakona Forest Lodge

Masoala National Park

This is Madagascar’s largest National Park, yet also the least visited as reaching it is not easy and involves a 2 hours’ boat ride from Maroantsetra. Once there the rewards are great – large expanses of virgin rainforest, in some places stretching all the way down to the Bay of Antogil with its stunning golden beaches, where Humpback whales can be seen between June and September when they come to give birth or mate.

The rest of the wildlife is equally amazing – there are 10 species of lemurs, including the Red-ruffed lemur which can only be found here. Of the large number of reptiles the most commonly seen are the Panther chameleon, the Hooded chameleon and various species of Stumptailed chameleons. Frogs are abundant too, including the Tomato frog and the Greenbacked mantilla. For birders the park is a paradise and rare endemic species like the Madagascar serpent eagle and the Madagascar red owl can be found here.

Our preferred hotels include:

Arol Lodge

Masoala Forest Lodge

Relais de Masoala (in Maroantsetra)

Ifaty

Ifaty is a small fishing village on Madagascar’s south-eastern coast, situated about 1½ hours north of Tulear. There are more than 300 days of sunshine each year here and the beautiful coastline is home to some lovely sandy beaches. Alongside the hotels offering activities such as snorkelling, diving and fishing, the local Vezo (fishing people) still live a traditional lifestyle.

Our preferred hotels include:

Dunes d’Ifaty

Le Paradisier

Ile Sainte Marie

Ile Sainte Marie (Nosy Boraha) is a small tropical island (about 60 km long and 5 km wide) off the east coast of Madagascar. It is a real tropical paradise, with miles of sandy beaches shaded by coconut palms, small bays and coves protected by coral reefs, traditional fishing villages and lush vegetation.

From 1685 the island was a major hideout for pirates in the Indian Ocean, such as Thomas White, William Kidd, Thomas Tew and David Williams, who plundered passing ships in the seas around the coasts of Africa. The Pirates Cemetery at Baie de Forbans is well worth a visit. The island then came under French rule in 1750 and there are a few reminders such as a war monument or the old church in Ambodifotatra.

Ile Sainte Marie, or more accurately the channel between the island and the mainland, is also the best place for whale watching, where during July – September large groups of Humpback whales come to calve and nurse their young.

Our preferred hotels include:

Princesse Bora Lodge

Masoandro Lodge

Northern National Parks

Montagne D’Ambre National Park

Montagne d’Ambre National Park (Amber Mountain) is situated about 40 km south of Antisranana (Diego Suarez) and covers 18,500 ha of protected rainforest area. The park is reached by a 7 km dirt track from the small colonial town of Joffreville. The climate is always cool and fresh and the park is well known for its bird’s nest ferns, tree ferns, orchids and the rare rainforest baobab.

The park has approximately 30 km of walking trails which can offer close encounters with many species of small creatures such as chameleons, snakes, frogs and geckos. There are a number of different species of lemurs in the park, including the Crowned and Sanfords lemurs, as well as the nocturnal Amber Mountain Forked lemur, and the park is the best place to see the diurnal ringtail mongoose.

Our preferred hotels include:

Nature Lodge

Domaine de Fontenay in Joffreville

Ankarana Special Reserve

Ankarana covers an area of 18,220 ha and is one of the country’s most popular reserves. It features a most fascinating landscape of ‘tsingy’ (limestone karst pinnacles) and forest with numerous underground caves and rivers which are home to crocodiles and bats. The reserve is also known for its many lemur species, including the Crowned and Sanford’s lemurs, and it is a great place to see birds, reptiles and insects.

Our preferred hotel is:

Le Relais de l’Ankarana

Nosy Be

Nosy Be means ‘big island’ and it is the most popular holiday destination in Madagascar. The island developed a trade in tourism long before the mainland and can thus appear more commercialised than anywhere else in Madagascar. That said, it is the perfect island with an almost perfect climate, offering sun, sea and sand as well as lemurs and chameleons. Exotic scents such as ylang ylang and vanilla are in the air, there are local markets selling spices and local handicrafts.

Nosy Be and especially its surrounding small islands also have several options for real luxury accommodation (see ‘Hotels’ section) which is not always easy to find in the rest of Madagascar. The diving around these smaller islands is considered to be amongst the best in Madagascar, especially at Nosy Tanikely which is a marine reserve. The island of Nosy Komba is home to the black lemur, making a fascinating excursion.

Our preferred hotels include:

Vanila Hotel (Nosy Be)

Sangany Lodge (Nosy Be)

Amarina Hotel (Nosy Be)

Tsara Komba (Nosy Komba)

Tsarabanjina Lodge (Tsarabanjina Island)

Jardin Vanille (Nosy Komba)

South-East Madagascar – Madaclassic

The South Eastern corner of Madagascar is one of the most unspoilt and unexplored areas of the country. And it is home to two luxurious African style properties Mandrare River Camp and Manafiafy Beach & Rainforest Lodge owned and run by Ed Tucker-Brown. It is recommended to combine Mandrare and Manafiafy in the same itinerary as they offer such different and rich experiences and activities (from lemur watching in a private sacred forest to whale watching from the coast). However each place can also easily be booked on its own.

Both properties are accessible from Fort Dauphin, a laid back coastal town.

Please see our individual properties fact sheets for more details on these two fabulous properties.

Southern National Parks

Ranomafana National Park

Ranomafana National Park is located in south-eastern Madagascar and consists of mountainous rainforest including lowland rainforest, cloud forest and high plateau forest owing to its varying altitudes, as well as numerous small streams and waterfalls.

The park is one of Madagascar’s richest in terms of wildlife and one can find 12 species of lemur here, amongst them the rare Greater Bamboo and Golden Bamboo lemurs. There are more than a 100 bird species, 36 of which are endemic, many reptiles, such as the Leaf-tailed gecko or the Fringed gecko, as well as myriad butterflies and insects.

Our preferred hotels include:

Setam Lodge

Andringitra National Park

Madagascar’s second highest peak at 2,658m, Pic d’Imarivolanitra (‘close to the sky’), formerly named Pic Boby, is surrounded by Andringitra National Park which was created in 1999. The main attraction for visiting this area are the extraordinary landscapes, its vegetations and the trekking. There are four main trekking circuits in the park, ranging from 4 hours to 2-3 days. Each circuit covers different terrain; forest, granite peaks and escarpments and the frosty peak of Pic d’Imarivolanitra.

Accommodation in the park whilst on a longer trek will be in simple tents.

Accommodation outside the park:

Tsara Camp

Isalo National Park

Isalo National Park, one of Madagascar’s most visited parks, offers spectacular scenery such as golden sandstone cliffs and jagged rock formations, which hide  a number of lush canyons, small streams and waterfalls. There are some rare endemic plants such as the elephant’s foot clinging to the rocks and a native species of aloe. The wildlife includes sifakas, brown lemurs and ring-tail lemurs as well as a good number of reptiles, frogs and birds.

Isalo is also sacred to the Bara tribe who, for hundreds of years, have used caves in the canyon walls as burial sites. There are a great many trails exploring the varied terrain, but for those who do not wish to hike there are options too such as La Fenetre, a natural rock formation providing a window through which to watch the sun setting.

Our preferred hotels include:

Isalo Rock Lodge and Jardin du Roy

Berenty Reserve

Berenty is Madgascar’s best known nature reserve, due to its excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. It is located on the banks of the Mandrare River and therefore, despite being situated in the arid south, encompasses gallery or riverine forest, a perfect habitat for the large variety of animals that live here.

Ringtail lemurs and dancing Verreaux sifakas can frequently be seen during the day and, a little harder to spot, at night the Grey mouse lemur and the White-footed sportive lemurs make an appearance. Bird watching is excellent and nearly 100 species have been recorded, many of them unique to Madagascar, amongst them the Crested Coua and the Giant Coua with their dramatic blue face markings. There are a number of broad forest trails which allow walking without a guide.

Our preferred hotels include:

Berenty Lodge

The Best of the North

This two week itinerary takes you to the east of the island first before heading north, to explore spectacular landscapes, amazing wildlife and the Indian Ocean. You start off in the capital Antananarivo before you head east to the well known Andasibe-Mantadia National Park to spot some of the famous ‘indri’, the largest of the lemur. You then fly to the very northern tip of the island to Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) where you have a couple of days to explore the town and its surrounding. After visiting Montagne D’Ambre National Park and Ankararana Special Reserve you travel eastwards to Nosy Be and on to Nosy Komba for some relaxing time on the beach.

Day 1 – Fly from London Heathrow to Antananarivo

Day 2 – Arrive Antananarivo – Transfer to Pavillon de l’Emyrne – 1 night

Day 3 – Transfer to Andasibe – Visit Peyreiras Private Reserve – Vakona Forest Lodge – 2 nights

Day 4 – Visit Andasibe National Park

Day 5 – Return to Antananarivo and fly to Antisranana- – Grand Hotel – 2 nights

Day 6 – Excursion to the Three Bays

Day 7 – Transfer to Montagne d’Ambre National Park – Visit park – Transfer to Joffreville and Nature Lodge – 1 night

Day 8 – Transfer to Ankarana Special Reserve – Visit park – Relais de l’Ankarana – 1 night

Day 9 – Transfer to Ambilobe – Visit the market and continue to Ankify – Dauphin Bleu – 1 night

Day 10 – Boat transfer to Nosy Komba – Tsara Komba Lodge – 3 nights

Day 11 & 12 – At leisure

Day 13 – Transfer to Nosy Be airport and fly to Antananarivo and later connect to international flight home

Day 14 – Arrive London Heathrow

2012 price from £2,285 per person

(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Antananarivo/London).

The Best of the South

This classic two and a half week itinerary takes you on the National Road 7 to the south of this vast island. You start off with a night in the capital Antananarivo before heading south to Antsirabe where you spend your second night. From here you continue to Fianarantsoa via Ambositra. After two nights here and exploring the area you continue your journey by train to Mananjary, for something a little different – a day’s excursion by dugout boat on the Canal des Pangalanes. You visit Ranomafana National Park before heading further south to Ranohira and Isalo National Park. The itinerary ends with a few days on the beach in Ifaty.

Day 1 – Fly from London Heathrow to Antananarivo

Day 2 – Arrive Antananarivo – Transfer to Royal Palissandre Hotel – 1 night

Day 3 – Transfer to Antsirabe – Titriva Lake and city tour – Hotel des Thermes – 1 night

Day 4 – Transfer to Fianarantsoa – visit Manandriana village en route – Tsara Guest House – 2 nights

Day 5 – City tour & farm visit

Day 6 – Train journey to Tolongoina – Transfer to Mananjary – Vahiny Lodge – 2 nights

Day 7 – Full day excursion on Canal des Pangalanes

Day 8 – Morning visit to spice plantations – Transfer to Ranomafana NP – Setam Lodge – 2 nights

Day 9 – Explore Ranomafana National Park

Day 10 – Transfer to Tsaranoro – Tsara Camp – 2 nights

Day 11 – Full day excursion

Day 12 – Transfer to Ranohira – Jardin du Roy – 2 nights

Day 13 – Visit Isalo National Park

Day 14 – Transfer to Ifaty via Arboretum of Antsokay – Les Dunes d’Ifaty – 2 nights

Day 15 – At leisure

Day 16 – Transfer to Tulear – Fly to Antananarivo and later connect to international flight home

Day 17 – Arrive London Heathrow

2012 price from £2,321 per person

(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Antananarivo//London).

Madagascar in Style

Day 1 – Fly from London Heathrow to Antananarivo

Day 2 – Arrive Antananarivo (Tana) – Transfer to Lokanga Boutique Hotel – Afternoon city tour of Tana – 1 night

Day 3 – Transfer to Andasibe (Perinet) - Visit Andasibe Village followed by a noctural walk - Vakona Forest Lodge - 2 nights

Day 4 – Full day in Perinet.

Day 5 - Visit Lemur’s island and Peyreiras - Transfer to Tana – Lokanga Boutique Hotel – 1 night

Day 6 – Transfer to Tana airport - Fly to Fort Dauphin – Transfer to Mandrare River Camp – 4 nights

Days 7/8/9  - Day & night walks in the sacred forests, visit oif the baobab field, cultural visits etc…

Day 10 – Transfer to Sainte Luce (via Fort Dauphin) - Tsara Camp – Manafiafy Rainforest and Beach Lodge – 3 nights

Days 11/12  - Swimming, day & night walks in the rainforest, boat trips in the mangrove etc…

Day 13 – Transfer back to Fort Dauphin - Fly to Tana – Private transfer to Lokanga Boutique Hotel – 1 night

Day 14 – Transfer to Tana airport for your international flight home

2012 price from £3,600 per person

(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Antananarivo//London).