7 Days Culture and Wildlife Tour Madagascar

Primate Safaris > Tours > Rwanda > 7 Days Culture and Wildlife Tour Madagascar

If you are arriving in Antananarivo on Day 1 you will be met at the airport and transferred to the group hotel for overnight. If you are arriving on any other day, private airport transfers can be arranged at an additional cost. Overnight Hotel Belvédère.

After breakfast, you will meet your driver-guide and afterwards we will drive to Andasibe. We journey towards the spectacular tropical coast, passing through scenery and villages that few get to see. We stop in Marozevo to visit the fascinating Pereiras Reserve, a wildlife centre where we can see butterflies, reptiles and chameleons at close quarters, and where you might see a few lemurs. After a spectacular day we arrive in Andasibe late in the afternoon. Later, we can take a night walk, searching for nocturnal species in the Mitsinjo Reserve. Approx driving distance/time: 145 km; 4 hrs.

Overnight Hotel Eulophiella

This morning we take a walk deep into the rainforest of Perinet Reserve, home to more than 9 species of lemurs, including the largest, the almost mythical Indri Indri, the most revered of all the species. But these explorations are not only about lemurs. There is a host of spectacular plant life, and the magical chameleons that are found throughout Madagascar. After lunch we continue our day of exploration, and enter the forest of Vakôna Reserve to Lemur Island, where we can definitely see the wildlife at close quarters. Overnight Hotel Eulophiella.

We drive to Manambato passing ravinala, which along with the baobab, are the two iconic plants of Madagascar. The ravinala, which is native to Madagascar and also known as the Travellers Palm, becomes more common as we travel east and enter the coastal zone. Arriving at Manambato, we board our boat to travel along the Pangalanes (approx 1 hr boat crossing). The Pangalanes are a series of coastal lakes and canals along the east coast that are one of the wonders of Madagascar, but have not yet been “discovered”, except by more adventurous travellers and expats resident in Madagascar. These placid backwaters are verged by tropical forest and are home to the Betsimi sararka people, who still lead a traditional fishing lifestyle. We travel to Ankanin’ny Nofy where we stay in a simple hotel where the lemurs come to visit. Overnight Hotel Palmarium or Bush House Hotel.

We spend the morning exploring a private reserve. It is a small forest station that is home to many species of wildlife, including lemur species we have not yet seen. The afternoon is free to swim, visit the local fishing village, walk on the beach or continue wildlife viewing. Overnight Hotel Palmarium or Bush House Hotel.

After an early breakfast, we travel on the Pangalanes canal and return to Manambato which takes abot 1 hour. We drive past coastal ravinala and pandanus and enter the forest, climbing to the highlands. After the visit we continue to the capital, Antananarivo. Overnight Hotel Belvédère or similar.

You may like to take a family walk around the city centre this morning, or depart earlier for the airport to visit the large craft market near the airport entrance and shop for last minute items. (It is an approx. 90 minute transfer to the airport for your International departure). Trip arrangements end after breakfast with a transfer to the airport for onward travel.