Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. On this trip for small groups of 1-3 travellers your leader will also be your driver. For sustainability and a lower carbon footprint, we will also use a 4x4 SUV : or similar, rather than a van or coach.

Transport

Private Vehicles , Plane

Others

Tulear - Antsokay Arboretum Isalo National Park - guided walk Ambalavao - Antemoro Paper Factory visit Ambalavao - Anja Community Reserve Fianarantsoa - Betsileo: village visit and walk Ranomafana NP - Night Walk Ranomafana National Park - Rainforest walk Ranomafana - Conservation Lecture & Lunch Ranomafana - ValBio Research & Conservation Centre Ambositra – Woodcarving workshop visit Ambositra - Village Visit Ambositra - Sandrandahy Village Lunch Andasibe National Park - Analamazaotra Special Reserve Night Walk Antananarivo - Malagasy Chocolate Workshop

Meals

13 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. Hotel (8 nights) Bungalow (4 Nights) Gite (1 Night)

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Antananarivo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Antananarivo

Tonga Soa! Welcome to Madagascar. You’ll start your journey in the country’s capital – the bustling Antananarivo, surrounded by rolling hills. If you arrive early, maybe head to Analakey to visit the street markets or seek out a cafe to soak up the local atmosphere. You might also like to check out the Musee de la Photographie – a small museum showcasing the history of Madagascar between 1850 and 1870 through a series of old photographs assembled into short videos. Your adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm tonight. After, why not keep the introductions going with an optional dinner with your group at a local restaurant.
Day 2 Day 2: Ifaty
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Ifaty

After breakfast this morning and before your flight (if time permits, as flight schedules are subject to change) you’ll head out on a heritage walking tour of the Old City, where you’ll learn a little more about the country’s history. Wander by the architecture of the traditional highland houses and watch on as finely dressed locals pop in and out of Sunday church services. After exploring Antananarivo, board a flight to Tulear and then travel on to your hotel in Ifaty for the evening. The night is yours to sit back and relax or go out and explore the town. Your accommodation tonight features a swimming pool, snack bar and restaurant, so you may like to stay in, rest up and get ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
Day 3 Day 3: Ifaty
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Ifaty

Today is a free day for you to explore or relax. You might like to visit Reniala Private Park (meaning ‘mother of the forest’). This private nature reserve was opened in 2001 as a botanical garden, ornithological park and baobab forest. You could also explore the Recycling Museum, which is dedicated to environmental protection, providing educational awareness for locals and tourists. Up for something a little more active? Take a traditional dugout (speedboat) to the nearby reef and snorkel the day away on a guided excursion. If you’re visiting from July to August, you can also join a humpback whale-watching excursion in the lagoon!
Day 4 Day 4: Isalo National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Isalo National Park

Leave Ifaty in the early morning and head to Tulear, where you’ll stop to pick up some food for lunch. Then, drive to the Antsokay Arboretum – a botanical garden with over 900 species of plants from southwestern Madagascar. 90% of the plants are endemic to the region and 80% are medicinal. Among these, many succulents are considered endangered. You can also see creatures that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world, like chameleons, boas, tenrex and birds, as well as other endemic species. In the afternoon, continue on to Isalo National Park.
Day 5 Day 5: Isalo National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Isalo National Park

After breakfast today, you’ll make tracks to Isalo National Park for a full day of exploration with your leader. Isalo is known for its variety of landscapes, from rainforests and rolling plains teeming with life to strange geological formations and deep-cut canyons. The park is home to over 80 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles and 14 species of mammals, including three lemur species – ring-tailed, red-fronted and the dancing sifakas lemur!
Day 6 Day 6: Fianarantsoa
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Fianarantsoa

Today, you’ll say goodbye to Isalo National Park and hit the road for Fianarantsoa – a colourful town known for its heritage site. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Anja Community Reserve. The forest in Anja was designated a protected area by the Government of Madagascar in 1999. The reserve extends over 30 hectares and is enriched with all kinds of flora and fauna, most notable for its dense population of semi-tame ring-tailed lemurs. Anja has become a vital example of how community management of natural resources can effectively protect the area and benefit the community. Based on their individual skill sets, some locals work as guides and spotters or they perform administrative tasks for the reserve. The villagers will be your guides as you explore the reserve this afternoon. Tonight, you’ll stay at Ecole Hoteliere La Riziere at the foot of Fianarantsoa’s Old Town. This hotel sits above the town on a hill, providing views of the community and the rice fields below. It also doubles as a school, providing basic hospitality training to young people in the community, 65% of whom are female. Their education includes learning the challenges of sustainable development and the income from the establishment finances this training, making it possible to reduce the tuition fees for disadvantaged students.
Day 7 Day 7: Ranomafana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Ranomafana

Today you’ll explore the long, paved roads, twisting alleys and old houses of Fianarantsoa. Wander past tiled roofs and flower-studded balconies, then visit a typical Malagasy village for an insight into how most of the island’s population live. Explore the surrounding countryside, dotted with rice paddies and vineyards that produce Fianarantsoa’s famous wine. You’ll get a chance to sample the local cuisine with a lunch stop in the village. In the afternoon, travel to Ranomafana National Park. This area is a haven for small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects, as well as palms, bamboo, orchids and carnivorous plants. This park is also home to 13 species of lemur, including the famous golden bamboo lemur, which was first reported in the area in 1985. Its presence is one of the main reasons why the government decided to protect this forest. With your free time later this afternoon, maybe visit the thermal springs the town is named after – located across the Namorona River. The outdoor swimming pool fed by the springs is a popular spot to take a dip.
Day 8 Day 8: Ranomafana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Ranomafana

Today, you’ll explore Ranomafana National Park on a four-hour guided walk. Keep your eyes peeled for lemurs, striped civets, mongooses, goshawks, geckos, frogs, and butterflies. You may even spot an incredible net-casting spider or the world’s smallest chameleon. Today, you’ll explore Ranomafana National Park on a 4-hour guided walk. Keep your eyes peeled for lemurs, striped civets, mongooses, goshawks, geckos, frogs and butterflies. You may even spot the incredible net-casting spider or the world’s smallest chameleon! Then, transfer to ValBio Research Centre, which sits just outside the beautifully lush national park – under the direction of renowned primatologist Patricia C. Wright, the centre works to protect Madagascar’s unique and biologically diverse ecosystems through conservation projects that directly benefit local communities. You’ll get a chance to tour the centre with a researcher and sit down for an informal session to learn about the work they do. Have some lunch here, then if you have the energy, maybe head out on another included walk through the national park to spot more wildlife.
Day 9 Day 9: Ambositra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Ambositra

Today, you’ll make the journey to Ambositra – home to the third-largest ethnic group in Madagascar, the Betsileo people. Ambositra is known as the arts, crafts and wood carving capital of Madagascar. You’ll stop by the Id’om Art workshop and learn more about marquetry – the practise of cutting and assembling small pieces of coloured wood, using a hand-operated jigsaw. The jigsaw is created from old car tyres’ wire and it can take up to 2 months to make a 1-m-wide artwork. You’ll see how these craftsmen create their amazingly detailed marquetry with sheets of naturally coloured wood and you’ll have the opportunity to browse the impressive artworks on display.
Day 10 Day 10: Antsirabe
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Antsirabe

This morning, you’ll visit the nearby Sandrandahy association to learn about the process of silk production, which is an important part of Malagasy culture. When a Malagasy is buried, their body is wrapped in a large silk sheet known as a ’lambamena’ and after a few years, the family traditionally returns to the tomb to exchange the sheet for a new one. The association supports over 40 women from neighbouring villages – a holistic approach to community development, with traditional silk weaving as its hub. After learning more about this initiative, you’ll drive to Antsirabe, located in the Malagasy highlands. This evening, sit down for a group dinner in the gazebo within the grounds of the guest house.
Day 11 Day 11: Andasibe National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Andasibe National Park

Today is a long travel day as you make your way to Andasibe. The most visited park in Madagascar, Andasibe National Park is famous for the 11 species of lemur that call this place home. This afternoon, relax at your accommodation and get ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
Day 12 Day 12: Andasibe National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Andasibe National Park

This morning, you’ll set out to discover all the unique wildlife in Andasibe National Park on a guided walk. Look out for lemurs, endemic birds, frogs and insects. Later, you’ll take a night walk through the forest of Analamazaotra Special Reserve. This forest was formed in 1999 by residents of the village of Andasibe in east-central Madagascar. Today, the organisation is composed of more than 50 members from the local community who focus on conservation, research and sustainable development initiatives. In total, the reserve positively impacts more than 400 households in the Andasibe area. Experience the rainforest after dark, where nocturnal mouse lemurs, chameleons, geckos, frogs and fireflies come alive.
Day 13 Day 13: Antananarivo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13: Antananarivo

After breakfast this morning you’ll head off for your final stop in Antananarivo. When you arrive back in Antananarivo, you’ll take part in a hands-on Madagascan chocolate workshop led by a local chocolate maker. Learn about the ingredients used in chocolate-making, the refinement process and some of the secrets as to why Malagasy chocolate is so unique and delicious. After preparing your own take-home chocolate creations, Malagasy pastries will be served with a selection of local teas, coffees and for the courageous, rhum arranges (flavoured rum). Tonight, why not keep the celebrations going with a final dinner with your group and toast your Madagascar adventure with a local beer or two.
Day 14 Day 14: Antananarivo - Departure Day
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: Antananarivo - Departure Day

With no activities planned for today, your adventure ends after breakfast and you’re free to leave at any time after check-out. Departure transfers are available, just speak to your booking agent or local leader. If you’d like to extend your time in Antananarivo, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

+11

14 days tour

Madagascar Adventure (8 Destinations)

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Madagascar Adventure (8 Destinations)

Day 1: Antananarivo

Day 2: Ifaty

Day 3: Ifaty

Day 4: Isalo National Park

Day 5: Isalo National Park

Day 6: Fianarantsoa

Day 7: Ranomafana

Day 8: Ranomafana

Day 9: Ambositra

Day 10: Antsirabe

Day 11: Andasibe National Park

Day 12: Andasibe National Park

Day 13: Antananarivo

Day 14: Antananarivo - Departure Day

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