Overview

AVAILABLE: From JUNE to the end of NOVEMBER
BEST TIME: MAY to NOVEMBER

HIGHLIGHTS:

This tour will take you from Antananarivo to Andasibe (National park), Tsingy of Bemaraha (National Park), Baobab Avenue and Kirindy

• Andasibe National Park

Andasibe National Park is a part of Toamasina. 140 kilometers from Antananarivo, and 200 kilometers from Tamatave. The surface of the area is 16,310 hectares (Analamazaotra Special Reserve is 810 hectares while Mantandia National Park is 15,500 hectares). The climate is very humid, the average annual temperature is 18 degrees Celsius, and the average annual rainfall is 1,700 millimeters spread over 210 hectares. The park consists of 80% primary forests and 13% secondary forests, subject to the impact of human activity. The special reserve is dedicated to the protection of the largest Malagasy lemur, the indri. An orchid park is also open to the public. There are three campsites and a hotel in the park.

• Kirindy National Park

The Kirindy National Park is located in the Menabe region, Kingdom of Sakalava located about 70 km south of Morondava on the edge of the Mozambique Channel. Kirindy amongs the 20 new UNESCO Biosphere Reserves! A total of 669 representing 120 countries. Terrestrial National Park and RAMSAR Site and BIOSPHERE RESERVE. It is the transition between the biodiversity of the West and the South: dense dry forest that occupies 70% of the park, thorny thicket Didiereaceae and Euphorbiaceae, brackish coastline lake, habitat of many species, birds, reptiles, lemurs. Endemicity of biodiversity: 97%.

• Tsingy of Bemaraha

Located in the western part of Madagascar, about 200 kilometers from Morondava, the protected area of Bemaraha covers more than 150,000 hectares. It is home to the famous Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, one of the most spectacular landscapes of Madagascar and even of the world. The famous Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is the first tourist attraction that makes the western destination of Madagascar a popular destination for tourists. Indeed, the Tsingy are a group of limestone rocks whose formation began several million years ago when the sea still covered the region. Thus, corals and shells have stacked and welded together to form thick layers which have subsequently raised. In the open air, the limestone cracked to give rise to diaclases and canyons. Rainwater that has an acid characteristic has also contributed to erosion by shaping tapered slats and deep tunnels with concretions on the surface. It is a    true limestone cathedral characterizing one of the most spectacular natural landscapes of the Great Island and even of the world, hence it's inscription to the world natural heritage and national cultural heritage of UNESCO. Tsingy de Bemaraha is strongly regarded as a place of endemism because of their richness in plant and animal species where scientists have recorded a high level of endemism of around 80-90%. The protected area of Bemaraha is a true refuge for rare and endemic animal species. There are 17 rare species of reptiles, including the very small chameleon scientifically called the Brookesia perarmata and a species of rodents, Nesomys lambertoni, found only in the park. There are also 11 species of lemurs, six species of birds, and two species of local endemic amphibians. On the flora side, the park abounds with more than 600 species of plants, but the baobabs, aloes and flamboyants remain the first stars. 

DETAIL OF THE PROGRAM:

DAY 01 : ABROAD - ANTANANARIVO   

Arrival in Ivato International Airport. Reception by Across Africa Tours and Travel, Meet and greet. Once you have passed customs formalities, it is to the Guide to smooth through the rest of the arrivals process - changing money, setting up your phone with the new SIM, and anything else you need. Money and SIM are best and easiest done before you leave the airport. To start the adventure, we explore Madagascar's capital, known simply as "Tana", and then drive directly to the hotel.

Night at the PIETRA hotel (B and B)     

 DAY 02 : ANTANANARIVO – MORONDAVA – KIRINDY (45km “1h30”)   

Breakfast, 45mn visit of the Queen’s Palace (Rova Manjakamiadana), transfer to the airport for flight (Departure at 12:20am) to the west coast of the island, destination to Morondava (Arrival at 13:20pm). On your arrival, drive directly to the North, about 42 km following the secondary road which a bit winding, to reach the famous Kirindy Park. Check-in at your hotel (Relais du Kirindy). Around 6:30 PM, beginning of the Guided night walks at Kirindy Reserve. Kirindy is the best place in the whole island to observe fosa. Other nocturnal species includes: the rare Coquerel's giant mouse lemur and pygmy mouse-lemur, fork-crowned lemur, grey mouse lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur and redtailed sportive lemur. Several bats, tenrecs, mongoose and rodents complete the mammal population. 

Night at the RELAIS DU KIRINDY hotel (B and B) 

DAY 03 : KIRINDY – BEKOPAKA (165km “7h”)    

After breakfast, around 7:30 AM, beginning of the Guided day visits at Kirindy reserve. Kirindy Reserve is home to seven species of lemur. The most common are the common brown lemurs and the Verreaux's sifakas. These long-legged, seven-pound lemurs, white with dark patches, leap among tree trunks high in the canopy, propelled by their powerful hind legs but continually maintaining an upright posture. 40 bird, 50 reptile and 15 amphibian species are also found in this magnificent forest. After the visit, back to the road and continue by a ferry crossing to reach the small village of Belo sur Tsiribihina, where we stop for lunch. Then, continue to the North through a landscape of rice fields and small village, to arrive at the end of the afternoon at Bekopaka.  

Night at the SOLEIL DU TSINGY hotel (B and B) 

 JOUR 04 : BEKOPAKA (Tsingy de Bemaraha)   

After breakfast, guided visit to the Bemaraha National Park (Grand Tsingy), you can choose whichever tour you want to do on this day, in consultation with your local guide and your driver, depending on your energy levels and enthusiasm on the day. There are circuits for all levels of fitness here at this World Heritage park. Here nature seems to be in perfect harmony with this wild and sharp limestone mountain. The flora consists of a dry western deciduous forest, plants typical of these dry limestone areas, such as species of Aloe and baobab Andasonia, the red-flowered flamboyant tree, Madagascar’s native banana Musa perrier. You can also see typical plants growing in the rocky area such pachypodium, orchids Concerning the fauna we can see the stump-tailed chameleon Brookesia perarmata, 53 bird, 7 lemur species including Decken’s sifaka Propithecus verreauxi deckeni.  For your lunch, you will have picnic organized by the guide. After lunch, you will continue your visit to the Small Tsingy.  

Night at the SOLEIL DU TSINGY hotel (B and B) 

DAY 05 : BEKOPAKA - MORONDAVA (200km “10h”)   

After the breakfast, back to Morondava. Lunch at Belo sur Tsiribihina. Then continue up to Morondava with two special stops, the first in Baobab Amoureux and the second in the famous Streets of Baobabs to appreciate a beautiful sunset. Arrival at Morondava in early evening, transfer to the hotel. 

Night at the PALISSANDRE hotel (B and B)   

 DAY 06 : MORONDAVA - ANTSIRABE (470km “9h”)  

Today, you will have a very long drive, so it is better to leave early Morondava  (7:00AM). After breakfast, drive directly to Antsirabe with some stops on the road for pictures and breaks if it is necessary. Lunch in Miandrivazo, and then continue to Antsirabe. The city is famous for its buildings dating from the colonial era.

Night at the ROYAL PALACE hotel (B and B)  

DAY 07 : ANTSIRABE – ANDASIBE (290km “7h30”) 

Early in the morning, after breakfast, city tour in Antsirabe by rickshaw (Visit: Avenue of independence, the famous Hotel des Thermes, market of stones and the little Factory of Horn). After the visit, on rout to go to Andasibe with some stops to enjoy the landscape, for photos and for some little breaks if it is necessary. One special stop in the Pereiras park. The fascinating park owned by the Peyrieras family, to see Cocquerel's Sifaka, and chameleons and many other reptiles, and some other Malagasy animals such as butterflies, moths (the giant Atlas Moth) and tenrecs. After the visit, continue directly to reach Andasibe. On your arrival, check-in at the hotel and then relax for the rest of the day. 

Night at the MANTADIA LODGE (accommodation at B and B)

DAY 08 : ANDASIBE (PERINET) 

After breakfast, Guided visit to Analamazaotra National Park (It is better to leave the hotel at 7:30AM). This morning you need an early start to catch the Indri-Indri and the Diademed Sifaka in their forest home. The visit takes about 4 hours. Within a mile of the park you can hear the peculiar call of the indri very early in the morning until noon and again in the late afternoon. Indris (called Babakoto in Malagasy) are the largest living lemurs at all reaching up to 1 meter. Andasibe is the best place to observe the Indris given that there are a couple of families habituated to humans. It lives in small groups and cannot survive in captivity. There are several legends trying to explain its origins since it is considered a sacred animal in the whole Madagascar. Apart from the Indri, another 13 lemur species inhabit these forests, such as woody lemur, grey bamboo lemur, diademed sifaka, brown lemur, red mouse-lemur, redbellied lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and even aye-aye.  Lunch. In the afternoon, you will enjoy an amazing up close and personal experience with lemurs on the private Lemurs Island and then on to view many other species in the Vakona Reserve Zoo, where you will see many crocodiles in the huge river enclosure, native birds, and other wildlife in well-kept surroundings. Around 6:30PM, beginning of the Guided night visits, the visit will take 1hour and half, and then drive back to the hotel.

Night at the MANTADIA LODGE (accommodation at B and B) 

DAY 09: ANDASIBE - ANTANANARIVO (130km “3h30”) 

For this last day, transfer back to the capital Antananarivo. On your arrival, we drive to the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting of a royal city and an ensemble of sacred places. The Queen's Palace here is a symbol of the Merina Kingdom, the dynasty that made Madagascar a modern state. This is a place of pilgrimage and  the burial ground for its sovereigns since 1817. Sitting atop the highest hill in Antananarivo, it offers spectacular views of the surroundings. Then transfer to the hotel.

Night at the PIETRA hotel (B and B)

DAY 10: ANTANANARIVO (130km “3h30”) 

This last day is dedicated to shopping. So after breakfast, we drive you down to town, followed by a shopping and purchase some souvenirs at the craft market of La Digue. And then, transfer directly to the airport for your external flight.