SOUTH & EAST   

1st day: EUROPE - ANTANANARIVO
Meeting at Ivato international airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel 

2nd day: ANTANANARIVO - ANTSIRABE
Depart to Antsirabe through a landscape composed mainly of mountains and rice fields. Tour of the "Town of Water" - so called because of its numerous thermal springs and existence of two crater lakes. Visit of a workshop where they make miniatures from recycled materials. Overnight at the hotel 

3rd day: ANTSIRABE - RANOMAFANA
After breakfast, drive to Ranomafana - a national park of rainforest which is home to various species of lemurs such as the golden bamboo lemurs, brown lemurs, birds, chameleons, frogs. Stop in Ambositra for the visit of some Zafimaniry handicrafts centres: woodcarving Continuation to Ranomafana. After check-in at the hotel, night walk along the road to see nocturnal species of animals. Back to the hotel and Overnight.

4th day: RANOMAFANA - FIANARANTSOA
After breakfast, visit of the some 40’000 hectares big Nationalpark with its lemurs, chameleons, spiders, frogs, varieties of orchids and medicinal plants. Only in 1986 was discovered the golden Bamboo lemurs here, and there are more than 100 species of birds. After lunch, off to Fianarantsoa - the capital of the Betsileo tribe. Overnight at the hotel 

5th day: FIANARANTSOA - RANOHIRA
Early departure to Ranohira. Stop in Ambalavao - the commercial centre of the southern Betsileo region, renowned for its folks, arts and crafts – to visit the "Antemoro Paper" factory. This paper is a delicate, handmade, flower-decorated paper made of the fibres of a tree called "Avoha". Possibility to visit a wine producer for wine tasting (both visits not possible on Sundays). Another stop 12km south of Ambalavao to visit the Anja park, where you can see some families of ring-tailed Katta lemurs in their natural surroundings. Arrival in Ranohira around sunset, overnight at the hotel.

6th day : RANOHIRA
Morning trek inside the Isalo National Park to discover the massif of Isalo, its ruin like sandstones, canyons, endemic fauna and flora (Lemurs and endemic plants such as Pachypodium , aloes,..) and to swim in its natural pool. Back to the hotel in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

7th day : RANOHIRA - TULEAR
After breakfast, off to Tuléar along a straight road. The landscape is composed of high bushes, thick gallery forests and some proudly decorated Mahafaly tombs. In Tulear, visit of the Arboretum with many species of endemic plants. Overnight at the hotel.

 

8th day : TULEAR - ANTANANARIVO
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight back to the capital . Meeting at the airport and transfer to the city. Overnight at the hotel.

9th day : ANTANANARIVO - ANDASIBE
After breakfast ,drive to Andasibe through a landscape composed of rice fields , waterfalls, and scarce forest stations. Before dinner, off for a night walk along the road to see some nocturnal species of animals. Back to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

10th day : ANDASIBE – MANAMBATO - AKANIN' NY NOFY
After breakfast , visit of the reserve and discover the species dwelling inside this forest like Indri Indri, the largest species of lemurs. Drive to Manambato then transfer by a motorboat to Akanin' ny Nofy (which literally means "Nest of Dreams"). Overnight at the hotel 

11th day : AKANIN' NY NOFY
A full day to discover this beautiful area at the clear and calm waters of the Ampitabe lake and the private Palmarium park with a big variety of lemurs on one spot. When night falls, excursion by boat to spot the Aye Aye lemur, with its long middle finger (Daubentonia madagascariensis). Overnight at the hotel.

12th day : AKANIN'NY NOFY - TAMATAVE - SAINTE MARIE (flight only three times per week,
arrival date must be adapted accordingly)
Transfer early morning by motor boat along the Pangalanes canal until Tamatave (if the flight to Sainte Marie should be early morning, the transfer to Tamatave has to happen the afternoon before). Pick up at the port and transfer to the airport for the flight to Sainte Marie. Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

13th day and 14th day : SAINTE - MARIE
Days free. Options: excursion by car and/or by boat to see a little village of fishermen, pirates cemetery and a lagoon (looking almost like a swimming pool), or excursion to the "île aux nattes". From July to September, you might see some humpback whales near the island. Overnight at the hotel. 

15th day : SAINTE MARIE - ANTANANARIVO
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Antananarivo. Transfer to the hotel, rest of the day free. Overnight at the hotel.

16th day : ANTANANARIVO -EUROPE
In the morning, excursion to Ambohimanga – a UNESCO World heritage site: a King‘s palace built on the top of the hill covered with forests. In the afternoon, back to Tana and visit of a handicraft market. At the end of the afternoon, transfer to the hotel and day use. In the evening, transfer to the airport for the flight back to Europe.

 

Price per person sharing: 3143 GBP (subject to change and availability)

 

Including:

-All airport transfers

-Midrange accommodation based on bed and breakfast, on Sainte Marie on half board

-Parks and reserve fees (Ranomafana, Ranohira, Andasibe, Palmarium)

-Service of local guides in parks and reserves

-car or bus rental with a driver for the road trip

-Fuel and driver's indemnities

-transfer in the hotel-owned motor boat (there may be other passengers on board): Manambato- Akanin'ny Nofy –Tamatave

-visit of Anja and Arboretum sites, Palmarium reserve and the excursion to spot the Aye Aye

-tourist levy and VAT

-Domestic flights with airport taxes: Tuléar -Antananarivo, Tamatave - Sainte Marie, Sainte Marie – Antananarivo: approx. 640 Euro per person without reduction, if flying long haul with MD, tariff will be reduced.

 

Excluding:

-Visa fees (will probably be free again if getting upon arrival)

-International flights and their taxes

-All other meals and drinks

-Excursions on Sainte Marie

-Personal expenditures

-Personal insurance for eventualities like accidents, theft or damage to luggage, cancellation etc