Andasibe Reserve and the Southern to Ifaty (Ex NBO)

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park with its 154 km² encompasses two distinct areas: the small Analamazaotra special reserve in the south next to Andasibe village; and the much larger Park National de Mantadia to the north. Both parts belonged to the same humid forest, but because of human activities are now divided in two. The park was created in 1989. 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, red-bellied lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and even aye-aye. The extraordinary animal diversity is completed with another 15 mammal species, more than 100 of birds (many of them endemic, like the Madagascar yellow brow, Madagascar baza, Madagascar wagtail or the

Madagascar serpent-eagle), 50 of reptiles, among them the biggest chameleon of the island, the boa manditra and many leaf-tailed geckos and more than 80 amphibians. There are also a few local endemic fishes swimming in the small rivers and hundreds of insects, among them some extraordinary colorful and big butterflies.

Meet and greet at the airport and then departure to join Andasibe national Park, you will leave the highland and admire the beautiful east landscape. Stop by at Pereira’s reserve to visit its butterfly, chameleons ….continuation to Andasibe. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and the visiting lemurs Island to discover lemurs and medicinal plants. Nocturnal visit before dinner.

Luxury hotel: Andasibe hotel
Mid Range: Feon’ny Ala hotel

After breakfast, transfer to the entrance park to discover the biggest lemurs in Madagascar (the Indri Indri) and other species, some medicines plants and orchids. If you want more walk, it’s better to choose Mantadia reserve. Analamazotra is a special reserve of 810 hectares gives home to 11 species of lemurs among which the spectacular Indri Indri, Common Brown Lemurs, Bamboo Lemurs, Eastern Avahi, Brown Mouse Lemurs, Greater Dwarf Lemurs. This is also an ideal place for birds, chameleons, frogs and also for orchids.

Luxury hotel: Vakona forest Lodge
Mid Range: Feon’ny Ala hotel

After breakfast, departure to join Antsirabe, you will leave the east part to join the water town which is Antsirabe, passing by in the beautiful landscape such as the rice fields, highlands villages. Stop by in Ambatolampy to discover the manufacturers of aluminium casseroles… After the visit, continue to reach Antsirabe. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel.

Luxury hotel: Couleur Café
Mid Range: Residence Camelia

After breakfast, you will visit the town before joining Ranomafana Park, passing by in Ambositra which is the vicinity to the forest has turned it into the centre of Madagascar’s woodcarving Zafimaniry industry. The cultural influence of this tribe can be found in the traditional carvings (motifs) of the local houses with their intricately carved balconies, panels and shutters. Artisans usually coming from the nearby Zafimaniry villages, work in small carving workshops, though it is very common to observe them working under tree at the street. After a visit of some workshop, continue the road to Ranomafana. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel. The nocturnal is available before dinner.

Luxury hotel: Setam Lodge
Mid Range: Centre Est hotel

RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK

Ranomafana (which means “hot water” in Malagasy) is doubtless one the most spectacular National Parks of Madagascar. The Park has a great biodiversity (12 lemur species are found here) and developed infrastructures, it has become one of the most visited places of the island. Established in 1991, it expands over a mountainous terrain of 415 km² totally covered by dense moist primary and secondary forest area at altitudes between 800m and 1.200m. In 1986 the critically endangered golden bamboo lemur was discovered here by Dr. Patricia Wright, a fact that definitely pushed the government to create a national park. The park contains twelve lemur species. Aside from the golden bamboo lemur, visitors can spot eastern woolly lemur, red bellied lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur, greater bamboo lemur, red-fronted brown lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur, Milne-Edward´s sifaka, Smalltoothed sportive lemur, greater dwarf lemur and brown mouse lemur and the very rare ayeaye.

Other mammals include 7 species of tenrecs, 8 bats and 6 carnivorous, like the Malagasy striped civet and some mongooses. Birds are also wide spread in Ranomafana. There are at least 115 species catalogued (30 are local endemic to this part of Madagascar), among them the Henst’s goshawk, Rufousheaded ground-roller, velvet asity, mesites or the threatened crested ibis. Apart from that, the immense wildlife is completed by 62 species of reptiles (chameleons, snakes and fringed and satanic leaf-tailed geckos are pretty common), 98 frogs, 90 butterflies, 350 spiders and several fishes and crayfishes. As in Andasibe-Mantadia, most reptiles and frogs are best seen during night walks, when chameleons in particular initially reflect white in the beam of a torch. Among the plants which grow in these rain forests, many are used by the Tanala and the Betsileo for medical purposes. There are precious wood and palm trees, many orchids and carnivorous plants. In addition to its densely forested hills, the protected area is characterised by numerous small streams, which plummet down to the beautiful Namorona River, which bisects the park and produces electricity for the surrounding areas at the hydroelectric power station of Ranomafana. The climate is warm and humid all the year.

Best visiting months are May, September, October, and November. Although the dry season extends from April to December, the North East and Central East regions have no months (or weeks) that are completely without rain.

After breakfast, transfer to the park to discover Ranomafana Park, you will walk through the rainy forest to see the Golden Bamboo lemur endemic of the park, the Propithecus Diadema and others types, the birds, chameleons, butterflies, frogs etc. Many medicinal plants is also present, palm trees, orchids etc. after lunch, drive to Ranomafana village to visit the hot Spring Station, possibility to swim in the hot spring pool and then drive to Fianarantsoa in the afternoon. You will visit Fianaransoa’s old town before check in at your hotel.

Luxury hotel: Tsara Guest House
Mid Range: Soratel

After breakfast, you will visit Fianarantsoa’s old town before taking the road to Ranohira, passing by in Ambalavao and visiting the wine yard factory, the Antemoro Paper factory, and the silks. Some walk to discover Ambalavao town which is characterized by the different veranda and the old houses. You will visit Anja reserve to discover the lemur catta, some orchids and traditional tombs. After the visit, drive to Tsaranoro Valley and check in at your hotel.

Luxury hotel: Camp Catta

ANDRINGITRA NATIONAL PARK

The Andringitra mountains are a granite outcrop in south-central Madagascar characterized by high mountains, deep valleys, and ridges. Explorers in the early twentieth century recognized the ecological importance of the massif and, in 1927, the central part of the mountain range was declared a Strict Nature Reserve. However, the area was little known to outsiders until the early 1990s when the Malagasy Environmental Action Plan was introduced and the Andringitra National Park was established. Over an area of 311 km² is subdivided into three ecosystems: low altitude rainforest, mountain forest and high altitude vegetation. The park is located in the Fianarantsoa Province of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao. It is also one of the most biologically diverse and endemic places in all of Madagascar; over 100 different species of birds, over 50 species of mammals including 13 of lemurs, (ring tailed lemur are quite frequent), 55 species of frogs and more than 1,000 plants are known to inhabit the park. Its highest elevation is Pick Boby, 2.658 m high, is the second highest summit in Madagascar standing out as prominently above the barren lunar plain. It is also an important central link in the longest unbroken chain of rainforest remaining in Madagascar, which stretches 180km from Ranomafana National Park in the north connecting to Pick Boby in the south

Full day to visit Andringitra National Park

After breakfast, depart to join Ranohira, you will pass by the “Door to the South” which separates the highland and the southern part. Reach the High plateau of Horombe which offers a very peculiar landscape before arriving at Ranohira village. Before check in at your hotel, you will go to see “Isalo windows” for the romantic sunset’s show.

Luxury Hotel: Relais de la Reine
Mid Range: Toile de l’Isalo

After breakfast, transfer to the Isalo National Park and discover the Canyon of the Monkeys. It is a popular hike through the dense forest to discover ring-tailed lemurs leaping through trees, with their faces tilted to the sunrays and the lovely Sifakas, with their legs sideways along the ground in a bizarre and singularly cool dance step. A popular but thirsty excursion leads from here to the natural swimming pools along a breathtaking way of brilliantly colored ranges.

Luxury hotel: Relais de la Reine
Mid Range: Toile de l’Isalo

ISALO NATIONAL PARK

Established in 1962, the Isalo National Park is located approximately 700 km southwest of Antananarivo and protects 815 km² of sandstone massif wildly eroded by wind and rain into bizarre ridges (known as “runiformes”) featuring wild forms, impressive gorges and canyons and tiny stalagmite pinnacles. The far Wild West reminiscent of the landscape, dominated by rugged massive that rises up from the flat surrounding grassy plain, attracts hikers from the whole world that gather here to admire the sweeping colors of this Jurassic scenery. The climate is dry tropical with warm temperatures all year around.

Though wildlife is here not as prominent as in other parks of the country, there is still a couple of species worth to look out: Ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, sifakas and 14 nocturnal lemurs hide in dense vegetation along the streams. The park homes approximately 80 species of birds (including the rare Benson‟s rock-thrush, the knob-billed duck or the crested ibis), 35 of reptiles and several endemic frogs. The flora is indeed more interesting than the fauna. There are several local endemic plants among the 500 species which are found within Isalo, such as the elephant´s foot and some rare palms and aloe species.

After breakfast, transfer to the entrance Park to discover the natural swimming pool, a natural stone cave overlooks a crystal-clear waterfall, which tumbles into a deep green pool surrounded by overhanging pandanus trees. The swimming pool is a true oasis in the heat of the canyons. This tour is ideally combined with the canyon des Singes, as the‟ piscine „ the pool offers very welcome refreshment after a exhausting hike.

Luxury hotel: Relais de la Reine
Mid Range: Toile de l’Isalo

After breakfast, depart to join Tuléar and crossing the high plateau of Horombe, passing by in the sapphire‟s village. You will discover as well some baobab trees standing in this dry area and Mahafaly tombs which is characterized by its colors and the famous Alolalo. Upon arrival, in Tuléar, have lunch and then transfer to Ifaty. Along the way, take in the beauty of the sandy road and see the Baobabs along the road to your hotel. Check in at your hotel.

Luxury hotel: Le Paradisier
Mid Range: La Mira de Madiorano

IFATY is known for relaxation and beautiful beaches, mostly welcomed after a long trekking tour. Indeed the beaches are beautiful and its closeness to Tulear, where most trips to the South end, make Ifaty a well worth trip to lay down on the beach and do some snorkelling. The reef is great shape but beginners can still enjoy (you can observe wrasse, box/cowfish, parrotfish, angelfish and pipefish). Ifaty has Reniala reserve which allow you to observe the kind of Baobab trees in Madagascar, a place for bird watching too.

Luxury hotel: Le Paradisier
Mid Range: La Mira de Madiorano

Transfer to Tuléar and then to the airport for flight to Antananarivo. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Luxury hotel: Palissandre hotel
Mid Range: Sakamanga hotel Day

Day 14: Antananarivo

After breakfast, visit handcrafts workshops for the souvenirs and then transfer to the airport for your international flight