Tongasoa aty Madagasikara! Dear friends, welcome to Madagascar! We will do our very best to make our trip in Madagascar unforgettable! Our bureau's team will be at the airport to welcome you from your international flight. Already now is the time for selfie lovers to take beautiful shots! Our very special tour will begin in Antananarivo, where we will depart by car, but before catching a hotel we will visit in the Ivato crocodile farm, also called “Croc Farm”. Spanning three hectares, this lush green oasis is ideal for you to relax, we know that having an international flight is tiring.

After, we will depart by car to your nice hotel, where a prepared-room with a comfortable bed will be available for you to rest. Once there, refresh yourself. Look by the window, you made it! Take time to unpack what you need for tonight, rest and be ready for tomorrow! Discover the City of a Thousand as you are taken to hotel where you will stay overnight. And in the evening after dinner, over a cocktail we discuss our program.

From the first day to the last day our experienced and professional guide and the driver will be next to you, so don’t worry about it, they are near to make sure you have everything you need. Tomorrow we are leaving the capital city.

During the course of the morning you travel to Tsarasaotra which means bird‘s island, a small green oasis in the north of the city. The park is a refuge for many birds that can be easily watched and photographed here – among them there are 14 endangered species that only occur in Madagascar.

After visiting Tsarasaotra Park, we will drive along a scenic road to Antsirabe, founded by Norwegians in 1856 and home to Madagascar’s brewing industry. A 3-4 hours journey takes us through the highlands providing us with a taster of the stunning scenery that Madagascar has to offer with its terraced rice-fields and spectacular eroded hills called lavaka. You will notice changes on the features of the local people as Asian heritage becomes more prominent.

Lunch in Antsirabe - it is a tidy, well maintained town which combines the tranquility of a small European provincial town with the exuberance of traditional Malagasy buildings. Then, we drive to the town of Ambositra that lies between the hills and has a very different climate.

Ambositra (pronounced 'amboostr') is located between the rice fields in the area of the Zafamaniry tribe. Ambositra is the town of art, culture, and crafts. You’ll discover that there are warm and welcoming people. It is the capital of the Zafimaniry territory, the people from the heights of Betsileo work the wood in a very refined way. Formerly known as the town of roses, this town used its forest resources to stand out to become master in Malagasy marquetry. Ambositra is then the ideal place to bring back part of the Great Island back to your home, and also very cheap.

Note: For those who wish to explore this blessed region in depth and to extend this tour, we can also organize visits to little explored sites. We take you to little-visited places to share our findings of authentic encounters and a true taste of adventure in wildlife. Take a view, what we have for you: *Walking tour the Zafimaniry region; *Silk Madagascar; *Hiking. We offer numerous types of excursions from Ambositra to the surrounding region.

After early lunch, we continue south, to Ranomafana. It is a spa resort located close to one of the densest forests of Madagascar. “Ranomafana” means “hot water” in Malagasy. This immense evergreen forest (always green), typical of the eastern coast, covers a granitic relief which culminates at 1400m.

Ranomafana National Park is a beautiful and popular rainforest. This park is pristine primary rainforest with monster-sized tree ferns, pandanus, and striking traveller’s palm, known as ravinala. The park is well known for its diversity of wild life including the two very rare species of bamboo lemurs and over 100 bird species.

After breakfast we make an early start to Ranomafana National Park. Wildlife viewing is best from about 5-00 – 10-00 and after 14-00. This is one of the most important mammal sites in Madagascar. This is where you get a first impression of the rainforests and meet the many lemurs. There are lots of other animals to discover, too, and during your first – quite comfortable yet – hikes, you learn to know each other.

The Ranomafana National Park is one of the most pleasant places in the entire country, established in early 1990 to protect the rare and newly discovered Golden Bamboo Lemur. The area is dominated by the Namorona River and is fed by many streams ending in a waterfall close to the park entrance. This forest is a combination of both secondary and primary forest. Biodiversity is so important that scientists have a base in the heart of the park where they continually discover new species in a forest of exceptional beauty.

After discovering the hot springs of Ranomafana a century ago, a Frenchman built a spa hotel close by. Around the hotel, people settled and soon the village of Ranomafana developed. The hotel is still there (Hotel Thermal Ranomafana). The village is a lovely place with the small restaurants where you can taste zebu steak and other local dishes or join a game of soccer with the local youth.

After the final walk in the rainforest, we will head back to Antsirabe, from where we will begin our adventure to the West.

On arrival to Antsirabe, we will briefly explore this town. One of the major features of this town is a very large number of «Pousse pousse» or we know them as rickshaws. Another attraction is the station, a relic of the colonial era. We can visit the stone cutting workshop where crystals are cut. Here you will come across an incredible variety of polished semi-precious stones and many Ammonites found on the island and available for the collector and others alike. You may choose to visit the Madagascar toys or zebu-horns workshops.

We also visit Lake Tritriva – a stunning lake of volcanic origin with blue/green waters, surrounded by beautiful scenery – we will walk around the lake in approx. 1 hour and during this time we will likely meet many local Malagasy people.

Of course, you can take the extension of this tour. Look what we got for you to make your journey to this region mind-boggling:

*Manandona River Family Hike and Rafting. 3-day trip;

*Authentic and adventurous trip "Wildlife of Tsinjoarivo and Onive River";

*Excursion The flora of Mount Ibity;

*Excursion Sahatany Pegmatite Fields of Mount Ibity.

This morning, we will go for a long drive to the west while it’s getting hot slowly, to the coastal town of Morondava, known for having one of the finest climates in Madagascar, stopping at villages along the way. On the way, you will see many of the famous Baobabs. Around noon, we arrive at Miandrivazo, on the banks of the river Mahajilo, and can take lunch.

We arrive at Morondava in the late afternoon. Morondava is a picture-postcard town and the capital of the Menabe region. The region draws visitors with its forest reserves and flourishing wildlife, but there's plenty more on offer for those willing to get off the beaten track. Also, it is an ideal place for a relaxing stay, since it is less crowded and (so far) devoid of beggars. The beaches are good and extend far to the north side of town.

Maybe you already want tomorrow to make a foray to famous Baobab alley at dawn?

Our next destination is the dry forest of Kirindy, stopping at the iconic "Avenue des Baobabs" along the way. The Alley of the baobabs is a magical attraction for photographers from all over the world. Baobabs are usually solitary trees, standing tall and proud in the midst of empty spaces. Yet in Allée de Baobab, they cluster together forming an avenue of columns that border the dirty road.

After arriving to Kirindy you can walk around the reserve to observe the wildlife. This protected area is home to Madagascar’s largest predator, the Fossa. And Kirindy Forest offers best chances to see this elegant chaser. Formerly a Swiss forestry training station and now an active German primate research base, Kirindy Private Reserve is a gem - there is a lot more to see! It’s particularly strong on nocturnal lemurs, for in these tangled woodlands live six nocturnal species, alongside two diurnal lemur species and the rare and strange Giant Jumping Rat. There are also some outstanding birds, including the Sickle-billed Vanga and White-breasted Mesite.

Even if you’re unlucky in terms of seeing a fossa, you’re not likely to leave Kirindy Private Reserve disappointed. By day the trees shake with small troops of beautiful white and grey Verreaux’s sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), here at the northernmost extent of their range, and the lower levels and forest floor are visited by inquisitive and charming Red-fronted brown lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons), some of them so tame they’ll practically lick your camera lens as they investigate what morsels you may have brought (best not to do so).

After an early excursion in the Kirindy, we will continue our journey to Bekopaka, gate in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National park. The road hither lasts a little long but the landscape which it offers is worth the pain. The way goes through Belo-sur-Tsiribihina, a very convivial typical village where the population is cordial and the site quite charming.

Everywhere along the road there are the impressive Baobabs until Belo-sur-Tsiribinha. The western landscape is arid but has a beauty all of its own. A rustic ferry carries us over the river and on arrival at Belo-sur-Tsiribinha, we will visit Fatana mitsitsy program.

After lunch, it’s time to go off-road! 100 km on sandy slopes are a real challenge. We travel past baobab forests, desert and local villages and in the early evening, you will move into your nice hotel room with first view over the Tsingy. During the next days, you will discover the world nature heritage of Tsingy de Bemaraha, and come through caves and canyons while climbing through the sandstone needles. Experiencing the Tsingy during the usual heat surely is a challenging mission, but it’s worth it for the versatile, fantastic experiences in any case! Generally most visitors coming to the park usually stay over three nights to explore this unique and amazing place.

Walks are the best to explore the interior of the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park and to appreciate the nature and breathtaking landscape while visiting the park, so unique, that UNESCO classified it as part of World Heritage in 1990. The site is very well arranged that active people will be pleased to involve themselves during tsingy climbing… We can say that everyone can find its happiness there. Botanists, ornithologists, speleologists, photographers, lemur lovers, active people will not be ready to forget this adventure of the century. For every one’s interest, various trails were established.

There are several circuit walks leading through the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. You can choose between easy, medium and sporty circuits.

We will leave the magical Park of Bemaraha to drive back, towards the Alley of the baobabs. We reach Avenue of the Baobabs closer to the sunset: a magic show!

A ride through the Avenue is a memorable experience. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to visit these gentle giants when colours of the trunks acquire new shades and the shadows of the trees are the most pronounced, creating a more exotic atmosphere, and when their stark silhouettes form a spectacular contrast to the soft, calming colours of sunrise and sunset. The flowering period is between February and March.

A few kilometers from the Baobab Avenue are the Baobab amoreux, two baobab trees twisted around one another in an eternal embrace. We will stay at the Camp Amoureux. Situated at the heart of Andranomena Special Reserve (Marofandilia dry forest), Camp Amoureux will give you the sensation to be at «the ends of the world». Far from the civilisation and its noises, the camp will surprise you with its private style, which allies comfort, rustic characters and serenity.

Attractions: Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi); Microcèbe de Berthae (Microcebus berthae); Baobab amoureux (lover baobab); Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat, (Hypogeomys antimena); Fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox); Flattailed Tortoise (Pyxis planicauda).

Today, before we get to the Belo-sur-Mer, a little fisherman village where all the beaches are more than wonderful, where next 3 nights will be spent relaxing at a hotel facing the Mozambique Channel, we will have a half-day full of new discoveries.

Andranomena Special Reserve is pretty rich in animal wildlife. There are two different trails within the Reserve: The Antsarongaza circuit (2 hours) leads through the thick deciduous forest where you will be astonished by the gigantic baobabs and spot lemurs and reptiles. The circuit of the four lakes (the lakes dry up during the dry season) passes through the forest and some baobabs until the lakes where you may observe several rare waterbirds and plants.

Afterwards we will return to the port of Morondava, where we will take a speed boat. You cannot imagine discovering the mid-west without embarking, in Belo-sur-Mer, located 65 km to the South of the capital of Menabe. The peninsula of Belo-sur-Mer presents a coast where rocks and sandy beaches alternate, offering striking contrasts with the sea that takes many colours. The sailing canoes that come to moor on the beaches give a particular dimension to the shores bordered by mangroves which brings a pleasant singular aspect.

After breakfast we make an early start to Kirindy Mitea National Park. Wildlife viewing is best from about 5-00 – 10-00 and after 14-00. The park is perhaps best known for the lemurs and birdlife associated with the sacred lakes in the southern part of the park.

Within the park there are some very nice hiking trails. The stroll can be short or long as desired, and an early start is recommended.

Kirindy Mitea (sometimes spelled Kirindy Mité, not to be confused with the Kirindy Private Reserve) is a great, varied, extensive and little visited National Park (722 km²) that lies next to Belo-sur-Mer, right in the heart of the ancient kingdom of Menabe.

Visit this beautiful national park on any leg of your safari to discover a particularly eco-sensitive transition zone for three ecosystems – spiny desert, dry forest and mangroves. Heaven on earth for anyone with even one photographic gene. Good for those who want exercise and to get close to nature.

Belo-sur-Mer is one of the few ancestral cradles of Sakalava Menabe. How many people have fallen in love while contemplating the natural beauty of this land of ethnic Vezo, you will be immersed in the culture Vezo. Far from the classic tourist routes, you will discover the authenticity of an ancestral way of life. Belo-sur-Mer is a pleasant Vezo fishermen village. Visitors that come here are greeted by a wonderful many kilometers long beach of bright white sands and an amazing transparent sea of emerald waters.

Let’s enjoy it. You will feel the rapture approaching, like a wave! You will have a full day, to do water activities such as swimming, fishing, snorkeling, sea cruises through islets, diving can all be performed in Belo-sur-Mer, and also and great deal other various activities. Click here to find more info about activities for Belo-sur-Mer.

Discover this amazing place! Start gathering highlights from today on: enjoy exploring the beaches, swimming in the sea before going for a walk along the coast. Relax. Delight and don’t worry, we took great care of everything. You will enjoy your lunch and dinner at your hotel, where you’ll stay overnight.

This morning we will again board a speedboat and return to Morondava for our short flight to Antananarivo. Departure is usually about 13-00 or 16-00 depending on the day of the week.

Transfer in your hotel in Tana. Excursion "Tana-city" and Goodbye-dinner in the cozy atmosphere of the Le Restaurant «La Varangue».

Before dinner, if you want, we will be able to make an excursion to Tsimbazaza Park to see the mythical Aye-Aye. Of course, there are tours that will take you to the natural habitat of the aye-aye. But these animals are nocturnal and live in the trees, so spotting them in the dark up in high branches is practically impossible.

Today your tour ends. A transfer back to the airport Ivato. We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Madagascar. Experienced travelers are used to goodbyes, but that doesn't mean they get any easier. When the time comes to depart the wonderful Madagascar, we wouldn't be surprised if you were already planning a return trip!