Madagascar: From East to South

Cultural tour of Madagascar

Often referred to as the Eighth Continent, the island’s legendary uniqueness is best reflected by its plethora of amazing lemurs, colorful chameleons, endemic birds and fascinating baobabs, all of which combine to make for a truly exceptional safari. Madagascar is best known for the wonderful wildlife, beautiful scenery, and unique culture, which blends Asian and African influences!

Tour Information
Duration : 12 days
Minimum : 02 persons
Maximum : 10 persons
Price (From) : US$ 2465
International air not included
Day 01: Arrive Antananarivo
Day 02: Antananarivo/Andasibe (Drive)
(B)
Day 03: Andasibe
(B)
Day 04: Andasibe/Antananarivo/Antsirabe (Drive)
(B)
Day 05: Antsirabe/Ambositra/Ranomafana (Drive)
(B)
Day 06: Ranomafana National Park
(B)
Day 07: Ranomafana/Ambalavao/Isalo (Drive)
(B)
Day 08: Isalo National Park
(B)
Day 09: Isalo/Tulear/Ifaty (Drive)
(B)
Day 10: Ifaty
(B)
Day 11: Ifaty/Tulear/Antananarivo (Flight)
(B)
Day 12: Depart Antananarivo
(B)
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Day 01: Arrive Antananarivo

Aerial panoramic view of Royal palace complex with houses in Antananarivo - capital city of Madagascar.

Welcome to Madagascar. We are warmly met at Ivato airport and transferred to our hotel in Antananarivo. Balance of the day is free. Perhaps, depending on your arrival time, you may want to visit the handicrafts market.

Overnight: Palissandre Hotel & Spa, Antananarivo (1 night)

Day 02: Antananarivo/Andasibe (Drive)

Beautiful bird Malagasy paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata), Male in rain forest, endemic species of bird in the family Monarchidae. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar

In the morning, we will start our journey with a drive to Andasibe through the green and luxuriant vegetation of eastern Madagascar. This brings us to a very humid part of the country, with many primary forests and lakes. Along the way, we will see Merina villages spread in the rocky mountains. We arrive at Andasibe in the afternoon and check in to our hotel. This evening, embark from our hotel at approximately 6:00 PM (depending on the season) on a night walk to observe active lemurs and other nocturnal animals.

Overnight: Mantadia Lodge/Sahatandra River Hotel, Andasibe (2 nights) (B)

Day 03: Andasibe

Eastern lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus) known as the gray bamboo lemur and the gray gentle lemur. Andasibem Madagascar

Morning we take an interesting excursion to the Special Reserve of Andasibe to look for Indri indri, the largest type of lemur. We may also spot other species, such as the beautiful golden crowned diadem Sifaka, Black and White ruffed lemurs, as well as reptiles, insects and batrachians. This primary forest includes ferns, lichens, epiphyte orchids, medicinal plants and precious woods. In the afternoon, we visit the V.O.I.I.M.A community reserve. This reserve ensures the sustainable preservation of the remaining rainforest by providing local communities with livelihoods through reforestation projects. Here, we will also come across a variety of wildlife, ranging from brown lemurs to indri, chameleons, geckos and birds. (B)

Day 04: Andasibe/Antananarivo/Antsirabe (Drive)

We drive back to Tana, and head south to Antsirabe, across the highland landscape with its beautiful rice fields on display. The spectacular eroded hills called “lavaka” remind us of the Far East with its rice fields and green landscape with vegetables and fruit trees. We stop in Ambatolampy for a quick visit to this huge agricultural city, also recognized as the capital of aluminum recycling. Arrival in Antsirabe is at around 6:00 PM. “The place of salt” is an elegant city known as the centre of the beer industry - we can smell the Star Brewery as we enter the town! Founded by Norwegians in 1856, it is the only place in Madagascar which really feels and looks like a European city.

Overnight: Plumeria Hotel/Arotel, Antsirabe (1 night) (B)

Day 05: Antsirabe/Ambositra/Ranomafana (Drive)

Calumma fallax (juvenile), deceptive chameleon or short-nosed deceptive chameleon, endemic species of chameleon, baby walking on human finger. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar

Another culturally rich day as we journey to Ranomafana with a stop in Ambositra, the capital of Malagasy handcrafts and the mecca of Savika, a spectacular traditional bullfighting. Ambositra is above all a reflection of the Zafimaniry culture, known as the “people of the forest”. Afternoon, we continue to Ranomafana village and check-in at our hotel. The landscape en route is dominated by rice fields, pine forests, eucalyptus trees and rocky mountains.

Overnight: Setam Lodge/Hotel Thermal,  Ranomafana (2 nights) (B)

Day 06: Ranomafana National Park

cute Diademed Sifaka Lemur in trees and nature

Today, we explore the beautiful Ranomafana rainforest through long walks. We embark on the quest for the fabled "Hapalemur aureus" golden bamboo lemur endemic in Ranomafana, but also different species of birds such as Ground Rollers. The park is particularly rich in fauna and flora, and features many plant varieties unknown elsewhere. Parc National de Ranomafana, with its rainforest covered hills and abundant wildlife, has long been considered one of Madagascar’s highlights, and is one of the country’s most visited national parks. (B)

Day 07: Ranomafana/Ambalavao/Isalo (Drive)

The Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) in Isalo Nationaal Park, Madagascar

Returning on the road we came on, we leave Ranomafana and visit a local wine farm for wine tasting near Fianarantsoa, “the city where one learns good things”. Note that visits to the wine farms may not be possible over weekends. The city is the gate to the South, the capital of the Betsileo tribes and the centre of the Catholic religion.

We then head southwards to Ambalavao and visit the Anteimoro Paper Factory, which is a vestige of the Arabian civilisation on the island. Afterwards, we partake in a community-based silk weaving project run by the women's association Soalandy.

We pass through the mountain chain of Andringitra, which serves as a transition between the dry south and green highlands. Along the way, we will see from afar a spectacular huge granite dome with twin rock towers called the Gate of the South, which in fact marks the end of the highland and the beginning of the south. The Bishop's Hat is another noticeable, imposing formation and a sacred location for the local people - a place where their ancestors chose a collective suicide rather than to give in to the Merina tribes. We then continue to Ihosy, the capital of the Bara tribes, who are shepherds of Zebu, and further on through the huge Plateaux de Horombe, with its very deep red soil, before arriving in Isalo.

Overnight: Isalo Rock Lodge/Jardin du Roy, Isalo (2 nights) (B)

Day 08: Isalo National Park

Beautiful afternoon in Isalo national park, Madagascar

Today, we will visit and hike in the Isalo National Park. Along the way, we will see vegetation like Uapaca bojeri, Pachypodium rosulatum or “elephant's foot”, and Aloe isaloensis, a native species of aloe endemic to Isalo. The eroded mountains also served as a place where the Bara kept their dead before they could bury them in their actual tombs.

After climbing for about 20 minutes, we will have a spectacular view of the huge sandstone mountains with their beautiful colours and strange formations. We see small streams of water, and rivers which are marked by lines of brilliant green. Along the way, there may be sifakas, brown lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs, as well as fifty-five species of birds, lizards and snakes. (B)

Day 09: Isalo/Tulear/Ifaty (Drive)

After breakfast, we continue to Tuléar. This part of our journey brings us to new scenery among the dry forests of the west and the spiny desert of the south. On the way, we admire the different Mahafaly tombs and the Antandroy tombs. After a short visit of Tuléar we drive to Ifaty, which lies in the driest part of the country. Situated in the Deep South, the landscape is dominated by the cactus-like, spiny forest of different euphorbiaceous. We cross the dry and sandy soil where the local people battle to find drinking water. Mangrove trees line the coast alternated by Vezo communities which earn their living from fishing. We will see many small pirogues with men who go out fishing twice a day, while children and women wait on the coast to collect the fish before taking them to Tuléar for sale.

Overnight: Hotel Vovotelo/Dunes d’Ifaty, Ifaty (2 nights) (B)

Day 10: Ifaty

Ifaty, Madagascar

Ifaty lies on the beach and is an ideal place for diving and snorkeling. It is also a popular place for birdwatchers. Here, we can also experience the Vezo fishermen's life. Many excursions are possible on this leisure day. Visit the Reserve Domergue, a communal conservation area where one can see two kinds of baobabs, spiny bush, and reptiles like boas, geckos and the Chameleon parsoni, which is one of the largest chameleons in the world. In the afternoon, we can walk to the village of Mangily to visit a local school and experience the Vezo fishermen's way of life, especially as they return from fishing. (B)

Day 11: Ifaty/Tulear/Antananarivo (Flight)

City of Antananarivo at sunny day. Madagascar

Early in the morning, we are transferred to Tulear’s airport and fly back to the Antananarivo. Upon arrival, we are transferred to our hotel. The afternoon is free to explore Madagascar’s capital.

Overnight: Radisson Water Front Hotel/Palissandre Hotel & Spa, Antananarivo (1 night) (B)

Day 12: Depart Antananarivo

After an enlightening journey traversing the cultural heritage, wildlife and scenic beauty of Madagascar, we are transferred to the airport for our departure flight. (B)

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Departure Dates & Prices

We accept payments in US$, CA$ as well as in other convertible currencies like EUR, AUD and GBP. Tour prices have been costed in US$. CA$ price shown below is an indicative amount reached at by using the conversion rate at the time of web posting and will be applicable if there is no change in the conversion rate. Should the currency conversion rate change, the US$ pricing will prevail. Bestway Tours & Safaris offers a conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please click here

Stay tuned for future dates! If you want to be the first ones to know click here
2024 Per Person on
Twin Sharing
Single Room
Supplement
Departures
April 05 & 19; May 03, 19 & 31; Jun 21; Jul 05 & 19; Aug 02 & 23; Sep 06 & 20; Oct 04 & 18; Nov 01 & 22    
2-3 participants US$ 3350 US$ 945
4+ participants US$ 2465 US$ 945
2025 Per Person on
Twin Sharing
Single Room
Supplement
Departures
Apr 05 & 19; May 03, 19 & 31; Jun 21; Jul 05 & 19; Aug 02 & 23; Sep 06 & 20; Oct 04 & 18; Nov 01 & 22    
2-3 participants US$ 3595 US$ 1075
4+ participants US$ 2730 US$ 1075
Stay tuned for future dates! If you want to be the first ones to know click here
2024 Per Person on
Twin Sharing
Single Room
Supplement
Departures
April 05 & 19; May 03, 19 & 31; Jun 21; Jul 05 & 19; Aug 02 & 23; Sep 06 & 20; Oct 04 & 18; Nov 01 & 22    
2-3 participants CA$ 4623 CA$ 1305
4+ participants CA$ 3402 CA$ 1305
2025 Per Person on
Twin Sharing
Single Room
Supplement
Departures
Apr 05 & 19; May 03, 19 & 31; Jun 21; Jul 05 & 19; Aug 02 & 23; Sep 06 & 20; Oct 04 & 18; Nov 01 & 22    
2-3 participants CA$ 4962 CA$ 1484
4+ participants CA$ 3768 CA$ 1484

Departure sold out

  • Daily departures also available on private basis (except between mid-December and mid-January due to weather conditions) – please contact us for details.

Guaranteed Departures

  • 2025 departures
  • Jul 05 (8 spots left)

Notes

N/A

Inclusions


Tour Price Includes
  • 11 Nights' accommodation as mentioned or similar, including hotel taxes
  • 11 Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast)
  • All sightseeing and transfers by private transportation (some activities by 4 x 4 jeeps)
  • Services of local English speaking guides cum drivers
  • Entrance fees and local guide at the parks and reserves
  • Currently applicable park fees (Please note if a new levy or increase to the existing fee structure is introduced, then any increase will be charged additionally to all travellers)
  • Tourist taxes
Not Included
  • Airfare Tulear to Antananarivo based on current applicable fares (from US$ 360/CA$ 497 per person, subject to change)
  • International airfares
  • Insurance/visas
  • Tips/gratuities

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 10 participants

Customised Itinerary

If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you.

Contact Info
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call 1-604-264-7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1-800-663-0844.

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