Day 1: Welcome to Madagascar!

Accommodations: Les Flots Bleus

Meals:  Dinner

Most flights to Antananarivo arrive late at night. You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your hotel where you can eat a light dinner and then rest before embarking on the tour the following day.

Day 2: Antsirabe

Accommodations: Hotel Hasina

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leave Antananarivo in the morning and travel by vehicle south along  RN 7 (National Road 7). Pass through small villages and see the typical two-story brick houses of the highland region of the country.

Stop in the town of Ambatolampy to visit a foundry where much of the country’s aluminum cookware is made. By lunchtime, arrive at our destination, the large town of Antsirabe. This town is known for its thermal springs and artisans. In the afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit some of the workshops of these artisans where zebu cattle horn is transformed into jewelry and decorations.

Day 3: Ambositra

Accommodations: Chez Gaspart

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DInner

In the morning,  walk by Lake Andraikiba in the outskirts of Antsirabe. The journey then continues south along RN 7. By midday, arrive in the town of Ambositra, known for its woodcarving crafts. After lunch, visit workshops and stores selling carved wooden sculptures and decorations.

The afternoon drive continues to the village of Ranomafana for dinner and rest for the evening.

Day 4: Ranomafana National Park

Accommodations: Chez Gaspart

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend the entire day discovering the rainforest plants and animals of Ranomafana National Park. The park is home to 12 species of lemur including Verreaux's Sifaka, several species of Bamboo Lemur, and the smallest of the lemurs (Microcebus rufus). Ranomafana also has an estimated 114 species of birds, chameleons, and unique plants, many of which are used locally for medicinal purposes. You will be able to take a guided hike within the park including a picnic lunch (4-5 hours), and also learn more about this region at the renowned scientific research center, Centre ValBio.

Day 5: Ambalavao and Anja Community Park

Accommodations: Chez Alice

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, the Southern journey continues. The first stop isat Ambalavao, a charming small town known as the hub of zebu cattle trade in the region. You will have the opportunity to visit artisan workshops where Antemoro paper is made and wild silk is spun and woven into scarves and fabric. After lunch, we will continue our journey.

The scenery become more open as we descend from the highlands to the southern grassy savannah. In the afternoon, we will stop for a short hike in Anja, a park run by the local community. Here you will have the opportunity to see the famous Ring-Tailed Lemur. In the evening, we will arrive in the town of Ranohira for dinner and rest.

Day 6: Isalo National Park

Accommodations: Chez Alice

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This day is dedicated to the discovery of the fauna and flora of Isalo National Park, one of Madagascar’s most popular sites. Isalo contains grassy savannah landscapes and eroded sandstone outcroppings and cliffs, as well as a large network of streams that feed into the Mangoky River. This park is also considered sacred to the local ethnic group, the Bara, whose ancestral graves can be found high up in the canyons. As we hike through the park, keep your eyes open for the many animals found here: 82 species of birds, 33 species of reptiles, 15 species of frogs and 14 species of mammals including 3 different species of lemur (Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Red-fronted Lemurs, and Verreaux's Sifakas).

Day 7: Toliara and Ifaty

Accommodations: Princesse du Lagon

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will continue our journey southwest along RN 7. You have the opportunity to enjoy the scenery of southern Madagascar, home to ethnic groups such as the Antandroy, Antanosy and Mahafaly. By midday we will arrive in the coastal city of Toliara, where we will have lunch before continuing our journey along the coast. In the afternoon, we will arrive at our destination: Ifaty, a seaside village located 20 kilometers north.

Day 8: Ifaty

Accommodations: Pricesse du Lagon

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we will take a short hike through the Baobab forest in the outskirts of the village to see the trees typical of this arid region.  The rest of the day is spent at your leisure on the beach. You can swim, snorkel, or even take a boat ride with local fishermen in the traditional outrigger sailing canoe. A beachside dinner where you can view an ocean sunset caps off the day.

Day 9: Flight to Antananarivo

Accommodations: Les Flots Bleus

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we will return to Toliara by vehicle. You will have some free time to look for souvenirs in the market before our flight to Antananarivo. Depending on flight schedules, you may also have some free time in Antananarivo in the afternoon.

Day 10: Antananarivo

Accommodations: Freshen up before  your flight at Les Flots Blues

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On your last day in Madagascar, you will be able to explore the hilly capital city Antananarivo. You may wish to take advantage of the numerous markets and boutiques selling handcrafted souvenirs. If you wish, you can also explore some of the city’s tourist attractions, such as the famous Queen’s Palace at the city’s highest point. You may also opt to explore some of the royal palaces in the outskirts of the city, from the Merina monarchy that ruled in the late 1800s. 

In the evening, you can return to your hotel room to freshen up, repack bags, and have dinner. You will then proceed to the airport for your return flight, which generally departs very late at night.