20 September to 3 October, 2027

Claudia, our local guide and our Co-Founder, Mar

Here’s an overview of your Malagasy adventure

• Day 1: Arrival and welcome dinner

• Day 2: Antananarivo market visit and cooking class, drive to Andasibe

• Day 3: Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and Women association visit

• Day 4: Mitsinjo Reserve and return to Antananarivo

• Day 5: Lemur’s Park, Silk workshop visit, Royal Hill of Ambohimanga

• Day 6: Fly to Diego Suares, market visit, Montagne d’Ambre National Park hike

• Day 7: Red Tsingy

• Day 8: Ankarana adventure (canoeing, hiking, caving, abseiling, zip-lining), sunset music and dancing

• Day 9: Cacao and spice plantation visit, Nosy Be

• Day 10:All-day Nosy Iranja excursion

• Day 11: Free day in Nosy Be

• Day 12: Nosy Komba visit, Tsara Komba.

• Day 13: Free day to enjoy the resort, go snorkeling, kayaking, etc. Farewell beach dinner

• Day 14: Departure day from Nosy Be. Optional return flight to Antananarivo + additional hotel night for departure on day

Day 1 : Welcome to Madagascar!

Welcome to Antananarivo!

Your pick up will be waiting for you at the airport to take you to our first accommodation.

Enjoy the swimming pool with panoramic views over the city, have a drink at the rooftop bar, or relax before our welcome drinks and dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

Overnight at Radisson Blu Waterfront 5*

The Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel is the best 5* hotel in the city. Its location just outside the city center, in a quiet residential area, is the perfect base for our first day in Madagascar.

Rooms are modern with all the facilities you expect, and the rooftop outdoor pool and bar make for perfect escape from the busy streets outside.

Inclusions: Welcome drinks and dinner. Airport pick up.

Day 2: Madagascar’s cuisine and culture

Activity: 1 hour walking.
Driving time: 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic.

Antananarivo, affectionately referred to as Tana, is set across 12 hills and was the center of the country’s unification in the 17th century.

It’s high altitude and low rise buildings make it feel like a breezy endless city that stretches as far as the eye can see.

Our day will start in the city center by the hands of a famous local chef who has written many culinary books and documented Malagasy cuisine for years.

She will take us to the local market to see all the ingredients that are part of Madagascar’s tapestry of flavors, and pick out what we will use to cook our lunch.

Back at her traditional restaurant, we will use our locally bought ingredients to prepare several local dishes before sampling the final product.

This cooking class experience is the best introduction to the country’s traditions, geographical diversity and cultural influences; our chef is one of the few who still prepares and serves regional dishes which have been otherwise forgotten, or that you can only try in people’s homes.

In the afternoon, with our bellies full, we will start our drive to Andasibe, where we will arrive in the evening for check in and free time for dinner.

Overnight at Mantadia Lodge 4*

Mantadia Lodge is located outside Andasibe National Park and is a newly built luxury lodge with all the amenities of a modern hotel and a stunning location on a hill side.

Rooms are large and spacious and each comes with a terrace that overlooks the lush nature outside.

The winning part of the hotel is its lovely infinity pool and the spa where you can enjoy chilled afternoons between hikes.

The restaurant and bar area are bright and welcoming.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the hotel, market visit and cooking class with lunch, transport in a minibus.

Day 3: Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and Women association visit

Activity: 4 to 6 hours hiking in the muddy and often rainy national park.
Driving time: 1 hour.

We will wake up early to head out into Andasibe National Park in search of lemurs, chameleons and other endemic species of flora and fauna.

Andasibe National Park is a rainforest and it is more often than not wet, muddy and humid, if not warm.

Showers should be expected while we are there; even though we visit during the dry season, it rains here for 210 days of the year, so the trails are usually muddy and slippery.

However, sightings are rewarding as the park is teeming with wildlife, including 11 species of lemurs and many endangered or protected kinds of flora and fauna.

The highlight of our visit to Andasibe will be tracking various families of golden sifakia and the famous indri indri lemur, the largest and most unique species of them all.

Indri indri only inhabit a few parks in Madagascar and are notoriously shy. With their larger than average body, their short tail and their fluffy ears, they look like a mix between a koala and a bear.

There are two families of indri indri that have been semi-habituated and are used to humans. In the morning, we will be able to hear them loudly singing from the top of the trees.

Their voice can be heard up to 2 km away and reach 70 decibels. They use this singing to alert other families to stay away or to communicate with each other. Trust us, you have never heard anything like this!

Our trip will happen during the lemur birthing season, when it’s possible to spot baby lemurs expertly hanging from their mother’s bellies and backs.

Golden sifakia are commonly spotted at Andasibe and can come pretty close to visitors.

The park is also home to brown lemurs and chameleons as well as many birds, reptiles and many endemic species of colorful tiny orchids which we will also look out for.

Our visit will last around 4 hours and we will head off path to venture closer to the lemurs and away from other visitor groups.

After the visit, we will head to lunch at our hotel.

Lunch will be followed by a visit and chat with a local female run handicraft association.

This community-led initiative started in 2005 when a local woman saw an opportunity to make souvenirs for sale to visitors to the park.

Today they have exclusivity at the park’s store and employ over 20 women part or full time to make their creations. Proceeds go directly to the artisan who made each item, after the park takes a commission.

We will meet with the women and learn more about their project, and they will show us how they create the embroidery that goes on caps, tshirts and other items of clothing.

You will have the chance to purchase one of their handmade souvenirs.

The afternoon will be free for you to enjoy the hotel. In the evening, there will be an optional night time visit of VOIMMA Reserve.

This community-run park is officially called Vondron’olona miaro mitia ala, which means “Local people love the forest“, and offers the chance to see nocturnal species of lemurs and other wildlife that are typically hiding during the day.

The hike in the dark will take about 90min to 2 hours and will have us walking really slowly with our headlamps and torches in search of wildlife that are only active at night, from colorful frogs and mice, to uri-uri lemurs, chameleons or owls.

After the visit, we will return to the lodge and you will have free time for dinner.

Overnight at Mantadia Lodge 4*.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the hotel, transportation for the day by minibus, entry tickets to Andasibe National Park, local guides at the park, lunch at the hotel, visit and chat with the members of the cooperative, guided tour of VOIMMA.

Day 4 : Mitsinjo National Park

Activity: 30min walking.
Driving time: 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic.

We will enjoy breakfast at the hotel and depart early for another amazing visit, this time, to Mitsinjo Park, a community-based project managed by the villagers.

Mitsinjo Park is famous for being another accessible spot to see the indri indri and sifakia. The park has a green and red lake that attract birds and is made of steep up and down paths.

Unlike Andasibe, Mitsinjo has a team of trackers that set out to find the various lemur families every morning, making our effort to find them easier.

This is a much less frequented park so it is not unusual to enjoy alone time with the animals.

As the trackers are familiar with the animals, they can sometimes come much closer and even hand feed from the branches and leaves found in the area.

After the visit, we will be departing Andasibe and make our way back to Tana and stop at a local restaurant for lunch.

We will arrive back to Tana and stay at a hotel near the airport where dinner will be served as a group. You will have some free time to relax and get ready for the next few days up north, in the tropical part of the country.

Overnight at Nosy Manga 4*

This newly opened hotel is perfectly located just 5 minutes from the airport and a quiet and modern getaway for quick access to our early morning flight.

Service is efficient and friendly, the restaurant serves delicious food and the rooms are modern and have everything you need for a sound sleep.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the hotel, transport by minibus, visit to Mitsinjo Park with local guides, lunch at a local eatery, dinner at the hotel.

Day 5 : Silk workshop visit, Royal Hill of Ambohimanga and Lemur’s Park

Activity: 2 to 3 hours walking.
Driving time: 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic.

This morning we will kick the day off at a female-owned and staffed silk workshop, continue to the Royal Hills, and end at the Lemur’s park to see various species of the friendly animal.

We will start at a silk workshop where we will learn how Malagasy silk is made and weaved. This is a female owned and run cooperative and we will get a chance to speak to the women and learn the difference between the two types of silk being produced.

We will then continue to The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, one of the country’s only 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites and the only one in the city after the royal palace burned down in 1995.

This walled and fortified royal site is made of a burial site, King Andrianampoinimerina home, Queen Ranavalona II summer palace and a complex of royal tombs.

Located about an hour away from the city, up in the hills, this is the most important site of the Merina Kingdom who controlled Madagascar until the arrival of French colonisers.

This is the same royal lineage that has survived until today, despite being exiled during colonial rule, and that continues to have strong spiritual and religious meaning to the Malagasy people, even though the country is a republic.

The current Queen continues to have ceremonial and symbolic powers but rarely comes to the site.

However, pilgrims come almost daily to perform animal sacrifices and offerings and worship the ancestors.

Lunch will be back at the hotel on our way to the Lemur’s Park where we will finish the day.

Our visit will explore the park on foot with a local guide and get up and close with the seven species of lemurs that co-exist in the park, including the ring-tailed lemur (King Julien in Madagascar the movie).

These are wild animals that have been semi-habituated and are likely to come close to us, instead of staying high up in the trees.

After the visit, we will return to the hotel for dinner.

Overnight at Nosy Manga 4*

Inclusions: Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel, visit to silk workshop, guided tour of The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, visit of Lemur’s Park, transportation in a minibus.

Day 6 : Fly to Diego Suares, Montagne d’Ambre National Park hike and market visit

Activity: 3 hours hiking in the park on sometimes steep terrain, 1 hour walk in the market and beach.
Driving time: 2 to 3 hours return.

Our day will start early with a flight to Diego Suares.

We will leave the hotel 2 hours before our flight and head to the domestic terminal for our 2-hour flight to the northern most part of Madagascar.

When we land in Diego Suares, we will get on our private 4×4 cars and head south towards Montagne d’Ambre National Park, home to a few species of lemurs and chameleons and many species of introduced trees and plants that make it look like a fairy tale.

On the way, we will stop at a local market to explore what’s on sale and maybe shop for some beautiful printed fabric or local fruits.

We will continue to the park for our 3 hour hike with a local female guide on mostly flat terrain with an incline and take a few detours to check out some sacred waterfalls and lakes the park is known for.

On our hike, we will look out for wild crown or brown lemurs and camouflaged chameleons, especially the smallest of them all who is often found in the park.

This tiny species measures just 3cm and likes to hang out by the tree roots, on the ground.

There are also amphibians, reptiles and several species of birds.

After the hike, we will drive to a nearby eco-lodge for lunch and return to Diego Suares for an afternoon walk on the beach.

On the way, we will stop to get up and close with the baobab trees that are famous of Madagascar and have some free time to wander in a local fishing village, and maybe stop for a drink at one of the beach bars.

Excited from the long day, we will go to the hotel for check in and to freshen up before dinner nearby which we will get to by tuktuk.

Overnight at Le Grand Hotel 4*

Le Grand Hotel is a large hotel complex and the best accommodation in town.

Rooms have AC and heating, are very spacious, and the decor will take you back in time (despite being well taken care of). There is a massive garden pool with a bar and another casual bar by the main entrance.

What makes this hotel great is its location in the main thoroughfare in Diego, near bars and all the night action; feel free to wander out for a night cap after dinner.

Note: Although it’s classed as 4* hotel, you will find it’s actually more like a 3.5* hotel.

Inclusions: Breakfast take away from the hotel, transport to the airport in a minibus, flights to Diego Suares on Air Madagascar, 4×4 transport in Diego with 3 guests to a car, entry tickets to Montagne d’Ambre National Park, female guide in the park, visit of a local market, lunch at eco-lodge, dinner in town.

Day 7 : Red Tsingy

Activity: 1 hour hiking in the park on largely flat terrain.
Driving time: About 2 hours.

Today we are leaving Diego Suares behind and continuing south towards Ankarana National Park, our home for the next two nights.

About 90min after leaving Diego, we will arrive at the Red Tsingy, a natural formation created by the erosion caused by the rain and river flowing on the red clay and limestone in the area.

The landscapes created by nature are incredible here and we will get pretty close to these fairy chimneys on a short guided walk following the well marked trail.

The path takes about an hour to cover and has a few view points from where to observe the large area.

We will explore the area, take photos and look out for chameleons hiding in the bushes.

Lunch will be at a nearby eco-lodge located in the Red Tsingy area where we will sample local foods and maybe enjoy a visit by some of the lemurs that live in the area.

After lunch, we will get back to our cars and return to the main road for our journey towards Ankarana National Park.

We will arrive at our eco-lodge in the late afternoon, check in and enjoy a drink as the sun sets behind the incredible rock formations.

Dinner will be at the lodge, under a starry night. You have never seen the Milky Way as clear as from our eco-lodge.

Overnight at Inharana Bush Camp 3.5*

Inharana Bush Camp is an eco-friendly lodge that provides the opportunity to live authentically like locals do and with minimal impact, right in front of the Tsingy of Ankarana and a small lake.

Cottages have no plugs or charging points, no AC or heating, no locks, no windows or doors (only curtains) and are built with walls made of mud. Floors are made of wooden planks and thatched roofs.

The common areas are open-plan with large lounging spaces and sofas. There are two bars and two restaurants where meals will be served.

Inharana’s exclusive location will give us access to a range of activities only available to guests of the camp, a one of a kind experience and the main reason we chose to stay at the camp.

At night, the minimal light pollution of the camp will open up the skies to as many stars are there are.

Note: Inharana provides charging stations in the office, Wifi in the lounge and mosquito nets in the rooms. However, the experience is one with nature and you should expect to see insects in your cottage.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the hotel, transportation in 4×4 vehicles with 3 guests to a car from Diego Suares to Red Tsingy and from the Red Tsingy to Iharana Bush Camp, entry ticket and visit to Red Tsingy, lunch in at an eco-lodge, dinner at the hotel.

Day 8 : Ankarana adventure day and island dancing

Activity: Between 90 min to 4 hours depending on choice.
Driving time: No driving today.

We will wake up early and enjoy a freshly cooked breakfast at the lodge with fresh fruits, pancakes, juices and eggs cooked to order among nature.

Today you can choose your own adventure, and how much or how little you want to explore the park.

You will have three options, from the least adventurous to the most, all them designed by famous French speleologist Jean Claude Dobrilla, who also created the trails and paths to make them safe but fun (a speleologist is a scientist who studies caves).

During the hike, you can spot chameleons and lemurs who inhabit the park.

Option 1 – Hike only: Short hike up the main view points of Ambatomiloloha’s. This option requires the ability to walk up uneven rocky stairs up between 100-120 meters. The private path is marked with ladders, bridges, guardrails and panoramic viewpoints. This should take about 90 minutes.

Option 2 – Hike and caves: In addition to the hike in option 1, you will also enter the cave system and explore the stalactites and stalagmites inside on a largely flat terrain. This should take 2-2.5 hours.

Option 3 – Via ferrata, abseil, caves and zip lines: This is the most complete exploration of the park and requires a high level of fitness to not only hike but also pull yourself up and down the via ferrata with ropes and cables.

After the hike, you will put on a harness and helmet and continue on parts of the via ferrata until you reach 3 zip lines, ranging from 30m to 100m long. Feel the rush of adrenaline as you hang over the canyon with the most amazing views.

At the end of the zip lines, you will abseil into the subterranean cave system and continue through narrow tunnels and more via ferrata stretches with the help of a headlamp. This should take 3.5-4 hours.

After the morning activities we will return to the bush camp for a group lunch.

The rest of the afternoon will be free for you to enjoy and relax.

In the early evening, we will get on traditional canoes and paddle to a small island from where we will enjoy sunset drinks and snacks with the company of the villagers who will sing and dance with us.

You will be free to participate and learn about the local instruments and dance form.

Back at the camp, we will enjoy a group dinner as nature serenades us back to sleep amongst it.

Overnight at Inharana Bush Camp 3.5*

Inclusions: Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel, chosen activity with guides, transfers and equipment, sunset drinks and snacks in the small island. Additional spa treatments or afternoon activities not included.

Day 9 : Cacao plantation

Walk time: 45 min for the plantation tour.
Driving time: Approximately 3 hours depending on traffic, followed by a 45 min boat ride to Nosy Be and a 40 min drive to the resort.

We will start the day early with a lovely breakfast with lake views at Inharana Bush Camp before leaving for our island escape.

On the way, we will drive through ylang ylang and cacao plantations, famously occupying most of the agricultural land near Ankify.

We will stop at a female managed cacao and spice plantation to learn more about the Malagasy crop that is sadly almost entirely exported to France.

We will stroll through the plantation to learn more about how cocoa is grown and harvested and about the few other spices Madagascar is known for, such as ylang ylang, pepper, vanilla and cinnamon.

We will get to taste the toasted cacao and have lunch on the property.

Our day will continue on our way towards the port town of Ankify, where will board our private boat to Nosy Be, our archipelago paradise for the next 4 nights.

The boat ride to Nosy Be will take just 45 min after which we will get a minibus / minivan transfer to Nosy Be Hotel & Spa.

We will check in with a tropical juice in hand and be shown to our rooms.

The rest of the afternoon will be free to enjoy the pool, the beach, the bar area or book a massage at the in-house spa.

Nosy Be Hotel & Spa 4*

Nosy Be Hotel & Spa is located on one of the largest stretches of white sand in Nosy Be.

Started by a local Malagasy woman and now led by her daughter, this humble lodge turned into a sprawling resort with sun loungers, a wonderful restaurant serving delicious local and international food, a pool and a spa will be our base for the 2 nights on the main island of the Nosy Be archipelago.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the camp, transfers in 4×4 with 3 guests to a car, visit of cacao plantation with lunch, speed boat and minibus transfer to the resort, dinner at the resort.

Day 10 : Nosy Iranja Island Excursion

We will enjoy breakfast by the beach before heading out for a full day tour to Madagascar’s most famous spot, Nosy Iranja.

This two island connected by a sandbank are not only stunning but also a lot of fun.

The boat ride to the islands will pass by an area where whale sharks are commonly spotted, and our tour will take place during the season they are in Madagascar, so spotting them and being to swim alongside is a very real probability.

If we spot them, we will stop and follow them to find the right place to stop and jump into the water to swim with them.

Our full day excursion includes return private speed boat transfers, lunch by the beach and free time to enjoy the sandbank, the small village and the crystal clear waters and powdery beach.

You have never seen water this baby blue color and sand this fine.

We will have a picnic lunch on the island and enjoy our beautiful day out in the sun, sand and sea.

The island has a small village and souvenir shops to any last minute shopping.

In the late afternoon, we will return back to the hotel to freshen up and have sunset drinks at the bar before a group dinner.

Overnight at Nosy Be Hotel & Spa 4*

Inclusions: Breakfast and dinner at the hotel, picnic lunch, full day excursion to Nosy Iranja including stops to swim with whale sharks.

Day 11 : Nosy Be free day

We have left today as a free day for you to tailor it to your liking.

Enjoy breakfast by the beach and then choose how you want to spend the day.

There are many other excursions on offer by the hotel including day trip to Nosy Sakatia to swim with turtles, a day exploring the island of Nosy Be, cooking classes or just a relaxation day to enjoy the beach, the pool and the resort’s spa.

The activities desk will be ready to help with any bookings.

We will meet again as a group for dinner.

Inclusions: Breakfast and dinner at the hotel.

Day 12 & 13 : Nosy Komba

Today, we will enjoy one last breakfast in Nosy Be and take the minibus / minivan to the port to jump on our speedboat ride to Tsara Komba, our incredible resort hotel for the next two nights.

Tsara Komba is located in the island of the same name, which means island of lemurs in Malagasy. And there is indeed an active, wild but domesticate colony of lemurs above the main village that is ready to greet us and show us how naughty they can be.

On our way to the resort, we will stop at the main village on the island for a guided tour and a glimpse into the laid-back local life of the archipelago.

We will visit the small museum and the lemur park with a local guide.

The two families of lemurs here are completely wild, but have been domesticated by the village Queen to respond to specific calls.

Because they have no predators and are quite used to visitors, they have no problem getting close to you and may even jump on your shoulders.

Unlike naughty monkeys elsewhere, these lemurs are harmless and very friendly.

After the visit, you will have a bit of free time to explore the town, maybe buy some souvenirs or just chat with the locals.

We will continue our way to Tsara Komba for lunch at the main restaurant, with stunning views over the islands and the sea below.

You have the rest of the afternoon and the whole day tomorrow to indulge and explore everything our luxury resort has to offer.

Our trip will happen during the whale season and this means that you can book an excursion to swim with whale sharks and humpback whales that come to the warm waters of Madagascar, in case we did not see them the day before.

If you’re a water baby, snorkeling opportunities abound on several of the reefs around the area, from the incredible reef at Nosy Tanikely, a mere 30min boat ride away where you can swim with turtles, to farther away locations like Nosy Sakatia where turtles come to nest and swim. The excursion to both islands combines a luxury picnic on a private beach.

For those who are open water certified, you can also dive at the many dive spots.

If hiking is more your thing, you can go on hikes of varying lengths from the resort through Nosy Komba.

The entire resort staff are ready to help you personalise your stay to book the activities you are most interested in.

Or do nothing, book a private in-room spa treatment or lounge by the sunbeds with the most beautiful sea view.

Our stay is full board so all meals will be included and if you book an activity that takes you away for the day, they will organize lunch for you.

Our farewell dinner will be on day 13.

We will enjoy a special set up on the beach (tide permitting) or on the rooftop, with welcome cocktails and the best sunsets, and say goodbye to a wonderful adventure.

Overnight at Tsara Komba 5*

Tsara Komba is a luxury paradise resort with just 8 bungalows and suites set around a main building and right above the beach and the sea.

Suites and bungalows are spacious, measuring between 90 sqm and 120sqm, open plan and with large terraces with sun loungers, chairs and sofas to relax on.

Each room has a thatched roof and is entirely made of wood, with shutters that let the breeze some through but that do not seal out completely, so you will be lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves just below.

The entire resort works with solar panels. Beds have mosquito nets, there is no AC or heating, but there is fan over the bed. Temperatures drop at night in the winter so you should not be warm. There is WiFi in the common areas.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the hotel, lunch and dinner at Tsara Komba. Guided tour of Nosy Komba.

Day 14 : Departure OR Return to Tana

Driving time: Approximately 30 min after a 30 min boat ride.

Depending on your departure flight or the flight to Tana if you take that option, there may still be time for one last excursion in the Nosy Be archipelago before saying goodbye.

If you are leaving from Nosy Be, you will take a boat to the main island, followed by a minivan / minibus transfer to the airport.

If you are adding the optional return to Tana, your departure will be on day 14; the flight from Nosy Be to Tana will take about 90min after which you will be transferred to a hotel near the airport until your departure home. The hotel offers airport transfers at the time of your choice.

Inclusions: Breakfast at the resort, boat transfer to Nosy Be and minibus to the airport. If you choose the overnight in Tana extension, your trip includes a domestic flight to Tana, transfers to a hotel near the airport and an overnight hotel stay. Your departure will be 18 October.

About Your Hosts

Out trip in October 2027 will be co-hosted by a local Malagasy guide Claudia and our Co-Founder, Mar Pages.

Mar has visited Madagascar many times and co-hosted our first trip in 2025. She accompanies every first trip and is in charge of designing all our itineraries.

Claudia is a local guiding superstar and has been taking visitors around the country for many years. She is passionate about her job and about showing the corners of Madagascar that make it so special.