Face to face with Madagascar's people and lemurs

Depending on the arrival of the flight, reception at Antananarivo International Airport (the short noun of Antananarivo is Tana) Ivato and transfer to the hotel BELVEDERE or similar in the city center, overnight stay.

Route: Antananarivo

Overnight: antananarivo

IMPORTANT: Do not hand over your luggage after the last passport control. The driver will be waiting for you in the nearby exit area (outside) with a name sign.

Breakfast at around 07:30, then a slow drive with plenty of photo opportunities on National Road 1 towards the "Wild West". After 21 km, stop to visit the lemurs park, where 7 species of lemur hop around freely on 5 hectares. Then, continue to Ampefy. Overnight stay with breakfast at Hotel KINTANA FLEURON or similar.

Route: Antananarivo → lemurs park → Ampefy

Overnight: ampefy

Early in the morning to the waterfall or the cold water geysers at Analavory, if this was not possible the day before. Then drive through one of the coldest regions of Madagascar on a newly renovated road through mountainous field via Soavinandriana to Faratsiho, then on through many coniferous forests to Sambaina, where the road joins national road no. 7. A lot of rice is also grown in this area, partly in artfully laid out terraced fields on the slopes. Then drive to Antsirabe (37 km). Overnight stay at Hotel FLOWER PALACE or similar.

Route: Ampefy → Analavory → Soavinandriana → Faratsiho → Sambaina → Antsirabe

Overnight: antsirabe

City tour in Antsirabe, an economic metropolis that is also known as the "city of water" due to its hot water springs and crater lakes. In Antsirabe there are also many bicycle rickshaws, then drive through the scenic, winding road to the woodcarving town of Ambositra and on until about 10 km before Fianarantsoa. Overnight stay at the Hotel AMBALAKELY.

Route: Antsirabe → Ambositra → Ambalakely

Overnight: ambalakely

Hike of around 2 – 4 hours directly from the hotel to a typical village of the Betsileo ethnic group, the village of Antsolaitra, with the typical architecture of their houses. Among other things, you will see a "valabe" (local stable), zebus and rice fields. Then visit the royal house of Prince RAMAHARO. Visit to small workshops for blacksmithing, weaving, tyre recycling and a brickworks where bricks are formed by hand from clay and then fired. You also get a good insight into everyday life in the villages (working in the rice fields, washing clothes, making coal cookers). There is also a viewpoint with a panoramic view. Lunch with the locals, then walk back to Hotel Ambalakely and drive to Ranomafana. The village even has its own thermal swimming pool thanks to the hot springs. Overnight stay with breakfast at the Chez Gaspard lodge. Early evening walk outside the village along the main road. In the light of our flashlights, we look for lively mouse lemurs, sleeping chameleons, croaking frogs etc. with an experienced local guide. Overnight stay at Hotel CHEZ GASPARD.

Route: Ambalakely → Antsolaitra → Ranomafana

Overnight: ranomafana

In the morning we visit the Ranomafana Rainforest National Park, which covers around 41,000 hectares on the Namorona River, with its fauna and flora, including the golden bamboo lemurs discovered by the German Bernhard Meier in 1986. We also look for red-bellied and red-fronted lemurs, sifakas etc. This hike takes about three to four hours and is quite strenuous, as it goes over hill and dale, uphill and downhill. It requires stamina, fitness and surefootedness. In the early afternoon, drive the short distance (25 km) back to national road no. 7, then head north on the same road to Ambositra. The Betsileo are real landscape architects. They use the land up to high altitudes for rice cultivation. Overnight stay in Ambositra at L'ARTISAN HOTEL.

Route: Ranomafana → Ranomafana Rainforest National Park → Ambositra

Overnight: ambositra

After breakfast, visit a Zafimaniry carving studio. After a stroll through the village, continue north on a winding road through the highlands via Antsirabe and Ambatolampy to Antananarivo. Overnight stay at Hotel BELVEDERE.

Route: Ambositra → Antsirabe → Ambatolampy → Antananarivo

Overnight: antananarivo

Drive on National Road 2 to the most famous national park in Andasibe (Analamazaotra - Mantadia). Halfway we visit a private reptile park to get a first insight into the diversity of the small animal world, which is always good for new discoveries and surprises. In the morning, we buy everything we need for an outdoor picnic lunch at a supermarket in Tana. As dusk falls, we walk with an experienced local guide for about an hour with flashlights along the road (flat throughout) in search of nocturnal, wide-awake lemurs (mostly Goodman's mouse lemurs, the larger woolly lemurs or fat-tailed lemurs, weighing no more than 50 grams), sleeping chameleons and lively tree frogs. Dinner possible at Marie's Guesthouse. Overnight stay with breakfast at FEON'NY ALA LODGE

Route: Antananarivo → Andasibe

Overnight: andasibe

After breakfast, drive on the RN 2 to Brickaville, shortly after the large railroad bridge we turn off - then by four-wheel drive vehicle - onto the dirt road to Manambato on Lake Rasoabe. A motorboat picks us up there and takes us to the Hotel Palmarium with adjoining lemur park, directly on the Pangalanes Canal and its extension "Palmarium Beach" on Lake Ampitabe. First night with breakfast at Hotel PALMARIUM or PALMARIUM BEACH (only power supply via generator, switches off about 23.00 to 6.00).

Route: Andasibe → Brickaville → Manambato → Lake Rasoabe → Ankanin'ny Nofy → Lake Ampitabe

Overnight: akanin-ny-nofy

In the morning, several hours' hike through the park with its various species of lemurs, which will eye us with curiosity. Relatively close contact is possible. An evening excursion by boat to an island to see the rare nocturnal lemur Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), also known as the fingered lemur, at close range. Eight of these "beasts" are native to the island, where they love to crack coconuts wedged between tree trunks and spoon them up with their long middle finger. If the weather is good the evening before, we can perhaps make the excursion on the first day, we are flexible. Another overnight stay with breakfast at the the same hotel.

Route: Akanin' ny Nofy

Overnight: akanin-ny-nofy

After breakfast, transfer by boat on the Pangalanes Canal to Manambato and return by car to Andasibe. Overnight stay at Hotel FEON'NY ALA or similar.

Route: Akanin'ny Nofy → Manambato → Andasibe

Overnight: andasibe

The approximately three-hour morning hike (at the beginning uphill, then relatively flat) starts at around 07:30 a.m. and again takes us through the evergreen secondary forest of Analamazaotra National Park on the "Indri 2" trail, accompanied by a local guide. Here, with a bit of luck, we may see two of the 63 families of the largest lemur species (Indri) living in the area, which is known for its distinctive calls, as well as other native species of semi-monkeys (diademed sifakas, brown lemurs, bamboo lemurs, etc.). Ornithologists will get their money's worth, as will reptile lovers, provided it is not too cold. Return to Antananarivo immediately afterwards and spend the night in the Hotel LE CHAT'O or similar, near the airport.

Route: Andasibe → Analamazaotra National Park → Antananarivo

Overnight: antananarivo

Transfer to the airport and flight to Sainte Marie. Reception and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in half board at Hotel LAKANA or similar.

Route: Antananarivo → Sainte Marie

Overnight: sainte-marie

Free days on the island. We can explore the south with the small neighboring island Ile aux Nattes by boat, hike to the east or go north, cycle, take a tuk tuk, etc. The pirate cemetery just outside the capital (entrance fee with guide is now around 4 euros per person) is now quite easily accessible. Whale watching can be booked on site between July and September. Overnight stays in half board again at the LAKANA Hotel or similar.

Route: Sainte Marie → Ile aux Nattes

Overnight: sainte-marie

Transfer to the airport and flight to Tana. Overnight stay at Hotel BELVEDERE or similar.

Route: Sainte Marie → Antananarivo

Overnight: antananarivo

Visit to the historical sites of Ambohimanga (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001). It is the sacred city of the Merina and was once the residence of the most powerful of all Merina princes, King Andrianampoinimerina. Until it was conquered and finally subjugated by the French in 1896, no foreigners were allowed to enter. It had seven city gates, the mightiest of which still serves as the entrance to the town today. Next to the gate stands a huge, smoothly polished and almost circular stone slab. In earlier times, it was rolled in front of the entrance gate every evening. From the 1468 meter high "Blue Hill" - as Ambohimanga is called in translation - you have a beautiful view of Tana and the surrounding area. Then, if flying with AF, use of a room for the day, where you can relax, shower and change and possibly have dinner. Then, depending on the departure time, transfer to the airport for the return flight with Air France. Or if flying with ET or another airline, then an overnight stay at hotel BELVEDERE or similar.

Route: Antananarivo → Ambohimanga

Overnight: antananarivo

Departure with AF around 1.25 a.m. or, depending on the airline, transfer to the airport for the return flight.

Route: Antananarivo