Madagascar Wilderness Trek
Overview
Highlights
- Search for Madagascar's unique wildlife from lemurs to chameleons
- Walk through villages and interact with the friendly and hospitable local people.
- Walk through different landscapes: cloud and rain forest, granite hills and high meadows
What's this trip about?
Itinerary
Our tour starts today in Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo (also known as Tana). Built over 12 hills, the city is a tapestry of old and new with French colonial buildings, modern offices and apartment blocks vying for space. For those arriving in time, our tour le...
This morning, we'll have an early start for our long journey south by charter bus via Antisarabe to Ambositra. Our drive will take us through subtropical highlands, the volcanic field around Antisarabe, terraced rice paddies and village communities typical of the Mala...
Continuing south, we'll drive for a further four hours to Ranomafana. Once we arrive at the park, we'll have a picnic lunch and then trek from the park entrance to the campsite in the primary rainforest keeping an eye out for local wildlife including lemurs along the ...
Ranomafana is one of Madagascar's most spectacular national parks. The hills are covered in primary and secondary cloud and rainforest, and there is a great diversity of flora and fauna including 12 species of lemur and over 115 species of birds, some of which are end...
Today we'll travel to Ambalavao via the ancient royal city of Fianarantsoa. Ambalavao is a beautiful town, the houses in the 'Old Town' are brightly coloured with steep tiled roofs and wooden balconies. It is also a lively market town, home to the largest cattle marke...
After breakfast, we'll travel by 4WD to Andringitra National Park where we'll spend the next 3 days. On arrival, we'll trek with porters east through several small villages to the first forest campsite, where we have a picnic lunch. The park scenery is stunning, encom...
Starting early, we'll make a wildlife walk, looking for birds and lemurs, before we begin our trek up to the park's highest campsite, Andriampotsy. We'll gain altitude on this trek as we pass through the Imaitso forest and arrive at a meadow plateau at the foot of the...
Today, we'll walk up between a series of granite boulders to the summit of Imarivolanitra (2,658m/8721 ft), the highest point in southern Madagascar. It's a fairly steady climb on a well-managed path and the views from the top of this mountain down over the park are b...
After walking to the park entrance, we'll return by 4WD to Ambalavao, and then head southwest by charter bus to Isalo National Park where we'll stay in Isalo Ranch Hotel. This hotel is on the edge of the Isalo sandstone massif where the dry forest is home to sifaka, r...
Isalo offers a totally different landscape from either Ranomafana or Andringitra. The main massif is a huge area of sandstone eroded into deep gullies on the eastern side. There are patches of dry forest throughout the reserve which are home to lemur groups although t...
This morning, we'll drive west to Toliara. En route, we'll stop at Zombitse National Park, which despite years of slash-and-burn farming in the area, hosts an area of dry deciduous forest. This harbours a wide variety of wildlife including several lemur species and th...
Today is free to relax or explore the area. Ifaty Beach is a huge sandy bay which looks out over a lagoon protected by a barrier reef up to 7 kilometres/4.40 miles from the shore. Traditional fishing villages are scattered along the bay and fishing is still done in sa...
Depending on the flight schedule, we'll either have a very early start or a more relaxed morning in Ifaty, our tour leader will advise what time we need to leave. We'll fly from Toliara back to Antananarivo airport from where it's a short transfer to our hotel. As the time of the domestic flight varies, the rest of the day is free to relax.
Meals Provided : Breakfast
This morning we transfer to Ambohitrabiby Hill, on the outskirts of Antananarivo, by bus and take a gentle walk to the top of this sacred hill. The walk takes us through local highland villages and rice paddies, learning about local silk weaving along the way before r...
The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Antananarivo. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Antananarivo at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd ...
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Explore! Reviews & Ratings
Vicki
Dec 2024
Madagascar Wilderness Trek
Armond was an amazing leader, with local knowledge a good sense of how to engage us all in what was happening, and life in general in Madagascar. We learned so much....
Simon
Dec 2024
Madagascar Wilderness Trek
An excellent trip that I highly recommend, giving the opportunity to see some unique lemurs, reptiles and insects up close and walk and camp in remote unspoiled area...
Timothy
Nov 2024
Madagascar Wilderness Trek
Great experience and expertly lead.
Mike Dalziel
Nov 2024
Madagascar Wilderness Trek
A great trip leader Very intelligent, educated and always available Great itinerary
Michele
Nov 2024
Madagascar Wilderness Trek
Our 15 day Explore trekking holiday through southern Madagascar was everything we hoped for and more. The insights into Malagasy life, culture, history, landscapes a...
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