Madagascar South and East Tour 15N

Meeting at Ivato international airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel

Depart to Antsirabe through a landscape composed mainly of mountains and rice fields. Tour of the "Town of Water" - so called because of its numerous thermal springs and existence of two crater lakes. Visit of a workshop where they make miniatures from recycled materials. Overnight at the hotel

After breakfast, drive to Ranomafana - a national park of rainforest which is home to various species of lemurs such as the golden bamboo lemurs, brown lemurs, birds, chameleons, frogs. Stop in Ambositra for the visit of some Zafimaniry handicrafts centres: woodcarving Continuation to Ranomafana. After check-in at the hotel, night walk along the road to see nocturnal species of animals, with some luck you’ll see mouse lemurs, chameleons, frogs etc.. Back to the hotel and Overnight.

After breakfast, visit of the some 40’000 hectares big Nationalpark with its lemurs, chameleons, spiders, frogs, varieties of orchids and medicinal plants. Only in 1986 was discovered the golden Bamboo lemurs here, and there are more than 100 species of birds. This walk takes around 3 to 4 hours, and goes mostly on trails, sometimes a bit steep up and down, and sometimes you’ll go off the paths and into the forest to spot the lemurs, it’s a bit exhausting and requires endurance and agility. After lunch, off to Fianarantsoa - the capital of the Betsileo tribe. Overnight at the hotel

Early departure to Ranohira. Stop in Ambalavao - the commercial centre of the southern Betsileo region, renowned for its folks, arts and crafts – to visit the "Antemoro Paper" factory. This paper is a delicate, handmade, flowerdecorated paper made of the fibres of a tree called "Avoha" (visit not possible on Sundays). Another stop 12km south of Ambalavao to visit the Anja park, where you can see on a walk of around two hours on a little bumpy tracks, but not steep, some families of ring-tailed Katta lemurs in their natural surroundings. Arrival in Ranohira around sunset, overnight at the hotel.

Morning trek inside the Isalo National Park to discover on a walk of around three to five hours on sometimes bumpy tracks, at some parts a bit steep, the massif of Isalo, its ruin like sandstones, canyons, endemic fauna and flora (Lemurs and endemic plants such as Pachypodium , aloes,..) and to swim in its natural pool. Back to the hotel in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, off to Tuléar along a straight road. The landscape is composed of high bushes, thick gallery forests and some proudly decorated Mahafaly tombs. In Tulear, visit of the Arboretum with many species of endemic plants. Overnight at the hotel.

According to the flight , transfer to the airport for the flight back to the capital . Meeting at the airport and transfer to the city. Overnight at the hotel

After breakfast ,drive to Andasibe through a landscape composed of rice fields , waterfalls, and scarce forest stations. Before dinner, off for a night walk along the road to see some nocturnal species of animals, with some luck you may see woolly or mouse lemurs, chameleons etc. Back to the hotel and overnight.

After breakfast , visit of the reserve on a walk which takes around three hours, first a bit up, then mostly flat. Discover the species dwelling inside this forest like Indri Indri, the largest species of lemurs. Drive to Manambato then transfer by a motorboat to Akanin' ny Nofy (which literally means "Nest of Dreams"). Overnight at the hotel

A full day to discover this beautiful area at the clear and calm waters of the Ampitabe lake and the private Palmarium park with a big variety of lemurs on one spot. You can do a walk of several hours, on small trails, a little bit up and down, but not steep. When night falls, excursion by boat to spot the Aye Aye lemur, with its long middle finger (Daubentonia madagascariensis). Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer early morning by motor boat along the Pangalanes canal until Tamatave (if the flight to Sainte Marie should be early morning, the transfer to Tamatave has to happen the afternoon before). Pick up at the port and transfer to the airport for the flight to Sainte Marie. Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel. . Alternatively, the transfer to Sainte Marie could also be done by shuttle bus to Soanierana Ivongo and then by boat to Sainte Marie ( subject to weather conditions).

Days free. Options: excursion by car and/or by boat to see a little village of fishermen, pirates cemetery and a lagoon (looking almost like a swimming pool), or excursion to the "île aux nattes". From July to September, you might see some humpback whales near the island. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Antananarivo. Transfer to the hotel, rest of the day free. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, excursion to Ambohimanga – a UNESCO World heritage site: a King‘s palace built on the top of the hill covered with forests. In the afternoon, back to Tana and visit of a handicraft market. At the end of the afternoon, transfer to the hotel and day use. In the evening, transfer to the airport for the flight back to Europe.