A Day 1, 14 September, 2021: Arrive to Antananarivo

Antananarivo – Fly into Antananarivo (from Paris on Air France, from Johannesburg on South African Airways, or from Nairobi on Kenya Airways), the capital of Madagascar, known as “Tana” for short. From the airport, we will be driven to the venerable Hotel Colbert located in the upper town and in continuous operation since colonial times. Overnight and dinner at the Hotel Colbert.

B Days 2 – 3, 15-16 September, 2021: Antananarivo / Akani’ni nofy / Palmarium

After breakfast we head off on the well-maintained Route Nationale 2 through the verdant Imerina countryside towards the eastern rainforest. All the while we will pass amazing and unique scenery and witness the highly photogenic locals going about their daily business. Lunch will be en-route. We will contiue to the colonial town of Brickaville on the coastal plain, where a 10-km track leads to the Pangalanes Canal, a waterway that runs parallel to the coast from the harbor town of Tomasaina almost all the way down to the southern tip of the island. A boat will be waiting at the canal port of Ambila-Lemaitso to take us to Ampitabe Lake about 60km to the north, home to the Palmarium private reserve. All the way the journey will be fascinating while accompanied by continuous greetings of ‘Salud Vaza!’. We will stop many times to interact with and photograph the endearing locals and their environment in this beautiful rural landscape. We will stay here for two nights allowing amply time to enjoy the reserve and the lake (including a snorkel from the beach). The coastal forest that is the setting for the reserve boasts a wide variety of Madagascan palms, including Dypsis, Ravenea, Orania, Voanioala, Lemurophoenix and of course Ravinala – the ‘traveler’s palm’ -, many orchids and a host of different fauna species. During our night walks to find aye-aye, black and white ruffed lemurs, crowned lemurs, indri, sifakas and woolly lemurs, (not forgetting chameleons, bizarre lizards, insects and new tenrecs – hedgehog-like animals) we will be kept very busy photographing, exploring on our own, interacting with local fishermen on the beach or simply communing with the lemurs – most of which are totally habituated to humans. Overnight at Palmarium.

A Day 4, 17 September, 2021: Palmarium / Tamatave /Antananarivo

After breakfast we leave Palmarium for an interesting boat ride to the coastal town of Tamatave (Toamasina) in time to catch our flight back to Tana. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Colbert.

I Day 5-7, 18-20 September, 2021: Antananarivo to Ampijoroa

After breakfast we will drive this time all the way to the west coast of the island and the stunning reserve of Ampijoroa. The journey is on one of Madagascar’s best roads which takes us across the red center of the Haut Plateaux. Two full days are spent in the reserve and immediate area. The park is a bird watcher’s paradise with 129 recorded species, 75 of them endemic to Madagascar, including the bizarre sickle-billed and Van Dam’s vangas, the extremely rare Madagascar fish eagle as well as the white-breasted mesite. Eight species of lemur are also present including the charming Coquerel’s sifaka, mongoose lemurs and western woolly lemurs. We aim to see many other species including bats, lizards, boas and crocodiles. Additionally the park is home to a breeding center for rare and endangered tortoises including the strange ploughshare tortoise. Overnight at the National Park Lodge.

A Day 8, 21 September, 2021: Ampijoroa to Majunga & Antananarivo

This morning we take the beautiful drive to the sea port city of Majunga, famous for a giant baobab in the city center and the many traditional sailing vessels (dhows) that ply the coast. We take a flight from Majunga’s international airport back to the capital, Tana, for dinner and overnight at our now familiar home away from home, the Hotel Colbert.

E Day 9, 22 September, 2021: Antananarivo to Morondava

Setting out early today we fly from Tana to the coast town of Morondava in the dry west of the country. After a late lunch we visit the world-famous Baobab Alley before arriving to the edge of the forest at Marofandilia. Overnight at Camp Amoureux.

G Days 10-11, 23-24 September, 2021: Marofandillia to Kirindy

The village of Marofandilia is at the edge of Kirindy forest, where the Madagascan NGO Fanamby built its first locally owned and operated rustic lodging, “Camp Amoureux”. Your villager hosts are also the custodians of the forest, and the camp is their most important source of revenue – therefore an important incentive to preserve the area. We enjoy our first foray into the forest this morning with a knowledgeable local as our guide. For the afternoon we will visit Kirindy research station with dinner at the visitors’ center, and particular emphasis on seeing Madagascar’s top carnivore, the strange fossa. After our meal we will go on a night walk to spot the many nocturnal lemurs and other unique denizens of the west. Overnight at Camp Amoureux.

A Day 12, 25 September, 2021: Morondava to Antananarivo

Today we return to the capital visiting the imposing Baobab Alley once again but this time for a completely different perspective at sunrise. We continue to Morondava airport to catch our return flight to Tana. If time permits we can soak up the atmosphere of town before dinner and overnight at the Hotel Colbert.

A Days 13-15, 26-27 September, 2021: Antananarivo to Fort Dauphin & Berenty

After breakfast we transfer to the airport to fly South to Ft. Dauphin (a.k.a.Tolagnaro), where we will be met and driven to the private reserve of Berenty, about 5 hours away, situated at the point where the spiny dry-forest meets the lazy Mandrare river. This is home to one of Madagascar’s most iconic species, the ring-tailed lemur. We will have two, very busy full day to enjoy Berenty. From dawn we will begin exploring the grounds and interacting directly with the ring-tailed lemurs which will seem to be everywhere. As it warms up Verreaux’s sifakas will become active and a highlight will be to watch them ‘dance’ across the open ground as they move between feeding trees. We will see brown lemurs, sportive lemurs and a host of birds including giant couas, Madagascar scops owls, vangas and cuckoo rollers. With luck we may even spot a radiated tortoise or two. After dinner we will head to the spiny forest of Dideraceae in search of minuscule, nocturnal, mouse lemurs. Meals and overnight in Berenty.

A Day 14, 28 September, 2021: Berenty to Antananarivo

After breakfast and more photography we drive back to Ft. Dauphin to catch our return flight to Tana. Overnight at the Hotel Colbert or day rooms for those that are flying out tonight.

A Day 15, 29 September, 2021: Antananarivo to Airport

The trips ends after breakfast and a morning transfer to the airport.