Madagascar

Bizarre & Beautiful: Lemurs, Chameleons & Endemics 18-Day EcoTour

Detailed Itinerary **

Day 1 Arrival Antananarivo

Meet at airport and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight at Colbert Hotel.

Day 2–4 Masoala National Park

50% of Madagascar’s wildlife can be seen in Masoala, the country’s largest national park. Accessible only by a combination of charter plane and boat, Masoala also remains the country’s most pristine and least visited park, making it the perfect centerpiece for our itinerary. The park hosts 50 species of mammals including 11 species of lemurs such as white-fronted brown, red-ruffed and aye-aye, as well as chameleons, leaf-tailed geckos, tomato frogs, Madagascar red owls and serpent eagles, many of which are more easily spotted here than anywhere else in Madagascar. We’ll hike Masoala’s breathtaking trails in search of wildlife, explore its crystaline rivers and secluded beaches and snorkel or kayak its azure coastline.

Transfer to Antananarivo airport in time for our private charter flightto Maroantsetra (Flight only operates on Sun and Wed, which requires all trips to start Sat or Tues).

Upon arrival at Maroantsetra airport, transfer to the boat for the voyage across Antongil Bay to our lodge. The journey takes around two hours, and dolphins and whales are typically sighted enroute. Masoala is one of the only national parks where the rainforest comes right down to the beach, so its majestic mountains carpeted in rainforest form a dramatic backdrop to your boat journey.

Enjoy the delightful warm waters, brilliant beaches and coastal rainforest by the lodge, and a variety of naturalist guided hikes to search for white-fronted brown lemurs, Red-ruffed lemurs, Dwarf chameleons and other wildlife endemic to this forest and other wildlife in the forest. After spending the morning in the dense forest with the giant hardwoods and majestic tree ferns, we will return to camp by boat. Another day after our morning wildlife hike we will enjoy a swim in the crystal clear cascading water of the Tampolo River at the foot of the forested mountains, followed by wildlife viewing by traditional dugout canoe paddled down the shady river.

Afternoon activities include snorkeling on the nearby coral reefs, rich in diversity, or a guided sea kayak to the look-out rock at the “Secret Cove” for the sun set, with the chance of a close encounter with Bottlenose Dolphin or Green Turtle.

In the evening enjoy a fire on the beach with sundowners followed by dinner at the lodge.

Wild Planet Exclusive: Nocturnal Hike

Night hike for nocturnal animals such as Leaf-tailed Gecko, Dwarf and Mouse lemurs and the elusive Aye-Aye.

Overnight at Masoala Forest Lodge.

Day 5 Nosy Mangabe

Nosy Mangabe is a densely forested island within Masoala National Park, home to black and white-ruffed lemurs, white-fronted brown lemurs, leaf-tailed geckos, brookesia (the smallest chameleon in the world) and Madagascar tree boa. Humpback whales are frequently sighted between June and September, as they migrate from the Antarctic.

After breakfast, we’ll boat to Nosy Mangabe island, where we’ll hike through the dense forest with our guide in search of lemurs and other wildlife. Explore a cave with traditional Malagasy tombs and engraved rocks on the “Plaige des Hollandaise”. After lunch, boat to Maroantsetra and transfer to the airport in time for your charter flight to Antananarivo. (Flight only operates Sun and Wed) Transfer to your hotel.

Overnight at Colbert Hotel.

Day 6-9 Mandrare River and Sacred Forests of the Antadroy Tribe

After breakfast of freshly baked croissant and pain au chocolat, fresh fruits, cereals and breads, we will explore the extraordinary array of flora and fauna unique to the sacred spiny forest and gallery forests of the Mandrare river, home to the indigenous Antadroy tribe. Your English-speaking naturalist guide will be joined by an Antadroy tracker to spot inquisitive groups of ring tailed lemurs, dancing Verreaux sifaka and more. Endemic birds include Crested Coua, Running Coua and Vangas. Swoon at the spectacular sunset and moonrise views over the Baobabs to the mountains beyond. This evening enjoy authentic Antandroy song, music and beautiful traditional dance that is the heart of Antandroy culture.

Wild Planet Exclusive: Nocturnal Transitional Lemur Hike

See diurnal lemurs prepare to sleep and nocturnal lemurs begin to awaken in the eerie and prehistoric Spiny Forest of Zenavo. First spot Sifakas and sleeping White-foot Sportive lemurs, then once the sun has set, two mouse lemur species, sleeping birds, chameleons, owls and now active Sportive lemurs.

Overnight at Mandrare River Camp.

Day 10-11 Andasibe-Mantadia National Park Analamazoatra (Périnet) Special Reserve

Andasibe National Park, also known as Parc National d'Andasibe-Mantadia, boasts 12,810 ha of lush forests and encompasses two distinct areas: the small Réserve Spéciale Analamazaotra (often referred to as Périnet), and the much larger Parc National de Mantadia. This park is known for rare orchids, beautiful waterfalls, and is famous for the cultural rituals of the inhabitants of the surrounding area.

Nine species of lemur inhabit Andasibe, including indri-indri, Madagascar’s largest lemur. The Indri-indri cannot survive in captivity, yet have become habituated to humans at Andasibe and so are easy to spot. Other lemurs include brown lemur, lesser bamboo lemur, and three nocturnal lemur species; rufous mouse lemur, greater dwarf lemur, and eastern woolly lemur. Nearby Mantadia is also home to the black-and-white ruffed lemur and the beautiful diademed sifaka.

Amdasibe also holds the world record for most frog species, which include the brightly coloured golden mantella. Most reptiles and frogs are seen during night walks, particularly during the spring, summer and autumn months, September to May, when nocturnal lemurs are at their most active. There is also a good chance of seeing chameleons, including the impressively long Parson’s chameleon and the tiny nose-horned chameleon, best sighted at the end of the rainy season in October/November.

Wild Planet Exclusive:

Night hike for nocturnal lemurs, frogs and reptiles.

Overnight at Hotel Vakona.

Day 12 Andasibe-Mantadia/Antananarivo

This morning depart Andasibe for a 3 hour drive back to Antananarivo. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel and have the remainder of the day free at leisure to explore Antananarivo or rest up in preparation of the days to come.

Overnight at Colbert Hotel.

Day 13 & 14 Amber Mountain National Park– are Animal Excursions

Amber Mountain is a paradise for rare animals and plants, which occur only here and nowhere else on Earth. Its terrain includes six volcano lakes, three waterfalls and some of the most biodiverse tropical forest in Madagascar. Nowhere in Madagascar it is easier to see rare animals! Unique new wildlife species and rare orchid species are still found here nearly every year. The park hosts 25 species of mammals including 7 lemurs, and 60 reptile and 25 amphibian species. Amber Mountain is also famous for its rare, endemic chameleons, which are easily visible on nocturnal hikes. They include the world’s smallest pygmy chameleon, Brookesia tuberculata, which is so tiny it can sit on a thumb, the giant Calumma ambreense, the Furcifer petteri with bright yellow females and males with strange nose appendages, the blue-nosed Calumma linotum, and Brookesia antakarana which sports odd spines on its bright body.

We’ll fly from Antananarivo to Diego Suarez, at the extreme north of the island. Upon arrival, short ground transfer south of Diego, crossing Joffreville (an historical town characterized by its European architecture) to visit Amber Mountain National Park.

Overnight at Litchi Tree Lodge.

Day 15 Amber Mountain/Ankarana Special Reserve & Tsingy

Ankarana has the highest density of primates of any forest in the world, which includes 11 species of lemur such as crowned lemur, Sanford's brown lemur, Perrier's black lemur, the northern sportive lemur, nocturnal bamboo lemurs and dwarf lemurs. The park is home to 60 species of reptiles including colorful panther chameleons, upside-down sleeping leaf-tailed geckos and day gekos.

Ankarana also hosts a geological wonder unique to Madagascar; the “Tsingy” stone forests. These razor-sharp limestone spires soar skywards just like stone trees, giving rise to the Malagasy word “mitsingytsingyna” which means “to tiptoe”. The Tsingy are home to a variety of adapted wildlife. The park also has tropical jungle, raging rivers, a sacred lake, canyons and the biggest network of underground rivers and caves in Africa, with stalactites and stalagmites, bats and even one which contains Nile crocodiles. Ankarana’s highest view point affords a spectacular view of the national park all the way to the gulf of Mosambique.

4h drive to reach Ankarana Special Reserve, located about 100 km from Diego Suarez. Remainder of day exploring the park.

Overnight at Iharana Bush Camp.

Day 16 Ankarana Special Reserve

Full day dedicated to discover the wildlife of Ankarana: walk through the ‘Tsingy’; visit caves surrounded by Baobabs trees and Elephant foot plant, and search for wildlife including crowned lemurs, northern sportive lemurs, and predators including the beautiful red ring-tailed mongoose.

Overnight at Iharana Bush Camp.

Day 17 Ankarana/Tsingy rouge–Diego

Drive back to Diego (4h), with a detour to visit the “Tsingy rouges” or “red Tsingy” (about 50Km before reaching Diego.) The Tsingy Rouge is a geological oddity made of red laterite (similar to clay) and not of limestone rock like the tsingy at l’Ankarana. Once we arrive in Diego we will end the day at our accommodations for the evening to rest.

Overnight at Allamanda Hotel.

Day 18 Diego/Antananarivo

Transfer to Diego airport, fly back to Antananarivo with Air Madagascar regular flight.

Connecting flight back to your country.

** Exact itinerary rotation may change by departure date