12-Day Madagascar off the Beaten Track

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Antananarivo

On arrival at Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo, you’ll be met by an English-speaking guide who will escort you to Maison Gallieni, in the upper town of Antananarivo. ‘Tana’ —as the locals call it has fascinating traditional architecture and a more Indonesian influence than the rest of Madagascar. Maison Gallieni is a restored colonial mansion with an elegant mix of modern and traditional décor. You'll take a dip in the pool and enjoy the lovely views over the city before dinner.
You'll be located in the city center, so you can spend the afternoon exploring the colorful architecture and distinct Indonesian influence of Antananarivo, known locally as ‘Tana’.

Main Destination:

Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation:

Maison Gallieni

• Luxury guest house located in Antananarivo (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Air Transfer to Tsingy de Bemaraha

After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport for your private charter flight to Tsingy de Bemaraha. The flight will take around 1 hour and 30 minutes and you'll be met on arrival at the Amborondia airstrip by a staff member and transferred by 4x4 vehicle to Le Soleil des Tsingy. The drive will take around 1 hour and 30 minutes, arriving in time for lunch at the lodge. After lunch, you’ll visit the incredible pinnacles of the Petit Tsingy. Depending on your fitness level, you can hike the Tantely circuit or the Andadoany forest trail, where you can find six lemur species and 53 bird species, and enjoy the spectacular views.

Main Destination:

Bemaraha National Park

Best Time To Visit May to October (Best hiking weather)

High Season July and August (Some of the trails get busy)

Best Weather July and August

Wildlife in Bemaraha NP

Decken's sifaka Common

Peter's
mouse lemur Common

Western red
forest rat

Common

Leaf-tailed geckos Common

Bemaraha
sportive lemur Common

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Madagascar
straw-colored
fruit bat Common

Bemaraha
woolly lemur

Occasional

Rufous
brown lemur Occasional

Fat-tailed
dwarf lemur Occasional

Stump-tailed
chameleon Occasional

Ring-tailed
mongoose Rare

Madagascar
ground boa Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Aye-aye Very Rare

Accommodation:

Le Soleil des Tsingy

• Mid-range lodge located just outside Bemaraha NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Tsingy de Bemaraha

After breakfast, you'll head out on a full-day excursion to the Grand Tsingy. This Unesco World Heritage Site site contains a mass of 50-metre high limestone pinnacles, formed after millions of years of erosion. You’ll cross the razor-sharp roof of the Tisngy by crossing a high-rope bridge, then walk through a deciduous forest, looking out for an abundance of wildlife including 11 lemur species (such as the red-fronted brown lemurs and Verreaux and Decken’s sifaka), 103 species of terrestrial and aquatic birds, 15 bat species, 22 amphibian species and a variety of reptiles.

Main Destination:

Bemaraha National Park

Accommodation:

Le Soleil des Tsingy

• Mid-range lodge located just outside Bemaraha NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Air Transfer to Morondava

You'll enjoy breakfast before boarding your private charter flight to Morondava, located in the heart of Sakalava territory and known for its beautifully sculpted royal wooden tombs. The flight will take about one hour and you’ll be welcomed on arrival by a hotel staff member and transferred to Palissandre Côte Ouest. You’ll enjoy lunch at the hotel before enjoying a tour of the city. In the afternoon, your guide will drive you to the renowned Avenue of the Baobabs (Allée des Baobabs), a dirt road lined with dozens of ancient Grandidier's baobab trees, the largest of the seven species of baobab found in Madagascar. You'll watch the gorgeous sunset over these magnificent trees before heading back to the hotel.

Main Destination:

Morondava (Town)

Accommodation:

Palissandre Morondava Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Morondava (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Air Transfer to Isalo National Park

After breakfast, you'll board your private charter flight to Isalo National Park, taking around 1 hour and 40 minutes. You’ll be met on arrival by a hotel staff member and transferred to Isalo Rock Lodge, a breathtaking retreat set high in the Sandstone Mountains, overlooking Isalo National Park. The national park is known for its spectacular sandstone rock formations, natural pools with clear water, and deep canyons used for centuries as sacred burial sites by the Bara tribe. This afternoon, you'll enjoy a massage at the spa, or take a dip in the pool where you can take in the views of the park.

Main Destination:

Isalo National Park

Best Time To Visit April to October (Cooler, sunny days)

High Season July, August and December holidays (The park is busy)

Best Weather June to August

Wildlife in Isalo NP

Ring-tailed
lemur Common

Western
plated lizard Common

Verreaux's sifaka Occasional

Red-fronted
brown lemur Occasional

Oustalet's
chameleon Occasional

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Jewel chameleon Occasional

Stump-tailed
chameleon Occasional

Merrem's
Madagascar swift Occasional

Grey
mouse lemur Rare

Red-tailed
sportive lemur Rare

Painted
burrowing frog Rare

Blue-legged
mantella Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Madagascar
tree boa Very Rare

Accommodation:

Le Jardin du Roy

• Mid-range hotel located just outside Isalo NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Isalo National Park

After breakfast, you’ll venture out on a full day of guided walking through Isalo National Park, one of Madagascar's most diverse and beautiful parks. Your guide will recommend different trails depending on your interests and fitness level, and one of the most popular trails is the ‘Canyon des Singes’, which takes you through the dense forest past colorful rock formations, to the 'Piscine Naturelle', an enchanting rock pool. The park is renowned for its endemic plants including the local Aloe, and its wildlife including the brown lemur, ring-tailed lemur, sifakas, and 14 nocturnal lemur species that come alive after dark. There are also 35 reptile species, several endemic frogs, and 80 bird species including the rare Benson’s rock-thrush and the crested ibis.

Main Destination:

Isalo National Park

Accommodation:

Le Jardin du Roy

• Mid-range hotel located just outside Isalo NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Air Transfer to Mandrare River Camp

You'll enjoy breakfast before boarding your private charter flight to Mandrare River Camp, taking around 1 hour and 40 minutes. After arriving at the camp, you'll tuck into a barbecue lunch of grilled meats and fresh salads. After lunch, you can relax in your luxury tent with stunning views over the Mandrare River. In the evening, you’ll head out for an exciting night walk in the Forest of Zenavo. You'll see diurnal lemurs bedding down for the night and nocturnal lemurs starting to wake up as you roam through the ancient forest. Keep your eyes peeled for sifakas, mouse lemurs, and sleepy white-foot sportive lemurs, which become active once the sun has set, along with a variety of birds and chameleons.

Main Destination:

Ifotaka Forest

Best Time To Visit April to November (Less rain and humidity)

High Season July to November (High-season rates apply)

Best Weather April to October

Wildlife in Ifotaka Forest

Ring-tailed
lemur Abundant

Verreaux's sifaka Common

Madagascar
flying fox Common

Three-eyed lizard Common

White-footed
sportive lemur Occasional

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Grey
mouse lemur Occasional

Grey-brown
mouse lemur Occasional

Warty
chameleon Occasional

Jewel chameleon Occasional

Big-headed gecko Occasional

Plated lizard Occasional

Madagascar
hissing cockroach Occasional

Lesser
hedgehog tenrec Rare

Mocqard's
ground gecko

Rare

Accommodation:

Mandrare River Camp

• Luxury tented camp located just outside Ifotaka Forest

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Mandrare River Camp

After breakfast, you'll head to the south of the camp where you'll find the stunning Sacred Gallery Forest. Depending on the Mandrare River's water levels, you’ll walk or take a boat across the river to reach this magical forest, famous for its playful groups of ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux sifaka. In the evening, you’ll venture out for a walk through the Sacred Spiny Forest with an English-speaking tracker from the local community. You'll visit the ancestral tombs of the local Antandroy tribe, and your guide will talk about Antandroy culture and customs, as well as point out endemic plants and animals in the forest. You'll end the excursion with a relaxing sundowner on the banks of the Mandrare River.

Main Destination:

Ifotaka Forest

Accommodation:

Mandrare River Camp

• Luxury tented camp located just outside Ifotaka Forest

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Mandrare River Camp

You'll rise before dawn this morning to enjoy a magical sunrise walk through the Sacred Spiny Forest. You'll see the sunlight streaming through the octopus trees and watch the wildlife wake up and become active, including many endemic birds such as the crested coua, running coua, and several species of vangas. You'll return to the camp for a delicious breakfast before visiting the local market (open on Thursdays and Saturdays), or the local village to meet the Antandroy tribe.

You'll head back to the camp for lunch and a relaxing afternoon soaking in the pool or watching life float by on the Mandrare River from your private terrace. In the evening, you'll enjoy refreshing sundowners and watch the beautiful sunset among the ancient baobab trees. Some nights, you may be treated to a wonderful show of traditional singing, dancing, and music, performed by the local village at the camp.

Main Destination:

Ifotaka Forest

Accommodation:

Mandrare River Camp

• Luxury tented camp located just outside Ifotaka Forest

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Air Transfer to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

You'll enjoy an early breakfast before boarding your private charter flight to Antananarivo. The flight will take around 3 hours and 20 minutes and you’ll be met on arrival by your English-speaking guide who will escort you to a nearby restaurant for lunch. You'll then make the four-hour drive east to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, a stunning rainforest park with two protected areas including the Perinet Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park. On the drive to Andasibe, you can observe rural life in Madagascar, with red brick houses, rice fields, and roadside stalls lining the route. You'll arrive at Mantadia Lodge in time for dinner and a relaxing evening.

Main Destination:

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Best Time To Visit April, May, October and November (Best weather, less rain)

High Season July, August and December holidays (The park is busy)

Best Weather April, May, October and November

Wildlife in Andasibe-Mantadia NP

Indri Common

Common
brown lemur Common

Other
chameleons Common

Leaf-tailed geckos Common

Diademed sifaka Occasional

Show more

Red-bellied
lemur Occasional

Grey
bamboo lemur Occasional

Mouse lemurs Occasional

Sportive lemurs Occasional

Parson's
chameleon Occasional

Painted mantella Occasional

Black-and-white
ruffed lemur Rare

Madagascar tree boa Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Accommodation:

Mantadia Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located outside Andasibe-Mantadia NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

You'll enjoy breakfast before meeting your guide and heading to the Perinet Reserve, famous for its population of indri, the largest living lemur species in the world, known for its cute teddy bear face and distinct black and white markings. This 180-hectare expanse of rainforest is filled with 11 other species of lemur including the grey bamboo lemur, black and white ruffed lemur, common brown lemur, and the diademed sifaka. You can also find many reptiles and orchard species and an abundance of birds including the velvet asity, the blue coua, the Nuthatch vanga, and other endemic species. This evening, you’ll head out on a night walk with a local guide to discover the forest after dark. You can spot various nocturnal lemurs including the mouse lemur, woolly lemur, fat-tailed dwarf lemur, and the white-footed sportive lemur.

Main Destination:

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Accommodation:

Mantadia Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located outside Andasibe-Mantadia NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Departure from Madagascar

Sadly, your Madagascar Off the Beaten Track holiday has come to an end. You will enjoy a final early breakfast, before making the four-hour drive back to Antananarivo, where you'll have lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch, your guide will escort you to Ivato International Airport, where you’ll board your return flight home.

Main Destination:

Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.