Great Tour of Madagascar

Day 1 – Antananarivo

Arrival at Ivato International Airport and private transfer to the centre of Madagascar's bustling Highland capital, Antananarivo. If time allows, wander through the red‑brick houses, rice paddies, and lively markets in town. Overnight at Havana Resort Hotel or similar.

Day 2 – Antananarivo → Antsirabe | 200 km

Drive south along the RN7 through the Highlands of the Merina people, with terraced rice fields and traditional villages. Visit artisanal aluminium foundries in Ambatolampy. Continue to Antsirabe, a cooler spa town with colonial architecture. City tour by pousse‑pousse to workshops for silk, gemstones and zebu‑horn carvings. Overnight at Royal Palace Hotel or similar.

Day 3 – Antsirabe → Miandrivazo → Masiakampy

Visit the volcanic lakes of Andraikiba and Tritriva, both surrounded by pine trees and farms. Continue west as the vegetation turns arid, passing Miandrivazo and reaching Masiakampy, the village beside the Tsiribihina River that serves as the starting point for the river descent. Free time to explore the village or relax by the pool. Overnight at Eden de la Tsiribihina Hotel or similar.

Day 4 – Masiakampy / Tsiribihina River Descent (day 1)

Ride the Tsiribihina River on a traditional barge. Pass tobacco fields, rice paddies, and gallery forests buzzing with herons, egrets, kingfishers and sometimes lemurs in the trees. Stop for a swim in a waterfall and natural pool. Evening meal by the fire and camping with full‑board on a sand ledge under the stars.

Day 5 – Tsiribihina River Descent (day 2)

Continue along the Tsiribihina River, past small settlements on the banks and open savanna. Watch daily life unfold: fishermen in pirogues, children playing, cattle at the water's edge. Depending on the season, spot chameleons, bats and waterbirds roosting on cliffs. Overnight wild camping on the riverbank, second night of full‑board camping.

Day 6 – Tsiribihina River → Belo‑sur‑Tsiribihina → Bekopaka

Leave the river and drive in 4x4s along dusty roads and plains to Belo‑sur‑Tsiribihina, a small town with a lively market. Continue north through dry areas, seasonal wetlands and past ancient baobab trees to Bekopaka, crossing the Manambolo River by local ferry. Bekopaka is the gateway to Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Overnight at Olympe de Bemaraha Hotel or similar.

Day 7 – Bekopaka → Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park

Full day in Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park (UNESCO). Explore the razor‑sharp limestone pinnacles via suspended bridges and narrow passages, with breathtaking views over the "stone forest". The park shelters lemurs, endemic birds and specialised plants. A roughly 5‑hour hike through the Grand Tsingy passes canyons, caves and patches of dry forest. Overnight at Olympe de Bemaraha Hotel or similar.

Day 8 – Bekopaka → Morondava

Head south by 4x4 via Belo‑sur‑Tsiribihina, crossing rivers on simple ferries and passing isolated villages. Stop at the Avenue of the Baobabs near Morondava, where ancient Adansonia trees line a red dirt road. The trunks glow gold at sunset. Overnight at Laguna Beach Hotel or similar.

Day 9 – Morondava → Belo‑sur‑Mer

Take sandy coastal tracks to Belo‑sur‑Mer, a fishing village beside a lagoon. Watch traditional wooden sailing boats (dhows) being built on the beach. The journey passes through spiny forest, baobab savanna and rice fields. Relax on white‑sand beaches, observe fishermen at work and stroll the quiet streets. Overnight at Belo Beach Hotel or similar.

Day 10 – Belo‑sur‑Mer / Kirindy Mitea National Park

Drive to Kirindy Mitea National Park, a protected area mixing dry forest, dunes, beaches and mangroves. A roughly 3‑hour walk offers birdwatching, lemur spotting, giant baobabs and a hilltop view over the Mozambique Channel. Return to Belo‑sur‑Mer for a relaxed afternoon on the beach. Overnight at Belo Beach Hotel or similar.

Day 11 – Belo‑sur‑Mer → Morombe

A full day's journey through one of Madagascar's most remote regions. Pass the small inland settlement of Manja, then reach the wide Mangoky River and cross on a hand‑pulled ferry shared with local vehicles and people. The landscape is dry scrub dotted with baobabs and isolated hamlets. Arrive in Morombe, a small coastal town. Overnight at Paletuvier Hotel or similar.

Day 12 – Morombe → Tsiandamba

Follow a rough coastal track to Tsiandamba, an isolated Vezo fishing village. On the way, visit a millennial baobab sacred to local communities and an Enchanted Forest of baobabs with strangely shaped trunks. Continue to Tsiandamba, a quiet village with pristine beaches and colourful pirogues. Overnight at Manga Bay Lodge or similar.

Day 13 – Tsiandamba – Beach and local life

Full day in Tsiandamba. Stroll along the beach filled with colourful pirogues, watch fishermen prepare their sails and nets, and participate in daily Vezo life. If conditions allow, swim or snorkel in clear waters, or simply relax and enjoy the remoteness. Overnight at Manga Bay Lodge or similar.

Day 14 – Tsiandamba – Rest day

A second day at leisure in Tsiandamba. Optional activities include a boat trip to nearby reefs, visits to neighbouring hamlets, or walks along the coast to learn more about the Vezo communities. An ideal day to unwind in a little‑visited corner of Madagascar. Overnight at Manga Bay Lodge or similar.

Day 15 – Tsiandamba → Ranohira (Isalo National Park)

Leave the coast and drive inland on the RN9 then the RN7. Watch the environment change from sandy scrub to wide savanna and rocky plateaus. Arrive in Ranohira, the last town before Isalo National Park. In the late afternoon, head to the Isalo Window rock formation for a savanna sunset framed by sandstone cliffs. Overnight at H1 Isalo Hotel or similar.

Day 16 – Isalo National Park

Full‑day walking tour of Isalo National Park, with its eroded sandstone massifs, canyons and natural pools. Hike through open grasslands into deep gorges lined with palms and pandanus. Look for lemurs (including ring‑tailed lemurs where introduced), endemic birds and unusual succulents. Cool off with a swim in a natural rock pool. Overnight at H1 Isalo Hotel or similar.

Day 17 – Ranohira → Anja Community Reserve → Ambalavao → Ranomafana

Head east to Anja Community Reserve, a forest managed by local people beneath granite boulders. Short walk to see habituated ring‑tailed lemurs and panoramic views. Continue to Ambalavao, a town of pastel‑painted houses known for Antaimoro paper; stop at a traditional workshop. Then climb into the misty hills to Ranomafana, one of Madagascar's key rainforest conservation areas. Overnight at Setam Lodge or similar.

Day 18 – Ranomafana → Ambositra

Morning visit to Ranomafana National Park, a rainforest criss‑crossed by streams and hot springs. A guided walk of around 3 hours searches for lemurs – including the rare golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) – as well as chameleons, frogs and forest birds. Learn about the park's high endemism and conservation projects. In the afternoon, drive to Ambositra, the capital of Zafimaniry woodcarving, with many carved houses and craft shops. Overnight at Ivato River Lodge or similar.

Day 19 – Ambositra → Antananarivo

Watch artisans carving intricate geometric designs into furniture, doors and decorative pieces at Zafimaniry woodcarving workshops in Ambositra – a tradition listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Then return to Antananarivo along the RN7, past terraced rice fields and Highland villages. Free time in the capital depending on arrival. Overnight at Ikopa Hotel or similar.

Day 20 – Antananarivo → Andasibe

Drive east of Antananarivo, winding through eucalyptus plantations, small farms and rolling hills to Andasibe. In the afternoon, visit the Mitsinjo Private Reserve, a community‑managed reforestation and amphibian‑conservation site. After dark, a night walk in VOIMMA Reserve along the forest edge to look for nocturnal lemurs, chameleons, frogs and insects. Overnight at Feony Ala Hotel or similar.

Day 21 – Andasibe / Andasibe‑Mantadia National Park / Vakona Reserve

Full day in Andasibe‑Mantadia National Park, Madagascar's most accessible humid rainforest. During a roughly 4‑hour hike, listen for the distinctive calls of the Indri Indri and look for family groups in the canopy. Many other lemur species, birds, orchids and ferns are also found here. In the afternoon, visit the Vakona Reserve, which includes a lemur island and enclosures for crocodiles and other animals. Overnight at Feony Ala Hotel or similar.

Day 22 – Andasibe → Antananarivo (via Ambohimanga)

Drive back to Antananarivo, then visit the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander through the old royal palace, sacred burial sites and surrounding forests that remain an important spiritual centre for the Merina people. Learn about the island's pre‑colonial kingdom and its rituals. Return to central Antananarivo. Overnight at Chat'o Park Hotel or similar.

Day 23 – Antananarivo – Free day

Free day in Antananarivo. Possible activities include visiting artisan markets (La Digue, Analakely), exploring museums, or strolling through the historical upper town to admire colonial houses and churches. A perfect day for last‑minute shopping and city discovery. Overnight at Chat'o Park Hotel or similar.

Day 24 – Antananarivo / Departure

Transfer to Ivato International Airport according to your flight schedule. Last views of the hills, rice paddies and neighbourhoods of Antananarivo before leaving Madagascar. End of our services.