Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo
Antananarivo is the vibrant and diverse capital of Madagascar that will welcome you with open arms on the day of your arrival. However, you may not see much of it on your first day as most flights from Europe land late in the evening or at night. That's why we take care of your transfer immediately upon arrival and bring you to the nearby hotel Villa Sybille, where you can enjoy some well-deserved rest before your Madagascar adventure begins the next day.
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Day 2: Departure to Antsirabe
On the second day, you will leave Antananarivo shortly after breakfast via a winding road. This will take you through the various suburbs of the Malagasy capital and then into the nearby highlands. The first stop of the day will be either Behenjy or Ambatolampy, where you can enjoy a delicious lunch to fuel up for the upcoming journey. Antsirabe, located around 170 kilometers from Antananarivo, is the destination for today. The name Antsirabe means "where there is a lot of salt" in English, and the city captivates with its numerous thermal springs and a very pleasant highland climate. Originally founded by Norwegian missionaries, the city still retains a distinct European charm to this day. For tonight, you can retreat to the Chambres du Voyageur Hotel, where you may have the chance to spot some chameleons and possibly even a radiated tortoise in the garden. Enjoy your stay!
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Day 3: Explore the Surroundings of Antsirabe
Antsirabe is the highest city in Madagascar and boasts a very mild and pleasant high-altitude climate. The volcanic origin of the island of Madagascar can be easily seen here through the numerous volcanic lakes, offering plenty of potential for various activities. We can organize hiking opportunities for you as well as a classic bike tour. The day's plan involves heading to Betafo after breakfast to embark on a roughly two-hour hike. During this hike, you can truly appreciate and experience the scenic highlights of this area. You will traverse through fertile fields and enjoy the spectacular view of a unique mountain panorama, until you reach a fairytale waterfall that may even entice you for a refreshing swim. Following the relaxing and impressive hike, city tours in Antsirabe are scheduled. Particularly on Saturdays, the city's huge market is a special phenomenon, but it's worth a visit on any day. Let yourself be seduced by the unique charm of the city of Antsirabe and admire the magnificent buildings in classic colonial style. You can be sure that you won't find another city like Antsirabe in Madagascar. You will be welcomed back to Chambres du Voyageur in the evening for another night's stay.
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Day 4: Sahambavy Welcomes You
On the fourth day of your Madagascar adventure, you bid farewell to Antsirabe after breakfast and journey deeper into the southern part of the island by car. Your day begins with a visit to a unique reforestation project led by an elderly gentleman who has been planting numerous citrus trees for years, distributing them to local farmers. These farmers then rely on the fruits for sustenance, reducing the need to turn the trees into charcoal. This project is crucial for conservation in Madagascar and has been supported by us for quite some time. You will have the opportunity to have lunch with the project leader, learn about the project, and gain insight into the culture of the Betsileo people. After the informative tour, you continue your journey on a winding road, eventually arriving at the beautiful Lac Hotel.
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Day 5: Heading to the Andringitra Mountains
The previous days of your Madagascar adventure can be seen as a warm-up, as the real adventure on this tour begins today. After breakfast, you will get back into the car and continue heading south. About fifty kilometers past the city of Amabalavao, the car will then drive for about two hours on a slightly bumpy track, which is usually not considered a nuisance. Then, the Tsarasoa Camp will come into view, located just below the famous Chameleon Peak. If you wish, you will have enough time this evening to take a short hike to the summit of this mountain to discover why it truly lives up to its name. Alternatively, you can take a leisurely walk in the nearby forest, where numerous lemurs are already waiting for your visit. You will spend the night at the camp, where dinner will be served.
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Day 6: First Adventures in Andringitra National Park
On the sixth morning, your first tour in the Andringitra Mountains begins relatively early. You have ahead of you a hike that will last around seven to eight hours before reaching today's destination. You will be accompanied by numerous porters and chefs who will take good care of you during the trek. The path today is relatively steep, but you will already enjoy an impressive view of the mountains and the surrounding landscape. After the hike, you will reach your first camp where the chefs will prepare dinner in a shelter. Tonight, you will stay in tents, allowing you to admire the incredible mountain panorama as you set up camp.
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Day 7: Another Adventure in Andringitra National Park
Today, after breakfast, we continue our journey, reaching even higher heights as we tackle the Pic Imarivolanitra, also known as Pic Bobby, standing at an impressive 2,659 meters. Pic Bobby is the second highest peak in Madagascar and will surely captivate you with its breathtaking views. The ascent from the camp will only take about three hours, allowing us to enjoy lunch back at the camp. The hike continues through the spectacular mountain scenery, including the mesmerizing Moon Landscape, also known as Le Paysage lunaire, which will transport you to a whole new world. In the early evening, we return to a simple camp to enjoy dinner and spend the night in our cozy tents, just like the day before.
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Day 8: The Last Day in Andringitra National Park
Today, you will spend the last hours in the Andringitra Mountains, as after breakfast, the return to the Tsaranoro Valley is on the agenda. You will hike along ancient worn Zebu trails and discover vegetation that will remind you of tropical holiday paradises. Palm trees and various tropical plants now line your path, vividly showing how quickly the vegetation and climate zones in Madagascar can change spatially. In the early afternoon, you will return to the Tsarasoa Camp, where the staff awaits you with chilled drinks and a generous dose of hospitality. Accommodation for the night is provided at Camp Tsarasoa.
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Day 9: Heading to Ranomafana
On the ninth day of your Madagascar vacation, you bid farewell to Andringitra National Park and move on to the next leg of this extraordinary journey. First, you'll tackle the bumpy road before returning to RN 7. Your driver will now take you back northward, as the next major stop on the trip is the Ranomafana National Park, the famous montane rainforest. But first, after the challenges of the past few days, you can relax and enjoy the extraordinary landscape before making a stop at Anja Park. This is also a private reserve where numerous chameleons and many ring-tailed lemurs live. You may also catch a glimpse of one of the many burial caves as well as the spiritual gathering places of the Betsileo, who have been residing here for many years. The plan is to spend about two hours at Anja Park, which will leave you with many positive impressions.
Continuing north, you'll pass through the peaceful town of Ambalavao and by imposing granite rocks and red laterite soils, which have become characteristic of Madagascar in recent years. Watch as the landscape changes and enjoy the drive through many small villages in the area around Fianarantsoa. Numerous rice fields lie with lush greenery and sparkling water on either side of the road, the rich greenery of the landscape and the fiery red of the soils create an exciting and vibrant color palette that will captivate you in no time. In Fianarantsoa, we recommend a visit to the photography studio of internationally renowned artist Pierrot Men before continuing. You still have a stretch of about forty kilometers ahead of you today before reaching Hotel des Thermes, where your overnight stay is planned. The landscape has changed significantly just beyond Fianarantsoa – dense foliage on either side of the road, a rich and deep green indicating that the montane rainforest has now been reached. It rains here on average about 250 days a year, and the vegetation will immediately captivate you.
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Day 10: Excursion to Ranomafana National Park
On this day, you will explore the impressive world of the mountain cloud forest that lies within Ranomafana National Park. This truly unique nature reserve is home to an amazing diversity of flora and fauna. Start your day early by winding your way up to the park entrance before breakfast, so you can make the most of your time in the Ranomafana National Park. This is the best time to encounter the lively and world-renowned lemurs, who are out foraging in the morning hours, exploring the mountain cloud forest. The atmosphere in the dense foliage is truly breathtaking in the morning, almost enchanting. Now is the perfect time for a breakfast picnic right in the forest, at the scenic viewpoint known as Solitude. Afterward, you can choose from various hiking trails to explore the National Park. For those with good stamina, the option to walk back to Ranomafana on foot and admire the impressive Namorona River is available. Others may prefer to return to the Thermal Hotel for another night's stay, taking the drive back.
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Day 11: Heading back to Antsirabe
On the eleventh day, the Ranomafana National Park still beckons. You can enjoy your breakfast at the Solitude Viewpoint and soak in the wonderful atmosphere of the mountain cloud forest. Afterwards, the car will take you back on the road towards the Highlands. Your first stop is planned in Ambositra, a small town with a great heritage: the local population's wood carvings were classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site a few years ago and can be extensively explored here. Thanks to the affordable prices, feel free to purchase a souvenir or two. The journey then takes you back to Antsirabe by the end of the day, where you can stroll through the streets and reminisce about the highlights of the past few days. Just like on the way there, you will stay at the Chambres du Voyageur Hotel tonight, where you will be pampered with excellent service.
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Day 12: The capital Antananarivo is in sight
Before moving on to the next new stage on your travel itinerary, you must first be content with something familiar. After many exciting episodes in the mountain cloud forest or the Andringitra National Park, it's time to head back to civilization in Antananarivo. There, after the eventful days of your journey so far, you will perceive completely different impressions than when you first arrived on the Red Island. However, the return to the starting point in Antananarivo is by no means the final chord of the symphony of your journey through Madagascar. On the contrary, one of the most exciting sections is still ahead. But first, you will stop at the Villa Sybille to rest for the night.
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Day 13: Andasibe is your next destination
Today, you will once again leave your hotel early and set off with your vehicle on the winding RN 2 road, heading east. Madagascar's East Coast is famous for its partially still very pristine rainforests, which immediately captivate you with their exciting and diverse vegetation just a few kilometers in. If you want to spot some of Madagascar's native animals, we recommend making a stop at the private reserve called Madagascar Exotique. Here, you can encounter numerous lemurs that are relatively unafraid and even willing to pose for photos with you. You can also admire various chameleons and amphibians in this reserve. After a potential stop at the private reserve, you will continue to the area known as Analamazoatra, with a brief layover in Moramanga planned beforehand. You will stay overnight in the Analamazoatra area, not far from the Andasibe National Park, at a hotel called Eulophiella Lodge. This lodge has a unique feature – many of the rare Indri lemurs in the nearby rainforest put on such a loud singing concert that it can be heard all the way to the hotel's garden. It's not uncommon to see some of these charming creatures wandering around the hotel grounds – a sight you will surely never forget.
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Day 14: Excursion to Andasibe National Park
On the fourteenth day of your journey through Madagascar, Andasibe National Park awaits you shortly after breakfast. You can customize the duration of your route according to your own preferences. If you're feeling energetic, we recommend a several-hour hike where you'll encounter numerous singing Indri lemurs, as well as other amazing animals and beautiful plants. Don't miss a visit to Vakona Zoo, located on Lemur Island where the lemurs are being rehabilitated for life in the wild. These lemurs, having been in captivity, are not afraid of humans and can be quite bold in their interactions. In the nearby forest, you can also spot crocodiles and the rare Fossas, one of Madagascar's few native predators. We suggest a one to two hour walk to see as many local animals as possible. Afterwards, you can relax at the Eulophiella Lodge after a day of adventure.
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Day 15: Antananarivo Awaits You Once Again
If you wish, you can explore another area of the Andasibe National Park on your last full day. Alternatively, you can head back towards Antananarivo after breakfast and visit numerous attractions either in the city or along the way. We leave the choice of how to spend your last day in Madagascar up to you, but we are happy to take on the organizational responsibility if you share your preferences with us. Additionally, we can provide you with plenty of inspiration. You will once again stay at the familiar Villa Sibylle in Antananarivo.
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Day 16: Return Flight to Europe
On this day, no activities are planned as you will be on your flight back to Europe or to another destination. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your journey home!
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