Classic Madagascar

Day 1: Antananarivo

Upon arrival at Ivato Airport and you will be met by our representative and driven to the booked hotel.

Accommodation at Tamboho Hotel or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 2: Antananarivo – Antsirabe

After breakfast meet your guide and hit the road on a comfortable 4WD direction Antsirabe. Travelling along a panoramic route 100km long and 1500m high, with beautiful eucalyptus, pines and cypresses trees.
Lunch at your leisure during the excursion, arrival in the afternoon at Antsirabe, the famous thermal town. Accommodation and dinner at the booked hotel.

Accommodation at Soa Guest House or similar
Half board

Day 3: Antsirabe – Ranomafana

After breakfast, you will be driven towards the Betsileo villages (the central Madagascar ethnicity). The Betsileo population are extremely efficient traditional rice farmers and are well known for their intensive form of cultivation. After 95 km you will reach Ambositra, the wood-carving industry, here there are many shops selling wooden boxes, chessboards and figurines. Lunch at your leisure during the visit and hit the road again towards Ranomafana Reserve. The altitude of the area is between 800 m and 1.200m and in addition to its densely forested hills, the protected area is characterised by numerous small streams, which plummet down to the beautiful Namorona River. While you explore the reserve you will spot a big variety of birds and lemur species, some of them endemic.
In the late afternoon, accommodation at the hotel and dinner.

Accommodation at Setam Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 4: Ranomafana – Fianarantsoa

After breakfast at the hotel, a short drive to Fianarantsoa, its economy is based on rice and coffee plantations and vineyards, here is possible to purchase interesting products. Arrival at the hotel in the afternoon for accommodation and dinner.

Accommodation at New Zomatel Hotel or similar
Half board

Day 5: Fianarantsoa – Ranohira

After breakfast, back in the car heading towards the Isalo National Park. On the way you will be driven to the top of Ambalavao (1100m high). From here you will enjoy the beautiful view of the valley rich in vineyards. The journey will take you to the centre of Antaimoro where the famous Antaimoro paper is made. Here your will stop to visit a paper laboratory, you can assist the different stages of the paper processing. Lunch at your leisure and arrival at Ranohira.
Accommodation at the hotel for two days and dinner.

Accommodation at Satrana Lodge/ Relais de l’Isalo or Isalo Rock Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 6: Ranohira

After breakfast the whole day will be spent visiting the Isalo Park: the Isalo National Park protects 82.000 hectares of sandstone massif that has been wildly eroded by wind and rain into ridges of wild forms, impressive gorges, canyons and tiny pinnacles. This park is a paradise for trekking lovers and there are different difficulty walking trails so everyone can enjoy it. Stop at the attractions of the park: the “Finetre de l’Isalo” (“Window of Isalo”), which is a triangular hole in a high massif and at the “Piscine Naturelle” (“Natural Pool”). Lunch at your leisure during the excursion. Back to the hotel late in the afternoon.

Accommodation at Satrana Lodge/ Relais de l’Isalo or Isalo Rock Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 7: Ranohira – Tulear – Ifaty

After breakfast, hit the road again towards south, 200km of small villages built in the seventies after the discovery of stone deposits; along the way you will visit the Mahafaly tombs, large tombs that Mahafaly tribes built to honor dead chiefs and kings. They are large stone squares surmounted by wooden sculpture and heaps of zebu horns.
In the late afternoon stop at the coastal town of Tulear, well known for its shells market. Next stop is the small fishing village of Ifaty along the coast. Accommodation at the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation at Le Paradisier Hotel o similar
Half board

Day 8: Ifaty – Tulear – Antananarivo

Breakfast and enjoy some relax time at the hotel at your leisure. Airport transfer and fly to Antananarivo. Meet our representative that will assist you until boarding time on your international flight back home.

Suggestions and extensions

You can extend your stay here and relax for three or four nights in Ifaty or choose the close by village of Anakao (40 minutes by boat from Tulear): it is a small beautiful fishing village stretching over a long beach located about 40 kilometres south of Tulear. With the exception of a fairly small number of visiting tourist, the relative isolation of the village has helped preserve a traditional Vezo lifestyle amongst its estimated 3,000 inhabitants; one of the highest concentrations of Vezo people found anywhere around the coastline of Madagascar.

Our preferred lodge in Anakao

Anakao Ocean Lodge & Spa
It is a magical place that by strange and fortunate circumstances has remained an uncontaminated corner away from the more chaotic mass tourism routes. It is a new and exclusive destination especially suitable for those who have a spirit for travelling. Arriving by sea, Anakao Ocean Lodge & Spa stands out in the middle of a splendid half-moon bay like a small precious gem. The knowledgeable use of local materials, above all hand-worked white stone and fine rosewood, has formed the basis of the chalet building and the suite that ensure almost unthinkable maximum comfort at this latitude of Madagascar. In the central area there is a bar, a restaurant, various relaxation zones within the “little square” – fulcrum of the Lodge, a TV/library room and a boutique where you can find not only articles of clothing, costumes and beach wraps but also many small craft objects, from ethnic necklaces to important wooden sculptures, strong expressions of the local culture. In the recently inaugurated SPA centre for well being you can restore your spirits and regain perfect harmony with a rich choice of treatments and special packages that are also ideal for celebrating an important occasion. Here cooking plays a fundamental role with the location of the restaurant, for good reason, in the heart of the “little square”, the central fulcrum of this Lodge.
Of very new construction, the chalets all face towards the lagoon, parallel to the beach, that is some twenty metres away. Their position on top of a dune allows them a beautiful view of the sea.

From Antananarivo you can fly to Nosy Be and spend there the last part of your journey. Arriving on the island, you are welcomed not only by silky white sands and clear blue waters filled with coral reefs, but also by the smell of nearby plantations of Ylang-Ylang and spices whose fragrances are permanently in the air, thus the name Nosy Be which means “the Perfume Island”.

Our preferred lodges in Nosy Be

HIGH END
The Amporaha Resort
It is a charming four-star boutique hotel set in stunning surroundings on the beautiful island of Nosy Be. This eco-friendly resort features a spacious infinity pool, a delicious restaurant, a wide range of sea and nature activities to suit all the family, as well as an exclusive spa making it the ideal hideaway for nature lovers looking for authenticity, calm and luxury. It offers different types of rooms extremely spacious and superbly decorated with colonial-style furniture, elegant tones and parquet flooring as well as a luxurious private villa. With its own private veranda facing the Indian Ocean and swimming pool it is ideal for families and larger parties. Enjoy local delicacies cooked to your own taste by our chef and served by a friendly housekeeper dedicated to your service throughout your holiday.

MID RANGE
Le Vanila Hotel & Spa
Placed on the west coast of Nosy Be, Vanila Hotel & Spa combines the comfort of international standards and authenticity of Madagascar. Its traditional architecture and magnificent park are in total harmony with the original landscape of the island with views towards the ‘orchid island’ of Nosy Sakatia. The pools are a particular highlight, with a lovely tiered swimming pool as well as an infinity pool overlooking the ocean. There’s also a spa with hammam and massage rooms, and you’ll be able to use the Jacuzzi for free. The main restaurant, Parfum Vanille, offers exotic buffet-style dining with fresh local produce and a relaxed atmosphere. The Grill del Sol serves light lunches and snacks from a blackboard menu, and intimate seafood dinners can be arranged here on request. Rooms are quite simple but spacious and comfortable, with warm colorful walls, air-conditioning and a television. Garden Rooms are on the ground floor overlooking the tropical gardens and have a private terrace, while Ocean Rooms are more spacious, with private balcony and sea views.

Nosy Be Hotel & Spa
A few kilometers from the main town, Hell-Ville, and opposite the islet of Nosy Tanga, nestles in a luxuriant tropical 5- acre garden on the edge of the Bellevue beach. The owner, a lady from a mix of cultures, has created an original, welcoming environment from precious woods and vivid colors, giving the hotel its cozy 4-star charm. The hotel offers 50 rooms in 8 different classes, overlooking the sea or the garden. The Spa, with its team of professionals, is a haven of well-being. Each room, furnished with care and attention, is fitted with mosquito netting, air conditioning, a mini-bar and private patio.