Nosy Be & North Madagascar

Welcome to Nosy Be, off the north coast of Madagascar. On arrival at Nosy Be-Fascene International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Your first evening in Nosy Be is at leisure to head out and explore the area.

Bemoko - Antsiranana (Diego Suarez). After breakfast, transfer to the harbour and take a boat to the mainland - don't worry, you'll be back to Nosy Be later in the tour! Arriving at Ankify, a car will collect you for a day of exploring the Sambirano Valley, a land of rice fields and colonial plantations. You'll visit the Millot Plantation, where you can learn about the cocoa trade and the process used to turn plants such as vetiver into perfume. The day ends in the northern port city of Antsiranana, also known as Diego Suarez.

Today is spent exploring some of the spectacular coastline and beautiful bays of north Madagascar. Enjoy scenic walks at Orangea Beach and Ramena Beach, admire the Cap Andranomody lighthouse and enjoy an included lunch on the beach. You will head back to Antsiranana for the night.

Antsiranana - Amber Mountain National Park - Antsiranana. After breakfast, you'll make the short journey to Amber Mountain National Park, Madagascar's first protected area. Accompanied by a local park guide, you'll be able to take in some of the lush vegetation of the park, including rare orchids, ferns and towering trees amidst the jungle. Spot waterfalls & crater lakes, as well as some of the park's resident wildlife. Several species of lemur live here, including the iconic ring-tailed lemur, and the Montagne d'Ambre dwarf lemur, which was only discovered in 2005 and is found nowhere else in Madagascar or the world. Other species include the endemic endangered Amber Mountain rock thrush and the iconic aye-aye. After a day of exploring the park and hopefully enjoying some wildlife encounters, you return to the hotel in Antsiranana.

Antsiranana - Mer d'Emeraude - Antsiranana. This morning, drive back to Ramena, where you will board a boat for a cruise along Madagascar's Mer d'Emeraude, the Emerald Sea. This turqooise stretch of water opens out onto the bay of Diego-Suarez and the Indian Ocean, and you will be able to take in some of the tiny islands along the coast. The Emerald Sea is sheltered from the ocean and is home to a huge coral reef - it's a great place to spot sea turtles. After your boat trip, return to the hotel in Antsiranana.

Antsiranana - Ankarana National Park. After breakfast, you will leave Antsiranana, heading inland. Bypassing the Massif de la Montagne, you'll make two stops along today's journey. The first is at the Tsingy Rouge, a red stone formation and dry riverbed formed by erosion. And you'll also stop to see an ancient coral reef, now raised well above sea level and shaped by the wind and rain. The destination for tonight is a jungle lodge on the outskirts of Ankarana National Park.

This morning, head out to visit the Ankarana massif, a limestone monolith that rises up out of the jungle, devoid of any plant life. You will also take in some more of the area's incredible rock formations and have the chance to explore inside some caves and spot some of the resident lemurs, tenrecs, mongooses, bats and other wildlife. After a day of exploring, return to your lodge in Ankarana.

Ankarana National Park - Bemoko. After breakfast this morning, you'll return to Ankify and make the return journey by boat to the island of Nosy Be. On arrival at the hotel, the rest of today is at leisure.

Bemoko - Nosy Iranja - Bemoko. Often ranked as one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Nosy Iranja is reached in about an hour and half by speed boat from Nosy Be. Comprised of two small islands (Small Iranja and Great Iranja) connected by a pristine white sandbank and surrounded by turquoise waters, this is a real tropical paradise. Turtles lay their eggs here, and there's a healthy population of sea birds. You can also visit the lighthouse on Great Iranja and meet the locals at Iranja village, then enjoy a picnic lunch under the shade of the island's coconut trees. Return to Nosy Be for the evening.

Bemoko - Nosy Komba - Nosy Tanikely - Bemoko. Today you'll embark on a catamaran cruise to visit two more islands off the coast of Madagascar. The first is Nosy Komba, covering around 25 square kilometres. The island is home to a traditional fishing village, where you'll be able to shop for handcrafted souvenirs at the market. Nosy Komba is also known as "Lemur Island", as it is home to an important population of black lemurs, an endangered species found only in the northern part of Madagascar and surrounding islands.

Next, you'll visit Nosy Tanikely, an uninhabited tiny speck of an island that is best known as a protected marine reserve. You will have the chance to snorkel (equipment provided) amongst colourful fish and sea turtles. Enjoy a picnic aboard the catamaran as you return to Nosy Be for the night.

Your tour comes to an end today after breakfast and check out. A transfer to the airport is provided.