Madagascar Deep Dive

Arrive in Madagascar’s characterful capital, Antananarivo, known to most as Tana.Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers – say salama, hello in Malagasy – to get to know one another and hear about the journey ahead, then we share a welcome dinner arranged by our tour leader. If you want more time in Tana, you can book pre–tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We bid farewell to Tana and transfer to the airport for our flight to the west coast town of Morondava, then drive on to Kirindy Forest, pausing at the Avenue of the Baobabs – a short road flanked by towering, fat–trunked trees, some thought to be more than 1,000 years old.After settling in, we head out on a guided night walk in Kirindy with expert local guides and our tour leader, keeping watch for any of the eight lemur species that live here.

At first light, we return to Kirindy for a guided forest walk, seeking more wildlife in daylight, including the critically endangered Verreaux’s sifaka.We then drive to Belo Tsiribihina, take the ferry across the Tsiribihina River, and continue to Bekopaka – gateway village to Tsingy de Bemaraha – reached by a second, smaller ferry.

We devote the day to Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, a wonderland of limestone pinnacles and rich wildlife. In the morning we take a two–hour canoe ride on the Manambolo River, drifting into caves and hearing about the traditions of the Bara people from our guide.In the afternoon we explore the Small Tsingy – a surreal stone forest of needle–like rocks – on a gentle 3mi/5km walk with park guides and our tour leader, looking for Milne–Edwards’ mouse lemurs, white Decken’s sifakas, Bemaraha woolly lemurs and giant chameleons. Short rock and ladder sections provide a fine warm–up for tomorrow.

We spend a full day in the Big Tsingy, where the limestone needles rise to around 195ft/60m – about double the height of those in the Small Tsingy. It is a physically demanding outing, with sections that require crawling, harness use and short climbs, but the effort is rewarded by extraordinary views and a landscape millions of years in the making.We carry a packed lunch from the hotel to enjoy at a scenic vantage point – a day to remember.

We return to Morondava, recrossing the Tsiribihina River by ferry and leaving the tsingy behind. It is a long travel day, but we time our stop at the Avenue of the Baobabs for sunset, when the silhouettes are set against a sky deepening through rich colours.

We continue by road through the arid western landscapes to the town of Miandrivazo – an eight–hour drive with changing scenes along the way.

We drive to Antsirabe in the central highlands – another full day on the road of around eight hours, with an optional morning boat excursion on the Mahajilo River available before departure if conditions permit and timing allows. Your tour leader can provide details should you wish to join.The journey itself showcases Madagascar’s diversity, from desert plains to rolling mountains, and from single–storey adobe homes to Antsirabe’s multi–storey townhouses. On arrival, we take a brief orientation walk if time allows.

We explore Antsirabe and its surroundings by bike, led by a local cycling leader together with our tour leader, on a gentle 22mi/35km ride that opens a window onto everyday life. We start in the lively centre, move through quieter residential streets and out into open countryside.A dirt road carries us for about 4mi/7km towards Lake Andraikiba. The gradients are slight and manageable, and we circle the lakeshore past rice paddies, brick–making areas and vegetable fields that reflect the region’s agricultural heritage.

We depart Antsirabe and transfer to Ranomafana National Park in the south–east – a long, sometimes bumpy drive broken by leg–stretching stops.En route we pause at Ambositra, renowned for Malagasy woodcarving, where workshops showcase intricate craftsmanship and there are opportunities to pick up souvenirs.

We spend a full day deep in Ranomafana, a World Heritage–listed rainforest famed for wildlife and endemic flora. Guided by our tour leader, we cover about 6mi/10km of trails – often slippery – in search of black–and–white ruffed lemurs, golden bamboo lemurs and greater bamboo lemurs, along with an array of amphibians and birdlife.After dinner we return to the park edge – the interior closes at 5pm – to explore roadsides and adjacent forest for nocturnal life, from mouse lemurs and leaf–tailed geckos to Madagascar tree frogs, juvenile panther chameleons and giant pill millipedes.

With another day in the park, no two walks are the same and our chances of varied wildlife encounters increase.If you fancy a post–walk soak, you can visit the thermal pool in Ranomafana to bathe in hot spring water, or you can join an additional night walk this evening – both options are payable locally.

We travel towards Isalo National Park, breaking the journey at Anjà Community Reserve to look for ring–tailed lemurs at close quarters and to learn about the Betsileo people’s funerary traditions with a visit to two family tombs set on the cliffs.

We dedicate the day to walking in Isalo – a dramatic expanse of canyons, gorges and sculpted rock set among grassy plains and ochre soil. Over less than 9mi/15km we keep watch for lemurs and pause at Bara tombs for insight into local culture and custom.

We leave Isalo’s sandstone canyons and transfer to Ifaty on the south–west coast – about 8 hours 30 minutes by road – watching the scenery shift from massifs to spiny forest and coastal flats dotted with baobabs.By the Mozambique Channel, the afternoon is yours to unwind – perhaps by the pool or on a gentle shoreline stroll. Your tour leader can suggest low–key ways to spend your time.

We transfer an hour to Toliara for a short domestic flight back to Antananarivo.Back in the capital, there is time to freshen up before we gather for a final dinner together – a chance to reflect on the adventure we have shared.

After tracking wildlife in Ranomafana, navigating the tsingy and meeting communities across Madagascar, it is time to begin your journey home.If you would like to extend your trip, speak to your sales representative about a range of extension options.