Madagascar's southern national parks

This morning you’ll be met by your driver and guide at your hotel to begin your picturesque drive through the countryside from Antananarivo to Andasibe. The journey takes around five hours, and you can expect to see paddy fields and lively markets as you drive along. Reaching Andasibe, you’ll have some downtime before heading out on your first forest night walk at Voimma Reserve. Accompanied by a guide, you’re likely to see nocturnal lemurs, frogs and chameleons.

Today you may like to go for forest walks in the Analamazoatra Special Reserve of Andasibe National Park. This area is renowned for its incredible wildlife sightings, particularly the indri, the largest of the lemurs. An experienced English-speaking guide will be with you for your time in Andasibe, and they’ll accompany you, stopping to point out any wildlife and answering any questions that you have.

Today you have the opportunity to head back to Andasibe with your guide. You may like to explore the Mantadia area of the national park, offering a different experience with a more rugged, mountainous terrain. Bird watching is a popular activity here with over 100 species calling this area home.

After breakfast, your guide will drive you back toward Antananarivo and onto Antsirabe for the night. Antsirabe is a small spa town, full of French colonial buildings and stalls selling local produce. Exploring the town offers a great insight into Malagasy life as you’ll see craftspeople going about their work.

This morning you’ll leave Antsirabe and continue your journey south to Ranomafana, where you’ll spend the next couple of nights. Arriving in the afternoon, you can relax at your lodge on the edge of Ranomafana National Park or start exploring with a guided walk. We recommend a night forest walk on the outskirts of the national park for the chance to see lemurs, geckos and other reptiles.

Today, you will have a full day to explore Ranomafana National Park, enjoying guided walks where you’ll have more opportunities to see Madagascar’s wildlife. This area is a rainforest reserve and home to 12 lemur species, including the very rare golden bamboo lemur.

This morning, you’ll start early for the drive across to Isalo, where you’ll spend the next three nights. On the way, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the old city of Fianarantsoa and stop off at Anja Park for a chance to see some ring-tailed lemurs. Arriving at Isalo National Park, we recommend watching the sunset through La Fenetre, a dramatic window-like hole in the rock.

Today we suggest spending a full day walking with a guide in Isalo National Park to explore one of Madagascar’s most diverse parks to the full. Providing a different landscape to the east’s lush, tropical vegetation, Isalo is made up of barren, vast rolling plains with twisted rock formations and extraordinary plants.

We recommend spending another full day in Isalo National Park, hiking to the many scenic viewpoints and cooling off in one of the mountain pools. The best way to finish the day is with a sundowner drink at your hotel.

Today you will leave Isalo and head to Tuléar on the southwestern coast of Madagascar. On the way, your driver will stop at Zombitse, a small reserve of dry deciduous forest. The journey will take most of the day, so upon arriving in Tuléar, you may like to relax and unwind by making the most of the pool at your hotel or walking down to the beach nearby.

This morning we suggest a visit to the nearby Antsokay Arboretum, a botanical garden showcasing around 900 plant species. Here you’ll find some beautiful examples of the diverse flora and fauna found in south Madagascar, from rare aloe species to the traveller’s palm.

This morning, you will be met by your driver and taken to Tulear Airport in time for your flight back to Antananarivo. The flight time is approximately two hours, leaving you with most of the day to enjoy your last few hours in Madagascar.

You may like to go out into the capital this morning and explore the city's historic old town and vibrant markets with a guide. Heading back to your hotel, your driver will meet you and take you to the airport for your onward flights.