Eastern Madagascar adventure

This morning, your driver-guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive you for around four hours through the Malagasy countryside to your lodge in the Andasibe region. Located close to the national park and other private reserves, you’ll be in one of the best places for exploring the wildlife hotspots in this area of Madagascar. We recommend an evening guided walk during your stay for a chance of seeing the nocturnal animals, including tiny mouse lemurs and greater dwarf lemurs.

Heading into the national park, today you have all day to explore the rainforest on foot with your private guide, searching for the various lemur species found in the area. This includes indri, the largest lemur species, which has a distinctive, haunting cry you can sometimes hear as you hike through the forest. You may also see grey bamboo, brown and woolly lemurs among the vegetation, as well as numerous reptile species such as the nose-horned chameleon, and vivid bird species like blue and red-fronted coucals. Your guide will help spot and identify the wildlife you encounter and tell you more about each species.

Today you'll be driven for around 30 minutes into Mantadia National Park, whose beautiful, untouched forest provides a home for even more lemur species, including diademed sifakas, black and white ruffed lemurs and the elusive aye-aye, which is notoriously difficult to spot and only comes out at night. Make sure you wear good walking shoes, as the hiking trails here can be a little more difficult.

Today you’ll leave Andasibe and head to the renowned Pangalanes Canal. Driving along dirt roads, you’ll pass through small villages and lush vegetation, reaching Manambato Beach after around four hours. On arrival, you’ll be met by the boatman and escorted into a simple motorboat. Traveling through wide lakes and narrow channels, you’ll most likely see local fisherman in their traditional pirogue boats. After around 90 minutes, you’ll arrive at your lodge on the banks of Lake Ampitabe.

Today is yours to explore the Pangalanes. You may like to visit the private reserve, or the lodge can assist with organizing pirogue trips on the canal and walks in the local area. We recommend visiting the private reserve for a few hours for the chance to see up to ten different types of lemurs, including indris, sifakas, and black and white ruffed lemurs. Night walks are also possible here with the opportunity to spot the rare, nocturnal aye-aye lemur.

Today you’ll leave Le Palmarium by traveling in a motorized canal cruiser down the canal to Toamasina, seeing fishermen and local villages along the way. Upon arrival, you’ll check in for your domestic flight to Île Sainte-Marie, an island off Madagascar’s east coast. A hotel representative will meet you and take you to your lodge a short distance away. You may like to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, head to the beach or simply unwind with a cocktail.

Today, you may like to take your time exploring this sleepy island. We recommend hiring a bicycle to get around, stopping at some of the island's small villages, cafés and beaches. The beaches themselves are often deserted, and you may see fishermen paddling offshore in wooden pirogues.

Snorkeling and diving are excellent here, with coral reefs providing a habitat for damselfish, whale sharks, eagle rays, tuna and many other marine species. The lodge can organize diving sessions on the reef or wreck dives. There are also several PADI dive establishments should you wish to take a course. The waters are calm and clear, with good visibility all year round.

Today you’ll have another day to spend exploring and relaxing on Île Sainte-Marie. If you're visiting during the whale season, between June and September, you may have the opportunity to see humpback whales, which migrate to Madagascar's shores to have their young. They can often be seen from the beach, but for a closer look you may wish to go out on a research boat for the day and learn more about them from marine researchers.

On your last day on Île Sainte-Marie, you could explore the tiny capital, Ambodifotatra. This is the hub of island life, with a bank, some shops and a small harbor. It's a pleasant place to walk around and take in island life, visiting the local market, the Catholic cathedral and some of the cafés that line the streets.

Today you'll be met by your private driver for the short trip to the airport to check in for your domestic flight. After around an hour, you’ll land in Antananarivo where a driver will meet you and take you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax or explore the city if you wish, making the most of your final hours in Madagascar.

Today, your driver will meet you at the hotel and drive you back to the airport for your onward international flight.