General
TRAVEL MADAGASCAR – TOUR SERIES
DAY 1: FLIGHT TO NOSY BE
Flight to Nosy Be.
DAY 2: ARRIVAL TO NOSY BE
Upon arrival at the airport, meet and greet with your driver guide. Transfer to your hotel. Get settled.
Dinner and overnight at Vanila Hotel
DAY 3: NOSY BE – JOFFREVILLE
~ 252Km – 7h drive +1h boat transfer
Boat transfer to Ankify then you will hit the road to Joffre Ville. You across some nice plantations (cocoa, pepper, coffee and rice) in the Sambirano Valley. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then you will arrive in Joffre Ville by the end of the day. This is a little mountain village founded as a retreat for French officers during colonization period, near the Amber Mountain National Park.
Get settled at your hotel.
Dinner and overnight at Nature Lodge
DAY 4: AMBER MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Day devoted to discover the National Park of “la Montagne d’Ambre” which reaches 1,475 m at its peak. Known as the water tower of the northern, rivers and amazing waterfalls take source there, hence, it is recovered of luxuriant vegetation and of a thick green mantle of rainforest. Montagne d’Ambre national park offers a great biodiversity: a huge tropical forest with endemic fauna and flora (with 77 species of birds, 7 species of lemurs and 24 species of amphibians), luxuriant vegetation and many waterfalls and volcanic lakes. Spare lunch.
After the visit, return to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at Nature Lodge
DAY 5: TSINGY MASSIF NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, journey towards Ankarana, more specifically the east side of the Ankarana National Park. Half day devoted to discover the Big Tsingy of Benavony in the east side of Ankarana. You will enjoy astonishing landscape of the Tsingy, its underground with caves, dripstone. Passing through a suspension bridges, which join 2 small canyons. People suffering from dizziness should refrain.
Amongst fauna, you will not miss Crowned lemur, Sanford’s lemur … Inventories have listed 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, 96 species of birds, 50 species of mollusks and great number of snails. 14 species of bats, that is half of the bats of Madagascar, live in the caves of Ankarana. Spare lunch (provide a picnic lunch). After the visit, head to the camp. Get settled.
Dinner and overnight stay at Iharana Bush Camp
DAY 6: TSINGY TSINGY SAFARI
After breakfast, discovery of the Tsingy in front of the Camp. Going for a stroll named “Tsingy Tsingy” that is designed especially by the Speleologist Jean Claude Dobrilla. Laid out private path with ladders, bridges, guardrails and panoramic viewpoint for Iharana’s guests are set for this stroll. The starting point is the camp itself with two choices: depart on foot or on a boat. Passing through the chameleon cave, this stroll will lead you to the roof of the Tsingy with breathtaking panorama of the surroundings.
Please bring: light pants or short, walking boots, hat/cap + suntan lotion. A good health condition is necessary because there are narrow and steep passages as well as small steep ladders.
Spare lunch (provide a picnic lunch or have a spare lunch at the camp).
In the afternoon, go to the Mandresy cave, after a stroll of about 20mn from the camp, along the Ankarana villages. At the entrance of Mandresy Cave, the guide will provide you cap lamp which is necessary to explore this huge cavity full of stalagmite and stalactite. A track has been designed so as to make the cave accessible for everyone. You will have the privilege to see some blind fish and the famous fruit bats of Madagascar called “Roussette” (Rousettus madagascariensis). You will also be amazed to see the different shapes of the stalagmites and particularly the size of the cavities which hide various magic places! On the way, you will find some cooking utensils, cooking pots and glasses because the caves were used as a shelter by the Ankarana people.
Back to the camp, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 7: IHARANA – AMBANJA – ANKIFY – NOSY BE
120Km~ 3h30 drive + 1h boat transfer
After breakfast, departure to Ankify in the National road 6. Then boat transfer again to Nosy Be. Get settled at your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Vanila Hotel
DAY 8: DOLPHIN AND TURTLES SAFARI
Transfer to port, then departure to Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve. This natural aquarium is the best spot for colorful encounters. With fins, mask and snorkel, follow the guide and discover Nosy Tanikely’s beautiful coral reefs. Enjoy two water rides in the wonderful world of leopard sharks, groupers, stingrays, barracudas, tropical fish, corals, lobsters … Rest on the beach of Nosy Tanikely, then stroll to the lighthouse offering a breathtaking view of the bay. See the lemurs before leaving for Nosy Sakatia island. Tasty lunch on the beach of this authentic island. In the afternoon, meet the greens and their marine world.
- Departure: 8:30 am – Return: 3:30 pm
- Period of observation : April to December
- Observable species: green turtles, hawksbill turtles, leopard sharks, groupers, stingrays, barracudas, jacks, lobsters, tropical reef fish.
- Boat : Vandam open boat. 8m long X 2m50 wide. Equipped with a 150CV engine, a canopy, chests, a shelf and a paddle. Very easy descent and ascent system.
- Necessary equipment: Sneakers, hat, beach items, towel, sunscreen; fins, mask and snorkel provided.
Dinner and overnight stay at Vanila Hotel
DAY 9: NOSY BE – FLIGHT BACK
Transfer to the airport for you flight back.
