Madagascar: Tailor-made

In addition to Escorted Groups and Private Journeys, Special Travel Consultants also offers Tailor-Made tours that allow you to create a personalised experience of Madagascar, travelling at your own preferred pace and exploring further off the beaten track. The suggestions below give a taste of the many possible options.

Please call Nick or Jane at Specialist Travel Consultants for full itineraries or to discuss further ideas with them.

Madagascar Classic Camping
4 Days / 3 Nights

Madagascar Classic Camping is the finest luxury camping experience in Madagascar. Three hours northwest of Fort Dauphin, Mandrare River Camp is set in the grounds of an old colonial plantation house, on the banks of the Mandrare River. Opposite the camp are the sacred ancestral forests of the Antandroy Tribe, regarded as the most traditional in Madagascar. Wildlife is abundant in the area, and four species of lemur can be easily spotted during day and night walks in the local Spiny and Gallery Forests. Birding is exceptional with at least 15 resident species in camp. A 3 night stay (or longer) is recommended as follows:

Itinerary
Day 1: Drive from Fort Dauphin to Mandrare River Camp, visiting the sand dunes of Lac Anony en route. Evening of Antandroy music and dance. (L, D)
Day 2: Morning visit to the Sacred Antandroy Forests. Afternoon drive to a local village to see the traditional ‘Ringa’ competitions. (Antandroy wrestling). Night walk. (B, L, D)
Day 3: Morning walk to the nearby Gallery forest in search of the sifaka and ring tailed lemur. Rest of day at leisure. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Return to Fort Dauphin, stopping at Domain de Cascades en route for a picnic lunch and swim in the waterfall. (B, L)

Prices from £ POA pp.

Anjajavy
4 Days / 3 Nights

Described by many as a ‘mini Madagascar’, Anjajavy is the only Relais & Chateaux hotel in the country, and lies on a remote north-western peninsula accessed only by air. The area offers walks in indigenous dry deciduous forest, tsingy limestone caves, kayaking through mangroves, pristine beaches for private picnics, guided forest walks with indigenous bird and lemur sightings. There is also world class fishing and a variety of water-based activities, including boat excursions to areas of untouched beauty. The hotel consists of 24 individual rosewood villas, each with a large sea facing terrace.

Itinerary
Day 1: AM flight from Antananarivo to Anjajavy. PM activities. (L, D)
Day 2 & 3: At leisure or optional activities. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Midday flight from Anjajavy to Antananarivo. (B) Prices from £ POA pp.

A Madagascar Adventure
6 Days / 5 Nights

This short driving tour, accompanied by a driver and expert guide, travels down the central spine of Madagascar exploring the scenic and cultural diversity of this unique country. Start in Antananarivo, situated on the Hauts Plateaux and cited as one of the most attractive capitals in the developing world. Head south through rice paddy fields and see the Merina tombs before arriving at Antisirabe, centre of the gem trade. Isalo National Park makes an ideal hiking destination, with its spectacular sandstone rocks bisected by deep canyons and sculpted into unusual shapes. For lemur lovers, the park also contains sifaka, brown and ring-tail lemur. Isalo is also sacred to the Bara tribe, which has used the caves in the canyon walls as burial sites for many years. Finish by the sea in Ifaty, a quiet, coastal fishing village.

Itinerary
Day 1: Drive from Antananarivo to Antisirabe and stay 2 night at Arotel. (L, D)
Day 2: AM tour of Antisirabe. Drive to Fianarantsoa and stay overnight at Tsara Guest House. (B, L, D)
Day 3: AM tour of city and markets. Drive to Ranohira and stay 2 nights at Relais de la Reine. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Full day trekking in Isalo National Park. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Drive to Ifaty via Tulear. Overnight Le Paradisier. (B, L, D)
Day 6: Transfer to the airport.

Prices from £ POA pp

Key:- B (Breakfast), L (Lunch) and D (Dinner)