10-Days Madagascar Discovery

Early in the morning, meeting with our staff who introduce you the guide and the driver for the road trip to Morondava.The drives takes about five (5) hours from Antananarivo to Antsirabe where you stop for lunch. There will be stops for photos and break if necessary. After the checking at the hotel, a city tour of the city of Antsirabe will be organized. Antsirabe is the third largest city in Madagascar and the capital of the Vakinankaratra region.In Madagascar, Antsirabe is known for its relatively cool climate, its industry and the high concentration of pulled rickshaws or pousse-pousse. The city has the nicknames ville d'eau ('city of water' in French) referring to the presence of multiple thermal springs in the area

After breakfast, you will continue the road trip to Miandrivazo which brings you to the discovery of the west part of Madagascar where valleys and mountains face to face giving a breathtaking sceneries. Miandrivazo is a town and commune in Madagascar. It is situated at the Mahajilo River and belongs to the district of Miandrivazo, which is a part of Menabe Region.. Miandrivazo is a center of tobacco production in Madagascar. It is crossed by the Manambolo River. The district has an area of 12,330 km2

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Morondava town via the famous “Allee of Baobabs. Arrive on time for great pictures when the sun is low, raking light, and smooth trunks reflect the orange rays of the sun before continuing to Kirindy. Check-in at your hotel. There is a guided night walks at Kirindy. The private reserve is well- known by its giant jumping rat, the “Fosa”, the largest carnivorous animal in the country. It is also one of the reserves having most endangered ecosystems, lemur species, and many endemic reptile species. There are also some unique species of rare flora.

After breakfast, drive to the Tsingy of Bemaraha. There will be lunch at Belo Sur Tsiribihina after that you will head north on a drive-by land track well- known as World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Cross the two rivers-Tsiribihina and Manambolo by a small car ferry before arriving at Bekopaka village. Bekopaka is a rural municipality in western Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Antsalova, which is a part of Melaky Region. Bekopaka is served by a local airport, and primary and junior level secondary education are available in town. The most important crop is rice, while other important products are bananas, maize and cassava. Bekopaka is situated on the Manambolo River.The road to Bekopaka is a secondary highway in Madagascar of 198 km, running from Morondava to Bekopaka. Only the first 15km are paved, the remaining is unpaved. Overnight in Bekopaka

After breakfast, visit of the Tsingy, one of the most extraordinary sites with the real cathedral of limestone. The dense network of faults, cracks, and blocks of limestone carved in blades is one of the most prominent landscapes of Madagascar. There are 200 million years when the sea of Bemaraha which cover this region. There are six species of lemurs, reptiles and 53 varieties of birds among the marvels which are also the housing environment of the smallest sorts of a chameleon, the “Brookesia`` and where you can appreciate the magnificent sunset. The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is a national park located in northwest Madagascar. The national park centers on two geological formations : the Great Tsingy and the Little Tsingy, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is crossed by the Manambolo River. The Tsingys are karstic plateaus in which groundwater has undercut the elevated uplands, and has gouged caverns and fissures into the limestone. In several regions on western Madagascar, centering on the park and adjacent Nature Reserve, the superposition of vertical and horizontal erosion patterns has created dramatic "forests" of limestone needles. The word tsingy is indigenous to the Malagasy language as a description of the karst badlands of Madagascar. The word can be translated into English as where one cannot walk barefoot.

Drive to Morondava town via the famous “Alley of Baobabs”. Arrive on time for great pictures when the sun is low, raking light, and smooth trunks reflect the orange rays of the sun. Settle at the hotel before the sea for dinner. Lunch at Belo sur Tsiribihina. The Avenue of the Baobabs, or Alley of the Baobabs, is a prominent group of Grandidier's baobabs lining the unpaved Road No.8 between Morondava and Belon'i Tsiribihina in the Menabe region of western Madagascar. Its striking landscape draws travelers from around the world, making it one of the most visited locations in the region. The trees, which are endemic to Madagascar, are about 30 m in height. The baobab trees, known locally as renala are a legacy of the dense tropical forests that once thrived on Madagascar. The trees did not originally tower in isolation over the sere landscape of scrub, but stood in dense forest

After a long drive, today you’ll have a visit of the Village of Betania and then Cap Kimony with time for lying on the beach. Morondava is a coastal town in the West of Madagascar. It is a city located in Menabe Region. It is located in the delta of the Morondava River. The predominant tribe is the Sakalava. It is an ideal place for a relaxing stay, especially compared to the capital, since it is less crowded . The beaches are good and extend far to the north side of town. Morondava can also be used a base for trips to the fishing village of Belo sur Mer or to the wildlife park at Kirindy or also sunset on the Alley of Baobabs.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer directly to Morondava airport for a flight to Antananarivo. Upon arrival, a tour guide from the company will assist you and a city tour is organised. Antananarivo is also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana which is the capital and largest city of Madagascar in the Analamanga region. The city sits at 1,280 m above sea level in the center of the island, making it the highest national capital by elevation among the island countries. It has been the country's largest population center since at least the 18th century. It is also called « the city of the Thousand soldiers ».Antananarivo was historically the capital of the Merina people, who continue to form the majority of the city's inhabitants. All eighteen Malagasy ethnic groups, as well as residents of Chinese, Indian, European, and other origins, are represented in the city.

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for a visit to to Peyreiras Reptile Reserve (3 hours on drive) to see up close captive panther chameleons, island chameleons, stump-tail chameleons, Brookesia chameleons, golden mantella frogs, tomato frogs, Madagascar tree boas, leaf-nose snakes, cat-eyed snakes, tenrecs, numerous species of leaf tail geckos. The curators of the reserve usually take the animals out of their enclosures to allow close photographs. Continue to Andasibe with stops at the landscapes for photos and any break if necessary. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is a 155 square kilometre protected area, located about 150 km east of Antananarivo, consisting principally of primary growth forest in Alaotra-Mangoro Region in eastern Madagascar. The park's elevation ranges from 800 to 1260 meters, with a humid climate. Average annual precipitation is 1700 mm, with rainfall on 210 days of each year. This rainforest is habitat to a vast species biodiversity, including many endemic rare species and endangered species, including 11 lemur species. The park's two component parts are Mantadia National Park and Analamazoatra Reserve, which is best known for its population of Madagascar's largest lemur, the Indri. The national park was nominated in 2007 to become part of the World Heritage Site of Rainforests of the Atsinanana. This is one of the easiest parks in Madagascar to visit from the capital city, Antananarivo, with a 4-hour drive east on a paved road, Route Nationale 2 (RN 2).

After breakfast, meet with your guide with for the visit of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and trek along trails to see wild diademed sifakas, wooly sifakas, common brown lemur and the famous Indri Indri. Explore the trails for orchids and birdlife. In the afternoon, you will visit the Vakona lodge’s reserve to see common brown sifaka, grey bamboo lemurs and the black and white ruffed lemurs. Head back to Antananarivo with stops for lunch along the road. The Vakona reserve is the private reserve of the Vakôna Forest Lodge hotel located about 6 kilometers from the village of Andasibe. The lake of crocodiles, various species of reptiles and amphibians, several endemic plants and especially an islet with lemurs constitute it.To see and get closer to the specimens in the park. The lemurs located on the island are the famous Sifaka, the dancing lemurs of Madagascar. They are calm and interested in contact. Then, the small bamboo lemurs are also present there and live in freedom. Finally, the varis, also called Maned lemurs or vari lemurs. They are species belonging to the lemur family. The park contains a small museum which exhibits wooden crocodiles, a 5m long crocodile skin killed in 1972 and zebu horns which served as food for these reptiles.