Baobabs, Beaches and Lemurs Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Tana

You are met on arrival at Antananarivo (Tana) airport and transferred to your hotel, on a hill overlooking the city. The rest of the day has been kept free for you to recover from your longhaul flight. Dinner is available on request or you can walk to a restaurant nearby.

Day 3

Kirindy Forest and Avenue of Baobabs

This morning you are driven north to Kirindy forest, a private reserve which is one of the best places in the country to see the fossa, Madagascar's largest carnivore and predator. The dry deciduous forest also harbours several species of lemur, many birds and reptiles. Returning back to Morondava you stop at the Avenue of Baobabs, a stretch of road flanked by some 25 to 30 mighty baobab trees, one of Madagascar's most photographed sites. After time to enjoy this special location you are driven back to hotel with time to shower before dinner.

Breakfast

Day 5

Mantadia Park

After a hearty breakfast to set you up for the day you'll head off to explore Mantadia Park, about an hour away. The park is rich in bird and wildlife with over 108 species of bird recorded here and also 14 species of lemurs including the Indri, the largest of the lemurs and also the smallest, the mouse lemur . Make sure you bring your walking shoes as there are some steep slopes to be negotiated and some dense vegetation. Later on, together with your guide, explore the cobbled streets of Andasibe Village, check out some of the stalls and interact with the villagers.

Breakfast

Day 7

To Isalo National Park

Fly from Tana to Toliara on the southwest coast of the island. Your driver will meet you and take you on a 4 hour scenice drive to Isalo National Park, passing through dry spiny forests. You'll arrive at your lodge on the outskirts of the park where you can relax and enjoy the views of sandstone landscapes. There's a pool at the hotel, a welcome sight after the drive.

Breakfast, dinner

Day 9

Isalo to Tolaria

You travel west this morning, towards the coast. Your first scheduled stop is at Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park, the most important remnant of dry deciduous forest in the country, and a transition zone between the dry and humid forests. As you follow one of the trails, keep a look out for red-fronted brown, pale fork-marked and Hubbard's sportive lemurs, as well as Verraux's sifaka and an abundance of birds, plus reptiles and amphibians. Re-board the vehicle as you head to Tolaria where you will be spending the night, first stopping off at the Antsokay Arboretum for a guided walk along the botanical trail. There are over 900 plant species and 25 mammal and reptile species found here.

Breakfast

Day 11

Anakao

An optional extra is a visit to Tsimanampetsotsa National Park or you could choose to stay put. The park, made up of the lake, spiny forest, huge baobabs and banyan trees, is named after the spectacular lake. The sand dunes along the coast are covered by a grassy blanket. This is a birders paradise with over 100 species of bird found here, but that's not all, it's also home to the extremely rare Grandidier's mongoose and four species of lemur (Verreaux's sifaka, grey-brown mouse lemur, ring-tailed lemur and the white-footed sportive lemur).

Breakfast

Day 13

Fly to Antananarivo

After an early breakfast you will take the return trip to Tolaria, the boat leaves from in front of the hotel at around 7.30am. In Tolaria you will be driven to the airport where you take the flight to the capital to connect with your onward flight home. Depending on flight times, you may need to add an extra night in Antananarivo, we can arrange this for you.

Breakfast