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Highlights of Madagascar

14 Days
From CAD $2,924 Was CAD $3,899

Best Rate
Guarantee

Trip Type
Small Group

Activity Level
Average

Rating

(20 reviews)

Experience Overview

Lemurs, wild landscapes, village culture, beaches — Madagascar might be an island but there’s nothing small about it. For those who like to get remote, this isolated island is packed with wildlife, landscapes, and people you’ll find nowhere else. And everybody loves lemurs! You’ll get to embrace local life and still have time to relax at the beach. Best of all, there’s always a local CEO (Chief Experience Officer) there to lead the way and provide a link to the unusual and extraordinary.

Highlights

Search for lemurs and unique wildlife
Learn about native flora and fauna in world-famous national parks
Visit local artisan workshops
Lounge on beautiful beaches
Savour a traditional lunch in a highland village

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Trip Details

Product Code: 1989

Tour Type: Small Group

Accommodation: Budget

Transport: Private vehicle, plane, walking.

Guide Language: English

Travel Styles: Classic

Supplier Code: DMHM

Starts: Antananarivo, Madagascar

Finishes: Antananarivo, Madagascar

Duration: 14 days

Departures: Guaranteed

Physical rating: Average

Includes

Activities

Your G for Good Moment: Soa Zara Tree Planting Project, Ranohira Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Your Discover Moment: Ifaty
Andasibe Indri Special Reserve guided walk
Paper Factory Visit
Anja Reserve walk
Isalo National Park visit
Walking Near Antsirabe
Andasibe-Perinet National Park Guided Walk
Free time in Ifaty
Internal flight
All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodation

Simple hotels (13 nts).

1 lunch

Transport

Private vehicle, plane, walking.

Group Leader

CEO (Chief Experience Officer), driver throughout, local guides.

Price

Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2924 (CAD $209 /day)

Itinerary

Day 1: Antananarivo

Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting. If you arrive early, we recommend speaking with the hotel reception to learn more about available activities around the area.

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.Accommodation - Belvedere Hotel

Day 2: Antananarivo/Ifaty

Travel by private vehicle to the airport for your flight to Ifaty. Upon arrival there will be free time for optional activities in this gorgeous beach area. From diving and snorkelling, to quad biking and the well-known Spiny Forest, there are so many opportunities for adventure.
Continue on to Ifaty today via plane where you will get to relax and enjoy the breathtaking beaches of the Mozambican Channel.

While in Ifaty, opt to ride in a dugout canoe, visit the spiny forest reserve, go snorkelling or diving on the reef, or simply relax on the beach.

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Spend a free afternoon getting to know the area and participating in optional activities. Find local spots for lunch and dinner while soaking up the sun and epic coastal views.Transport - Sit back and enjoy the ride on your flight from Antananarivo to Ifaty.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Bamboo Club

Day 3: Ifaty

Sit back for a full day of free time for optional activities in paradise. Opt for some hiking or hit the beach.

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Take advantage of a full free day in Ifaty to partake in any of the optional activities in the area. From quad biking to dug out canoe rides you won't have time to be bored in paradise.Accommodation - Bamboo Club

Day 4: Ifaty

Take advantage of one last free day in Ifaty and participate in one of the many area excursions. Perhaps try some diving off the coast in search of colourful life under the sea, or simply relax in the sand for one more awesome beach day.

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - For your second free day in Ifaty, opt to try out the dive school located just ten minutes from the hotel property where the group will be staying. Or continue to relax in the soothing atmosphere of this beach town.Accommodation - Bamboo Club

Day 5: Ifaty/Ranohira

Drive through the desert landscape, viewing Mahafaly tombs and giant baobab trees en route from the beautiful Mozambican Channel beaches of Ifaty to Ranohira. In the afternoon, visit the G Adventures supported tree planting project which is creating a green corridor to protect the biodiversity of Isalo National Park.
Drive to Ranohira and through a landscape characterized by vast Savannah stretching to the horizon and lined by impressive mountain ranges crossing the centre of the sapphire region. According to experts of precious stones, this area is among the few places on Earth that is still rich in precious stones. On the way, you will also notice a number of Mahafaly tombs—belonging to a local tribe in Madagascar—they were built for chiefs and kings, and are covered in stones, sculptures, and horns. The more important the deceased, the more horns and statues the tomb is adorned with. As those tombs ares sacred sites, we will just be passing by, and photography is not/rarely permitted. While here, please follow the instructions of your CEO carefully.

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the comfort of your private vehicle and cross impressive mountain ranges into the centre of the sapphire region.Activity - Help address one of Madagascar's biggest environmental concerns during today's tree planting activity. You'll learn about why deforestation is such a big problem in Madagascar, how it threatens to wipe out the country's unique biodiversity, and what we can do to stop it. Get hands-on as you plant indigenous trees alongside the rest of the group as part of a project initiated by local organization Soa Zara, who are working to protect the environment around the town of Ranohira through tree planting, conservation education, sanitation projects, and other initiatives.Accommodation - ITC Hotel

Day 6: Ranohira

Spend the day exploring Isalo National park on foot. After a short trek in a small canyon, the group will take a break from the sun and stop at a fresh natural swimming pool. Then, continue walking to the "cascades", considered among the best waterfalls in Madagascar and boasting another large natural swimming pool. If you are lucky you may see sifaka, brown lemurs, or ring-tailed lemurs.
In the morning, pack a lunch to take into the park with you to eat during a picnic break later in the day - your CEO can help you arrange this. Between September and October (in the most arid zones), you can witness the pachypodium blooms.

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy some free time back at the hotel property in the afternoon and evening to relax and recharge.Activity - Spend a full day exploring this fantastic park on foot. After a short trek within a small canyon, take a break from the sun and stop at a fresh natural swimming pool. We continue on to the "cascades", which are considered to be amongst the best waterfalls in Madagascar and boasts a large natural swimming pool. If you are lucky, you may see sifaka, brown lemurs, or ring-tailed lemurs. Between September and October (in the most arid zones), you can witness the pachypodium blooms. You will be able to choose between a shorter and longer section of the trail depending on ability and the group will be split into group accordingly.Accommodation - ITC Hotel

Day 7: Ranohira/Ambalavao

Enjoy a scenic journey heading north. Stop along the way at Anja Park to observe the wildlife in a reserve managed by the local community with many historical and cultural ties.
As you travel to your next destination, stop for a visit of Anja Park and enjoy the area's wildlife. Continue enjoying the wonderful changes of landscape along the way to the pleasant rural town of Ambalavao.

Visit a little paper factory where the locals will share their traditional methods of producing this unique, hand-made paper.

If time allows, opt to visit a silk factory in town and learn about the local way of making fabric or clothing from silk, and the process of dyeing it with natural dyes.

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Stop at the Anja Community Reserve, which known for having some of the most accessible groups of ring-tailed lemurs in the country. Enjoy looking at these fascinating creatures. Breathe in the fresh air and take in the view of the rice paddies.Activity - Ambalavao is famous for its "Papier Antemoro", a papyrus-type paper impregnated with dried flowers and sold throughout the island. Visit a little paper factory where the locals will tell us about the traditional methods used to produce this unique, hand-made paper. You can even buy some and use it to write letters to your friends and family back home.Free_time - Spend free time in Ambalavao. Opt to visit the silk factory near the hotel.Accommodation - Aux Bougainvillees

Day 8: Ambalavao/Ranomafana

Travel to Ranomafana today, a little village named after the hot springs in the valley. The nearby national park is one of the most important mammal sites in Madagascar. Set out on a short or long hike through the forest of the park and get a feel for the incredible wildlife of the area. In the afternoon enjoy free time to soak in one of the hot springs, explore on your own, or relax at your accommodations.

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Free_time - Choose to visit the nearby town or soak in the thermal springs after a day of hiking.Accommodation - Manja Hotel

Day 9: Ranomafana/Antsirabe

Leave the rainforest of Ranomafana behind and travel by private vehicle to the colonial town of Antsirabe passing rice paddies along the way. To break up the drive the group will stop in Ambositra, a quaint town known for its woodcrafts. Spend free time here and eat lunch on your own before continuing onwards to the thermal city surrounded by volcanic lakes.

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Sit back and enjoy the scenery from your private vehicle between Ranomafana and Antsirabe. The drive will take most of the day, but there will be stops along the way like to the city of Ambositra. This place is know for their wood crafts and you will have some free time here to explore on your own and grab lunch at a local spot.Accommodation - Hotel VATOLAHY

Day 10: Antsirabe

Spend the whole day exploring the local life and communities of the Antsirabe highlands. Travel to Anjazafotsy for the start of the group walk. Choose between the longer or shorter option for this trail and visit villages along the route where you'll witness daily activities. Enjoy a traditional Madagascar lunch and in the afternoon opt for a cooking lesson to learn how to prepare famous Koba. Arrive back to Antsirabe in the early evening for free time.

Meals included: Lunch

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Walk from Antsirabe to Anjazafotsy there will be two options to choose from a 9km walk with about 700m of uphill or a 7km walk with about 500m of uphill. The path is relatively easy and a short part will go through rice fields and along muddy terrain. The group will stop and visit villages along the route and observe the daily activities of local residents. There will also be opportunities to spot wildlife like the reptiles, amphibians, and birds in the area.Activity - After enjoying the traditional lunch, attend a cooking class in town where you will learn all of the steps needed to prepare the famous Koba dish (a kind of peanut dessert paté). Once finished the group will taste their creations.Accommodation - Hotel VATOLAHY

Day 11: Antsirabe/Andasibe

Travel to Andasibe and Perinet National Park with scenic stops en route. Stay in a quiet area near Andasibe which is great base for exploring the Indri Special Reserve section of this massive landscape. The journey will take most of the day, but upon arrival, the group will have the option to go on an easy night walk alongside the park to observe wildlife like, frogs, reptiles, mice, and lemurs.

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Sit back and enjoy the scenery from the comfort of your private vehicle between Andasibe and Andasibe. There will be multiple stops along the route to make the drive more enjoyable.Free_time - Enjoy free time in Andasibe in the evening. Opt for a night walk in the nearby reserve.Accommodation - Feon'ny Ala

Day 12: Andasibe

Spend the day exploring Andasibe-Analamazaotra national park and the Indri Special Reserve located 1.5km (0.93 mi) from the town of Andasibe. One of the park's primary purposes is to protect the natural habitat of the indri, a large black and white diurnal species that feeds on leaves and fruit. In addition to the indri, the park has 10 other diurnal and nocturnal lemur species, large chameleons, and the rarely seen blue coua.
The flora in this park is just as spectacular, with numerous species of trees, palms, and orchids (which flower in October/November).

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Explore the Indri Special Reserve and national park located 1.5km (0.93 mi) from the town of Andasibe. One of the park’s primary purposes is to protect the natural habitat of the indri, a large black and white diurnal species that feeds on leaves and fruit. In addition to the indri, the park has 10 other diurnal and nocturnal lemur species, large chameleons, and the rarely seen blue boa. The flora is just as spectacular with numerous species of trees, palms, and orchids (which flower in October/November). Free_time - Keep exploring or start relaxing— the choice is yours.Accommodation - Feon'ny Ala

Day 13: Andasibe/Antananarivo

Travel by private vehicle to Antananarivo. Spend free time here before an optional last night out on the town with the whole group. There are many places to choose from and your CEO can help you with suggestions.

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Spend time getting to know Antananarivo on your own.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Belvedere Hotel

Day 14: Antananarivo

Depart at any time.

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

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Tour Operator

G Adventures

G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.

In Business Since 1990

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Reviews

Alessandra F. - Traveled, November 2023

I would recommend it only to very easy going people. every tour is different and for this reason I am not able to give a 10. But I will for sure recommend it to people that like adventure traveling

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Melissa L. - Traveled, November 2023

Tour was excellent - no complaints. CEO was fabulous

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Hannah Luise L. - Traveled, November 2023

Most things worked very well. I think though that the information on the website is not very clear and does not always show what is really done and which optional activities are there. Also that there are only 3 meals included makes budgeting very difficult. Another think was, that one of your local guides (Hari I think was his name, he guided us in the Isalo national park) he set a way to fast tempo for a group that has every hiking level included. He also did not make sure that everybody knew the way and saw the rest of the group. Instead of waiting for some group members he said that they will find their way down.

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Judith G. - Traveled, November 2023

I personally prefer the National Geographic tours because there are less optional activities. It is easier to budget and pay for everything up front. Also the level of service is better. Though this was a great way to see Madagascar

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Elsa Maria L. - Traveled, November 2023

overall happy with the trip, good organization

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Alyssa B. - Traveled, November 2023

Good attractions but I thought we could've stayed in cleaner places. I was more clean and had less bugs when I was on the camping tour through Africa and found the bathrooms were of a better quality even though they were public camping bathrooms than the facilities we stayed in. I usually am pretty good about that but once of the places, I believe the bamboo club at iftar had bed bugs and now I have a massive skin infection from the reaction to the bugs and have them all through my bags and stuff. I believe this is an unacceptable standard for any G Adventures accommodation.

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Craig L. - Traveled, November 2023

Not for everyone

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Savanna B. - Traveled, November 2023

Though group tours has not been my main style of traveling, I believe in certain areas it is the only way to go! Seeing Madagascar in this way definitely gave me the most diverse experience of the country in a safe way, and also in a way I could learn the most about the culture and give back to the community as well. It also gave me a chance to experience traveling with people from all over the world and see the world from their perspective. I couldn't have travelled Madagascar in a better way!

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2023

Edward D. - Traveled, November 2023

Tour experience