Highlights of Madagascar

Cut off from mainland Africa, Madagascar is a dream come true for intrepid explorers. Understandably, the wildlife is the main draw (much of it found nowhere else on Earth) and it’s the animals, and particularly lemurs, that take centre stage on this trip. Accompanied by experienced local trackers, we visit Andasibe in search of the indri, the largest lemur, and the cloud forest of Ranomafana National Park to look for rare golden and greater bamboo lemurs. We also search for ring-tailed lemurs in Anja Reserve and have a final day wildlife-watching in Tsimanampetsotsa National Park.
Profile
â€10 nights in comfortable hotels and 3 nights in simple hotels â€Travel by private bus, boat and internal flight â€Some long drives on poor roads
At a Glance
â€10 nights in comfortable hotels and 3 nights in simple hotels â€Travel by private bus, boat and internal flight â€Some long drives on poor roads
Trip For You
This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Three. Visit our Activity Level Guidelines page for more on our trip gradings or our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings. Madagascar is a rewarding destination with a wealth of flora and fauna; however, before you decide to travel, we would like to highlight the following issues for you to consider: Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world and the infrastructure reflects this.Travelling by vehicle in Madagascar can be uncomfortable as road conditions are far worse than in Europe and North America. You should expect many narrow, winding and uneven sections of road. Roads away from the population centers and main routes are generally unpaved dirt roads which can be very bumpy.We do have some longer drives but the diverse scenery more than makes up for time spent on the bus. We break up our road journeys with stops at villages to take photos and stretch our legs.There will be a lot of very early starts and long days on this itinerary.For the best wildlife viewing opportunities there will be some early starts and tracking the wildlife can involve walking through difficult terrain at a quick pace.Parts of Madagascar are mountainous. You need to be prepared to walk in hills for up to four hours. The trails are fairly gentle in Andasibe but steeper in all the other national parks.The tourist infrastructure in Madagascar is new and some services are limited. It is not unusual for there to be changes to accommodation or internal flights and for this reason the order of the itinerary (but not the content) may sometimes change. However, what tourism does exist is of a good standard and you may be impressed by the level of service in some of the places we stay.Our boat transfer to Anakao involves a beach landing and walking through some water that might may be difficult if you have limited agility. This itinerary includes the use of pontoon ferries, which do not (typically) offer emergency safety equipment such as flotation devices. We have risk assessed these crossings and find them to be low risk. However, if you are concerned about this aspect, please consider an alternative trip as we are unable to facilitate the provision of Western safety equipment.
Eating Drinking
Food standards in Madagascar can vary and are probably not of the same standard you are used to at home. The cuisine has been strongly influenced by the French and a three-course meal should cost 43,000-70,000 ariary (US$10-US$16). A one-course lunch should cost (US$4.40-US$7.60). Please allow approximately 1.4m ariary (US$325) for the meals not included, plus a little more if you enjoy a drink with dinner. Malagasy lager is reasonably priced and easily available. Malagasy wine is also reasonably priced but is not to everyone’s taste. It is sometimes possible to get hold of French or South African wine. A delicacy in Madagascar is flavoured rums, which are widely sold and very reasonably priced. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this trip – please inform us before departure of any dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared.
Transportation
Travel is mainly by small private bus. Road conditions are far worse than in Europe and North America and you should expect many narrow, winding and uneven sections. Many of the roads away from the population centers and main routes are unpaved dirt roads which can be very bumpy. There are several days where the drives are long, with a maximum drive time of approximately 11 hours, but we make plenty of stops along the way. There is one internal flight: from Tulear to Tana. There is also a round-trip boat transfer between Tulear and Anakao and a 4×4 transfer to Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. We use 4×4 vehicles on this section of the trip as the road is a dirt road and can be a little uneven at times (though the surrounding landscape and destination more than make up for it). The driving distances are as follows. Approximate driving time including stops in brackets: Antananarivo to Andasibe: 84mi/135km (five hours)Antananarivo to Antsirabe: 105mi/169km (six hours)Antsirabe to Ranomafana : 155mi/250km (10 hours)Ranomafana to Fianarantsoa to Ranohira: 230mi/370km (11 hours)Ranohira to Tulear: 149mi/240km (five hours)
Joining Instructions
Key information Start hotel: Hotel Belvedere, Antananarivo Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately Getting to the start hotel Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Catching your return flight Exodus provides free departure transfers for all customers from the end hotel. Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Transfer Details
Free transfers Exodus offers FREE airport arrival and departure transfers on any flight for this trip. Unless specified otherwise, the transfer will be to the Exodus start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers may be shared with other Exodus customers on the same flight, or on a flight with similar arrival times. All those taking advantage of the free airport transfers must provide full flight details for both arrival and departure in advance. Flights Remember, flights aren’t automatically included in your trip. If you’d like Exodus to help you find some good options, give us a call on 020 8772 3837.
Weather Information
Madagascar has a tropical climate with two seasons: rainy and dry. The driest season extends from April to October. It can be cold on the central plateau (including Antananarivo) in the evenings, and in the rainforest areas, so bring warm clothes (fleece and waterproof). There is considerable regional variation but coastal areas will normally be very hot and dry. Expect daytime temperatures in the shade up to 38C (100F) from October to December and up to 30C (86F) during the trips running from April to June and September.
Spending Money
A Visa or Mastercard can be used to obtain local cash at some banks, but we advise you to bring your spending money in euros or US dollars cash as these are easiest to change to local currency. Bills of €100 or US$100 usually get a better rate than bills of 20 or less. British pounds can only be exchanged at banks at the airport, but even there, they are not always accepted. You can bring a maximum of €7,500 or the corresponding amount in another currency without declaring it on arrival. Above that amount, you have to declare it. Please note, you can import and export a maximum of 400,000 ariary. You cannot rely on credit cards for payment as they are rarely accepted and the ATMs do not always work; American Express or Diners cards are also rarely accepted in Madagascar. All money should be exchanged at the airport on arrival, as the banks in the provincial towns take a long time to process. Also, the exchange rate at the airport is generally better than in the banks in Antananarivo or other cities. Optional excursions Antananarivo: Visit to Lemurs’ Park near Tana: â€210,000 ariary (US$49) for one person â€140,000 ariary (US$32.50) per person for two people â€105,000 ariary (US$24.30) per person for three people â€95,000 ariary (US$22) per person from four people Visit Tsimbazaza Zoo and Botanical Gardens near Tana: â€175,000 ariary (US$40.50) for one person â€112,000 ariary (US$25.90) per person for two people â€95,000 ariary (US$22) per person for three people â€80,000 ariary (US$18.50) per person from four people Anakao: â€Scuba diving single dive: Approximately 235,000 ariary (US$54) per person â€Scuba diving night dive: Approximately 330,000 ariary (US$76) per person â€Whale-watching excursion (July to September): Approximately 117,000 ariary (US$27) per person â€Kite surfing: Approximately 235,000 ariary (US$54) per person, per hour â€Surfing: Approximately 280,000 ariary (US$65) per person for three hours â€Stand-up paddleboarding: Approximately 95,000 ariary (US$22) per person, per hour
Tipping
Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work. You may feel your leader has performed well and want to show your appreciation of their services. If you would like to tip your leader, we suggest a figure of approximately 22,000 ariary (US$5) per person per day. It is also courtesy to tip any extra guides/drivers you may have over the course of the trip, though certainly not compulsory. Shortly after arrival, the leader will suggest to the group that they donate a sum of approximately 282,000 ariary (US$65) per person towards a kitty on arrival. This money is then used for tipping local guides, hotel porters, drivers etc and will be distributed by the leader.

highlights

• Join experienced local trackers for the best encounters with lemurs in their natural habitats
• Marvel at the amazing rock formations, spectacular canyons and natural swimming holes of Isalo National Park
• See unique wildlife in the Andasibe Nature Reserve and in Ranamofana National Park
• Discover the striking spiny forest in Tsimanampetsotsa National Park
• Relax on the beach in the coastal town of Anakao and explore the small island of Nosy Ve