Magical Madagascar

Watching rare primates leap from tree to tree or dance across your footpath is one of the many fascinating experiences to be enjoyed in Madagascar, an extraordinary island-nation that was once connected to Africa. Animals and plants long gone from Africa have survived and thrived here; in fact, four out of five of all plant and animal species in Madagascar are found nowhere else on the planet. The odd primates called lemurs put Madagascar on the travelers’ map (there are more than 50 species of lemur, even as small as a mouse), and there’s an astounding abundance of other marvels, from thousands of species of rare orchids to amazing birdlife. Our journey explores this distinctive island in depth as we visit magical nature reserves from Perinet to Berenty, see the “dances” of beautiful sifaka lemurs, and listen to the haunting calls of indri lemurs in treetop canopies. Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime natural history adventure!

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Antananarivo

Arrive in Antananarivo (Tana). Rice paddies surround the city, and there are gaily painted houses stacked up on its hillsides, brightening the already colorful tropical landscape. The capital’s Cultural Museum and Tsimbazaza Zoo offer an introduction to Madagascar.

Days 3-5
Masoala Peninsula / Nosy Mangabe

On the Masoala Peninsula, a leisurely trip by pirogue brings us through Andrifotra Private Reserve, set between bay and river. We also explore Nosy Mangabe, an island reserve created in the 1960s for endangered aye-aye lemurs, among the most secretive and rare mammals on earth. Nosy Mangabe’s forests are home to black and white ruffed lemurs and unique reptiles such as a thumbnail-sized chameleon (Brookesia minimi) known as the leaf chameleon. Night walks offer us a glimpse into a fantastic nocturnal world. We return to Tana on Day 5.

Days 6-8
Perinet Special Reserve

Perinet Special Reserve is famed as the home of the Indri indri, a lemur whose haunting treetop song carries for miles as one troop calls to another. Their Malagasy name is babakoto, or “Father of Man.” These three-foot-tall primates are renowned treetop acrobats. Red-fronted lemurs, grey bamboo lemurs, and woolly lemurs are also found here, along with colorful reptiles including huge Parson’s chameleons.

Days 9-11
Fort Dauphin / Berenty Private Reserve

From Fort Dauphin, we travel to the unique “spiny desert” habitat of Berenty, a small private park that preserves a third of Madagascar’s remaining tamarind forest. This is a superb place to see friendly ring-tails and superbly acrobatic sifakas, known for their death-defying tree leaps and the sideways hops they use to get around on the ground.

Days 12-13
Berenty / Antananarivo

After a final morning at Berenty, we return to the capital for excursions to the Queen’s Summer Palace and the artisan market. Depart the evening of Day 13, or join our Isalo Extension.

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What the Trip is Like

The trip is Level 2+, Easy to Moderate. It features day hikes in national parks, with accommodations ranging from city hotels to basic wildlife lodges and one tented camp. You should be fit, healthy, and ready for adventure, because the walking trails in Madagascar’s parks can be quite slippery and muddy. Several of the travel days involve long drives and road conditions can be rough.

Explanation of Trip Levels