12-Day Highlands Wildlife and Culture Discovery

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

In Antananarivo

Arrival at Ivato International Airport. You’ll be warmly welcomed by our representative, assisted with formalities, and transfered to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure to unwind and settle in. Dinner and overnight at Grand Hotel Urban or similar.

Main Destination:

Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation:

Grand Hotel Urban

• Mid-range hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Antananarivo - Andasibe

After breakfast, have your luggage ready at the reception for loading. Departure to Andasibe with a stop in Marozevo to visit the "Madagascar Exotic" reserve (approx. 1h30): chameleons, snakes, butterflies, bats, and lemurs. Continue to Andasibe and enjoy lunch at Feon’ny Ala. In the afternoon, visit the Vakona Reserve (about 2h30), home to lemurs, reptiles, and endemic plants. Dinner and overnight at Vakona Forest Lodge or similar.

Main Destination:

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Best Time To Visit April, May, October and November (Best weather, less rain)

High Season July, August and December holidays (The park is busy)

Best Weather April, May, October and November

Wildlife in Andasibe-Mantadia NP

Indri Common

Common
Brown Lemur Common

Other
Chameleons Common

Leaf-tailed
Geckos Common

Diademed Sifaka Occasional

Show more

Red-bellied
Lemur Occasional

Grey
Bamboo Lemur Occasional

Mouse Lemurs Occasional

Sportive Lemurs Occasional

Parson's
Chameleon Occasional

Painted Mantella Occasional

Black-and-white
Ruffed Lemur Rare

Madagascar
Tree Boa Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Accommodation:

Vakona Forest Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located just outside Andasibe-Mantadia NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Andasibe national park – antananarivo

Early breakfast with luggage ready at reception for the driver to load onto the car roof. Departure for a 3-hour visit to Andasibe National Park at Analamazaotra. The park is home to the Indri Indri, Madagascar’s largest lemur, known for its powerful call. You may also spot other lemurs, both diurnal and nocturnal, as well as various bird and reptile species. The tropical rainforest is rich in endemic flora, including the Ravinala (traveler’s tree), Vakona, and over 100 species of wild orchids.

Andasibe National Park shelters 14 lemur species, including the elusive Aye-Aye and the colorful Varecia variegata. It’s a haven for many harmless and fascinating creatures.

After the visit, return to Antananarivo. Dinner and overnight at Grand Hotel Urban or similar (half-board).

Main Destination:

Antananarivo (City)

Accommodation:

Grand Hotel Urban

• Mid-range hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Antananarivo - Antsirabe

Breakfast and departure southward to Antsirabe through a mountainous landscape of ochre hills and traditional two-storey houses. Stop in Ambatolampy, a town known for its aluminum workshops where artisans craft pots and utensils from recycled metal, preserving a rich artisanal tradition. Surrounded by green scenery and volcanic peaks, it’s a picturesque stop on the way to Antsirabe.

On arrival in Antsirabe, enjoy a short city tour. Known for its thermal springs and colonial-era sanatorium the largest in Madagascar the town was once a holiday retreat for capital residents. Experience a ride in the famous "pousse-pousse," the iconic rickshaw that gives the city its nickname as Madagascar’s rickshaw capital.

Overnight stay with half-board at Plumeria Hotel or similar.

Main Destination:

Antsirabe (City)

Accommodation:

Plumeria Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Antsirabe (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Antsirabe day of Famadihana ( except each Tuesday which is tabù and they never organize any ceremony

Breakfast and departure to attend the Famadihana, or “turning of the bones,” a deeply symbolic and festive Malagasy tradition, especially in the central highlands. Celebrated every 3, 5, or 7 years depending on the tribe, it marks a joyful reunion between the living and their ancestors (Razana).

Held in Antsirabe, the ceremony begins with prayers to the gods and ancestors (Zanahary sy ny Razana), followed by the removal of bones from family tombs, which are then wrapped in fresh white silk shrouds. The remains are joyfully paraded around the tomb amid music and dancing, guided by rituals set by an astrologer.

A traditional family meal follows, often red rice with zebu or pork (Vary be menaka). For us, it will be a picnic lunch. The celebration continues into the afternoon with dancing, music, and Toaka Gasy—local Malagasy rum.

Return to the hotel by evening. Overnight stay with half-board at Plumeria or similar.

Main Destination:

Antsirabe (City)

Accommodation:

Plumeria Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Antsirabe (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Antsirabe – Manandona village - Ranomafana

Breakfast and city tour to discover local crafts: hat pressing, embroidery, gem-cutting of semi-precious stones, and zebu horn carving.

Then, departure for Manandona, 22 km south of Antsirabe, for a rural walk through villages to explore daily life, traditional house building, and rice farming. Welcoming families often invite travelers into their homes. A visit to a women’s association working with silkworms supports local children’s education.

Continuation to Ambositra, capital of the Zafimaniry region, known for its woodcarving traditions. Visit a workshop and Zafimaniry art shops while crossing beautiful rice terrace landscapes.

Free lunch en route. Afternoon departure to Ranomafana, “the spa,” with arrival and hotel check-in. In the evening, a first visit to Ranomafana National Park to observe the small nocturnal Microcebus lemurs.

Dinner and overnight at Hotel Thermal or similar (half-board).

Main Destination:

Ranomafana National Park

Best Time To Visit April, May, September, October and November (Mild weather, fewer rainy days)

High Season July, August and December holidays (The park is busy)

Best Weather April, May, September, October and November

Wildlife in Ranomafana NP

Golden
Bamboo Lemur Common

Red-fronted
Brown Lemur Common

Red-bellied
Lemur Common

Greater
Bamboo Lemur Common

Grey
Bamboo Lemur Common

Show more

Giraffe-necked
Weevil Common

Parson's
Chameleon Common

Milne-Edwards’
Sifaka Occasional

Rufous
Mouse Lemur Occasional

Satanic
Leaf-tailed Gecko Occasional

Painted
Mantella Occasional

Spotted
Fanaloka Rare

Ring-tailed
Mongoose Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Accommodation:

Hotel Thermal Ranomafana

• Mid-range hotel located just outside Ranomafana NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Ranomafana – Fianarantsoa

In the morning, visit to Ranomafana National Park, known for its wildlife and lush tropical flora. This dense rainforest park is home to 26 species of mammals, including 12 species of lemurs—among them the very rare Golden Bamboo Lemur—96 species of birds, and hundreds of orchids.

Its endemic flora and fauna attract both foreign and local researchers, particularly Americans who established the Valbio Research Centre. In the afternoon, drive to Fianarantsoa, the capital of the Betsileo region and a key connection between the South and the Highlands. Arrival and city tour.

Relaxing night with half-board at Zomatel or similar.

Main Destination:

Fianarantsoa (City)

Accommodation:

Hotel Zomatel

• Mid-range hotel located in Fianarantsoa (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Fianarantsoa – Ambalavao – Ranohira

After breakfast, head to Ranohira. On the way, visit wine cellars and enjoy a tasting of Malagasy wines. Continue to Ambalavao to discover the creation of “Avoha” bark paper, decorated with natural flowers. Ambalavao is also known for its famous “Zebu Market,” held every Wednesday.

Continue to the Anjaha Reserve, where you’ll encounter a large colony of ring-tailed lemurs (makis) about 80 individuals divided into several families as well as reptiles like chameleons. The journey continues to Ranohira, crossing the “South Door” and passing through the savannah.

Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation with half-board at Jardin du Roi.

Main Destination:

Isalo National Park

Best Time To Visit April to October (Best hiking conditions)

High Season July, August and December holidays (The park is busy)

Best Weather June to August

Wildlife in Isalo NP

Ring-tailed
Lemur Common

Western
Plated Lizard Common

Verreaux's Sifaka Occasional

Red-fronted
Brown Lemur Occasional

Oustalet's
Chameleon Occasional

Show more

Jewel Chameleon Occasional

Stump-tailed
Chameleon Occasional

Merrem's
Madagascar Swift Occasional

Grey
Mouse Lemur Rare

Red-tailed
Sportive Lemur Rare

Painted
Burrowing Frog Rare

Blue-legged
Mantella Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Madagascar
Tree Boa Very Rare

Accommodation:

Le Jardin du Roy

• Mid-range hotel located just outside Isalo NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Ranohira -Parc National de l'Isalo- Ifaty

Morning dedicated to discovering the Isalo ruiniform massif, with its stunning Jurassic-era sandstone formations. While hiking through the canyons, we may spot lemurs fulvus rufus, desert plants like Pachypodium rosulatum (dwarf baobab), and reach the natural swimming pool nestled among pandanus and aquatic plants.

Picnic lunch in the park, then departure for Ifaty via Ilakaka, a sapphire mining town. The landscape changes to the typical southern scenery: dry vegetation, baobabs, and spiny forests. Along the road, we’ll see sculpted Aloalo (wooden tomb markers) and Mahafaly tombs, reflecting the deep respect for ancestors in Malagasy culture.

Arrival in Ifaty by the end of the day. Free time to enjoy the beach.
Overnight in half-board at La Mira or similar.

Main Destination:

Ifaty (Town & Beach)

Accommodation:

Hotel La Mira de Madiorano

• Mid-range hotel located near Ifaty (Town & Beach)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Beachstay at Ifaty

Beach stay at Ifaty, with the possibility of organizing different excursions on the spot. You can enjoy a range of activities that showcase the beauty and culture of Madagascar’s southwest coast. Snorkeling and diving in the nearby coral reefs offer unforgettable underwater experiences with vibrant marine life. For a more relaxing option, you can also unwind on the beach. A highlight is joining local Vezo fishermen for a traditional pirogue (dugout canoe) excursion, where you can learn about their fishing techniques and enjoy the calm waters.

Main Destination:

Ifaty (Town & Beach)

Accommodation:

Hotel La Mira de Madiorano

• Mid-range hotel located near Ifaty (Town & Beach)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Ifaty - Tulear – Antananarivo (flight with Madagascar Airlines)

Breakfast at the hotel. Based on your flight details, enjoy a transfer to Tulear airport for your local flight to Antananarivo. Upon arrival, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred to your accommodation at the Grand Hotel Urban (or similar). Check-in and enjoy an overnight stay with half-board services, ensuring a comfortable and relaxing evening before the next day's adventures.

Main Destination:

Ivato International Airport (Antananarivo)

Accommodation:

Grand Hotel Urban

• Mid-range hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Antananarivo – visit of King Palace Ambohimanga – Out

Early breakfast at the hotel, then depart for the final visit to Ambohimanga King Palace, located around 22 km from the city center. Explore the Unesco World Heritage Site and immerse yourself in the rich history of Madagascar. Stroll through the royal grounds, admire intricate carvings and traditional thatched-roof buildings, and take in the opulent living quarters of past Malagasy monarchs. The palace, set against lush hills, offers stunning panoramic views of the countryside. Discover the significance of Malagasy customs, rituals, and ceremonies through exhibits and artifacts. Visit sacred sites and temples, experiencing the spiritual ambiance of the palace. Afterward, transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Main Destination:

No major destination visited

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.