Andasibe - Lac Alaotra - Zahamena
17 days nature tour with spectacular experiences in Madagascar
For those who want to fully immerse themselves in the impressive nature of Madagascar, it is worth booking a trip to the lesser known nature reserves on the island. Fascinating animal and plant worlds await you there, far away from mass and package tourism, in an almost completely untouched atmosphere.
Explore the world of lemurs: listen to the songs of the Indri Indris, one of the largest lemur species, or discover the home of the Bandros, a lemur species that lives above the water. If you are looking for a spectacular and extraordinary nature adventure and can do without a bit of comfort and luxury, then our 17-day trip through the Andasibe and Zahamena Nature Parks with a visit to Lake Lac Alaotra is just right for you. Integrated in this trip are not only the guided tours through the two national parks, but also a stay of several days on the island of Nosy Be. This serves at the end of the trip as a moment of relaxation, in which you can review everything you have experienced before.
Basic information about the nature trip
The nature trip planned by us with the stopovers Andasibe, Lac Alaotra and Zahamena is intended for explorers and nature lovers who are good on foot and can do without comfort on vacation. This nature trip is planned as a round trip, not always staying in fortified accommodations, but also in tents. Basically, all sections are marked by more or less paved roads, but nevertheless, physical exertion can not be excluded, especially because of the climate in Madagascar. The tour is basically completely planned. This means that we take care of the transportation as well as the accommodations and the corresponding catering for breakfast and dinner. You can see a detailed list of the included services when booking the complete package at the end of this travel description. There you will also see which services you have to expect on site. Our goal at this point is to create the greatest possible transparency so that your vacation in Madagascar can be a unique positive experience for you. Therefore, if you have any questions or suggestions, you should never hesitate to contact us directly.
The rough schedule of the 17-day nature trip
All lovers of lemurs and other extraordinary animal or plant species will be particularly addressed in this 17-day guided nature tour. It goes to two national parks, which are located in areas of Madagascar that have been less developed for tourism so far. Accordingly, an untouched nature awaits you here, as you can almost no longer discover it in many other nature parks because of the ever-growing streams of tourists. The trip starts in the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, from where it goes by car to the east to Moramanga and the national park Andasibe. From there you will continue to Lake Alaotra and Imerimandroso, where you can discover some evidence of Merina architecture. The next stop is then the Zahamena National Park, where a three-day hike on foot is scheduled. This will be followed by the return trip to Antananarivo, taking Ambatondrazaka station. From Antananarivo, the trip continues by plane to the island of Nosy Be, also known worldwide as Perfume Island. On Nosy Be, four days of free time follow before returning to Antananarivo and ending the trip. Thus, this trip offers the perfect mix of adventure, individuality and relaxation.
The detailed itinerary for the tour Andasibe - Lac Alaotra - Zahamena
Before you book a round trip through the partly still untouched nature of Madagascar, you should inform yourself in advance in detail about the different stations of this trip as well as the concrete travel planning. Madagascar is a country where the values and norms that apply in Europe are not necessarily on the normal daily schedule at every corner. Therefore, when you book a tour of the island or your vacation in Madagascar, you should pay attention to all the details from the outset. In order to offer you maximum transparency and comfort, we have not only put together the complete travel package for you, but also compiled all the details of the itinerary in detail below. So you can get a very concrete impression of what to expect on the 17-day round trip in Madagascar.
Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo
On the first day you will arrive in the capital Antananarivo by plane and will be picked up and taken care of by us or one of our staff members. Depending on your individual arrival time, a visit to the city of Antananarivo is possible, otherwise you will spend the night directly at the Villa Sibyl.
Day 2: Antananarivo-Andasibe
On the second day, you will head east directly in the early morning on the winding but well-built RN 2 road. Your car is of course equipped with an experienced driver, so that you can already enjoy the impressive nature of Madagascar on the way. The first stop is at the private reserve Madagascar Exotique, where you can discover numerous reptiles, amphibians and lemurs. These are accustomed to humans and therefore pose without shyness in front of your cameras. Afterwards you will continue to Moramanga and move into your first night's lodging near the Andasibe National Park. The special highlight: Already in the hotel complex you can discover with a little luck the famous and very rare Indri-Indris, which will beguile you with their very special singsong.
Overnight stay in hotel "Vakona Lodge“
Day 3: Andasibe N.P.
Directly after breakfast you will leave the hotel for Andasibe National Park. There, a spectacular animal and plant world awaits you, which you can discover on a tour lasting several hours until noon. After a short stay, you will continue directly to Vakona Zoo, where the lemur island is already waiting for you. This is approached from the water by boat. During the walk over the island, where mainly lemurs live, which were freed from captivity and are therefore used to humans, you will get in contact with the animals in a spectacular way. Dirt-proof or washable clothing is accordingly absolutely recommended. After the visit of the lemur island you will continue into the nearby forest, where the notorious and very rare fossas as well as crocodiles are just waiting to be discovered by you. For this tour up to two hours are planned. Overnight stay at the hotel "Vakona Lodge“
Day 4: Andasibe-Moramanga-Alaotra Lake
After breakfast, you will start the return journey to Moramanga. There you will follow one of the few railroad lines in Madagascar, a remnant of the French colonial period. The destination is Lake Alaotra, the largest southern water lake in Madagascar. Before that, however, there is a short stopover in Ambatondrazaka, an important administrative and commercial center in eastern Madagascar. There you can enjoy a delicious lunch before continuing along the southern shore of Lac Alaotra to Andreba. This small village is far away from the tourist strongholds and is therefore still relatively untouched. All the greater is the curiosity of the inhabitants living there towards strangers - an experience that always creates lasting memories for our travelers. A little outside the town, a camp has been set up where you will stay in simple huts. Since there are no restaurants in Andreba itself, the camp management takes over the coordination of the dinner that evening.
Day 5: Lake Alaotra-Imerinamandroso-Zahamena N.P.
The fifth day of the round trip starts with a first small tour already before breakfast. Around five o'clock you will walk to the shores of Lac Alaotra and board a dugout canoe that will take you to the reed islands on the lake. The trip takes about an hour and once you reach the reed islands, you can watch from the water the lemurs eating your breakfast on the smaller islands. After returning to the camp, a sumptuous breakfast will be waiting for you to fortify yourself for the next leg of your journey. First you will go to Imerimandroso, a small town with a little more than 10,000 inhabitants. There you will be able to see some impressive architectural works of the Merina culture and do your last shopping in a classic store before embarking on a three-day jungle expedition. First, you now face a half-hour hike up to Antanandava, where access to Zahamena National Park opens up. There the porters and guides are already waiting for you to relieve you with your luggage and show you the way through the evergreen jungle. Now follows a three-hour hike up to the edge of the forest, where the first camp for the night awaits you. The hike leads you over smaller hills and lets you feel a steady rise, but nevertheless a medium condition is enough to cope with the small march. You will now spend the night in the tent, where you will also have dinner.
Day 6: Zahamena N.P.
First of all, after your first night in the tent, you will strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast, which will be followed by the next tour directly into the rainforest. On the hike through the green thicket you may encounter various animal and plant species. Diademsifakas, black varis or even Indri-Indris have often been sighted on our tours. In the early afternoon you will reach the Grande Cascade, a step-like waterfall that pours into the valley at a height of more than 100 meters. You now master the ascent directly next to the waterfall and thus master the 100 meters of altitude in a good half hour. What presents itself to you now is a breathtaking panoramic view that offers an unforgettable photo motif. At this picturesque place far from civilization, the second camp awaits you and you will spend the night in a tent again, where you will also have your dinner. The special highlight: In the river live very tasty freshwater crabs, which enrich your menu this evening very special.
Day 7: Zahamena N.P.
After the second night in the tent, you will first strengthen yourself with a breakfast before heading to the southeastern part of the Zahamena National Park. This part has been little explored so far and offers you the chance to experience a truly untouched rainforest up close. Also, the prospect of encountering wild lemurs is particularly high in this part of the national park. Despite the remoteness, however, the trails are solidly paved and can be easily managed even with an average level of fitness. The long day tour through the rainforest ends around afternoon, followed by dinner and overnight stay in the tent.
Day 8: Zahamena - Ambatondrazaka
As soon as the third night in Zahamena National Park is over, you will fortify yourself with breakfast and head back towards Lac Alaotra. Around early afternoon you will be expected back in Antanandava and part from the porters and guides. By car you will go back via Imerimandroso to Ambatondrazaka. There one of the good hotels of the city is waiting for you and you can relax in comfortable beds and with a sumptuous dinner.
Day 9: Ambatondrazaka-Antananarivo
The return journey to Antananarivo takes place on the ninth day of your trip and presents itself relatively stringent. Only a stopover in Moramanga is planned around noon. There you will find a very famous restaurant called Coq d' Or. Afterwards, the car will take you to Anatananarivo, where the hotel "Villa Sibyl" already awaits you as an overnight guest.
Day 10: Antanarivo-Nosy Be
First, on the tenth day, a hearty breakfast awaits you in Antananrivo, followed directly by the transfer to Ivato airport. In Ivato you will board a domestic flight to Nosy Be, an island formerly known as Nosy Manitra. The island is about ten square kilometers and is of volcanic origin. Upon arrival at Facenne Airport, you will be met personally and transferred to the Vanila Hotel ***. This will be your home for the next few days.
Day 11 - 14: Nosy Be and surroundings
The days 11 to 14 are not equipped with a concrete program, but can be freely planned by you. The island of Nosy Be, also known as Perfume Island, offers you numerous possibilities to relax on the dreamlike beaches or in the hotel facilities or to go on an individual discovery tour. We recommend a visit to the small neighboring island of Nosy Koma, a trip to the Lokobé reserve, where you can marvel at giant trees up to 40m high, or a visit to Mt. Passot. This is an extinct volcano, which reveals a breathtaking panoramic view to you. Little insider tip: Especially at sunset you will see a spectacular view that you will never forget. During your stay you will stay at the Vanila Hotel *** throughout the night.
Day 15: Nosy Be-Antananarivo
On day 15 your stay on the picturesque island of Nosy Be ends and directly after the plane the transfer to the airport Facenne takes place with subsequent return flight to Antananarivo. At the airport you will be picked up personally and transferred back to your hotel. Villa Sibyl driven. There you will not only have your dinner, but also spend the night.
Day 16: Antananarivo and surroundings
The 16th and last day of your round trip through Madagascar focuses entirely on the country's capital Antananarivo and the nearby surroundings. In Antananarivo, for example, the famous Lemurs Park awaits you, where you can experience the unique animals once again. Alternatively, if you wish, you can also discover Ambohimanga. This is the former royal seat of the Merina with enormous fortifications and the so-called royal moats. Ambohimanga is still the spiritual center of the Merina people and was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site many years ago. If you are interested in cultural sights as well as nature, you should not miss this unique opportunity. After the eventful day in Antananarivo you will be awaited in the Hotel Villa Sibylle dinner followed by transfer to Ivato airport. There your flight back to Europe will depart around midnight.
Day 17: Return flight
This day you will spend on the plane to Europe.
17-day nature tour of Madagascar: The basic prices
17 days nature tour |
Price per person (half board) |
| Two to three people | 2580 € |
| four to five people | 2420 € |
| six to seven people | 2390 € |
| eight to nine people | 2130 € |
| ten or more persons | 1980 € |
For the provision of a single room, a total surcharge of 470.00 euros will be charged.
17-day nature tour: The services included in the basic price
- the complete logistics
- Accompaniment by an English speaking tour guide
- Ride in a four-wheel drive car (driver and diesel included)
- all nights in the listed hotels
- Half board or board according to specification
- all trips and transfers according to the program (including taxes)
17-day nature tour: Services not included in the basic price
- Drinks and lunch
- Tips and pocket money
- Entrance fees for the national parks Zahamena and Andasibe
- individual sightseeing and excursions (plus local guides)
- international flights and domestic flights
- Airport fees and related taxes
- Insurances (travel cancellation and international health insurance)
- Visa costs (currently not required)
You still have questions about our 17-day nature tour in Madagascar, would like to book directly or are interested in putting together an individual travel package? - We are at your disposal in an uncomplicated way: Simply contact konnerth1@hotmail.com and embark together with us on an adventure you will never forget.
Klaus
konnerth1@hotmail.com
English 
Deutsch 
Villa Sibylle Antananarivo (Madagascar)
