Sapphire Canyon boat tour
Magical moments for travelers
Who his Madagascar vacation who in all likelihood is looking for a fantastic adventure that cannot be experienced in any other place on earth. Madagascar offers an uncanny potential for the so-called magic moments and holds numerous experiences in store for you, which you will remember for a long time back in your everyday life. Basically the Exploring the island always arrive by car. However, if you like it a bit more adventurous and are looking for direct contact with nature, a boat tour is certainly the best option. We offer various canoe tours and also classic boat tours an. The boat tour through the Sapphire Canyon has, however, repeatedly emerged as a special highlight in our range in recent years. This is mainly due to the particularly pristine location of the canyon. In this corner of the country of Madagascar, hardly any people get lost and tourists are also much rarer in this area. The boat tour passes very close to one of the most famous national parks of the island. Meant is the Isalo National Park, near which are located the largest and most impressive sapphire mines in the world. A little to the south from the Isalo Mountains lies the Makay Massifwhich is both the starting point and the destination for this boat tour. The secrets hidden deep in the canyons of this still quite untouched mountain massif you can discover for yourself on this extraordinary boat tour. If you wish, you can combine the tour with a Exploration of Isalo National Park and the visit of the Sapphire mines in Ilakaka link or combine with other tours from our offer. However, as with all our offers, this is entirely up to you.
General information about the tour
Planning this tour took several years of preparatory work. Especially the fact that the Makay Massif The fact that the area has been little explored so far proved to be a real challenge. At the beginning of the exploration, the team therefore traveled into the massif equipped only with maps and a compass. Later, a GPS was used for assistance. Without guides who knew the surroundings, the area had to be explored laboriously and piece by piece, so that the tour as perfect as possible for you can take place. Logistical planning and all kinds of hurdles had to be overcome, but the result has been in place for quite a while now: A breathtaking boat tour through the most unknown canyons of the Isalo Mountains. The tour as such is not very demanding and offers only few physical challenges. In the evening the camp is set up on sandbanks next to the river. For the tour are a total of five days in full board provided. A large part of the tour will be on foot, so the personal luggage will be on 10 kilogram per person must be limited. All work around the camp or the preparation of the food is done on the way by the team. For you, this means that you can enjoy the breathtaking canyons even more intensively and without restrictions.
The course of the tour
Normally, we always present our tours with a very specific itinerary from which you can see the individual stops on the trip. With this Sapphire Canyon boat tour the situation is somewhat different. With this Journey through Madagascar is not about getting from place A to place B and checking out all the sights along the way. Instead, it's about the journey as such, about the Feel and discover the extraordinary landscape. Therefore, all days of this trip are more or less the same structure and our usual tour plan is omitted. On the first day of the trip, the first thing on the schedule is the journey, and on the way you are welcome to visit Ilakaka and later, if you wish, another Prospecting area called Manombo be can visit. The tour takes you quite quickly into the so-called Wild West of Madagascar, where civilization often seems so far away, as if it came from another planet. A four-wheel drive car will take you to the Entrance of the canyon about 12 kilometers from the paved road. Here you now have exactly four days to explore the special and unique landscape.
The season takes important decisions from you
If you are interested in this Journey through Madagascar decide to return home afterwards with special and unique memories, then you should be aware that the season is an important factor in deciding on this trip. In the Dry season between April and November the rivers between the canyons usually carry very little water. Then there are many sections that are not navigable by boat. The trip then turns into a aquatic migration, which, however, is no less spectacular. As soon as conditions allow, you will board the boats. The boats are inflatable canoes for two people or inflatable kayaks for one person. During the hike you will wear neoprene shoes, which will protect you from injuries and make walking over the sometimes very wet floors comfortable. As announced above, the days during this tour basically have a very similar schedule. In the morning you will enjoy a freshly prepared breakfastWhile the team takes care of the dismantling of the camp and loads all the utensils in the boats. Then it goes directly on through the spectacular stone canyonsYou will pass by the gem seekers and away from the stress and hustle and bustle of everyday life. Then on the fifth day you leave the canyons again and go on a two-hour hike along the Isalo Mountains. This will be followed by a trasnfer to Ilakaka, from where your journey will continue on your own.
Facts and figures about the tour
The Sapphire Canyon boat tour is a truly unique experience that we would like to recommend to all travelers, also from personal experience. If you are interested in participating in this tour, it is best to contact us directly in person so that we can initiate all planning as early as possible. All materials such as flashlights, neoprene boots, tents, ground rugs and also foldable chairs are just as much a part of this tour as food and drink. Basic equipment. For a better overview, we present the specific services following the Table with prices once again separately:
| Sapphire Canyon boat tour - 5 days | Price per person |
| 2 to 3 guests | 1090 € |
| 4 to 5 guests | 1050 € |
| 6 - 7 guests | 980 € |
| 8 - 9 guests | 880 € |
| 10 guests and more | 790 € |
For single travelers we have to charge a surcharge of 100,00 Euro.
Included in the basic price:
- Full board for all five days
- Boat equipment, logistic services, park entrance fees, camping utensils
- Guides and boatmen
- Drinking water and meals during the tour
Not included in the base price:
- Tips and personal expenses
- international and domestic flights
- Connecting tours or transfers after day 5
- Drinks before and after the tour
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Villa Sibylle Antananarivo (Madagascar)
