Madagascar for mineralogists
Attractive travel ideas
For lovers of minerals Madagascar can be considered a veritable Eldorado. From emeralds to rubies, rock crystals, gold, garnet, hambergite, phenakite and rose quartz to spinel, titanite, topaz and tourmalines in all colors can be found on this island. countless precious and semi-precious stones as well as many other important and exciting mineral finds are discovered. Already since the beginning of the 20th century, therefore, various research trips have repeatedly focused on the versatile mineral resourcesthat were to be found on Madagascar and are still to be found today. It can be noted that even today, a good hundred years later, still only a limited part of what is possible on Madagascar in terms of mineral resources has been discovered.
But not only for researchers are the hardly countable mineral resources of Madagascar of great interest: In some places on the island, the local population has also fully committed itself to the mining of the various mineral resources. Unfortunately, this does not always take place according to regulated guidelines and far too often the overexploitation has drastic consequences for the original nature on the island. It is therefore all the more important Tour of Madagascar with a focus on mineralogy which in a way sets a counterpoint to the overexploitation practiced in many places. This is precisely what we have been advocating for years. In this way Turn your vacation in Madagascar into a mineralogical adventure and you can additionally make a small contribution to the Protection of nature in Madagascar perform.
General information about a mineralogical tour
If you have a Journey through Madagascar and would like to photograph, buy or possibly even salvage one or the other mineral treasure yourself, you should be aware that you are on an incomparable adventure get involved. Many mines and mining areas are located in regions that are difficult to access, which is why even getting there can be quite spectacular. However, in most cases this also means that without an experienced guide you will not really get anywhere and often have to take on additional hardships. We have already been guiding for quite some time Travel through Madagascar We carry out training courses in which we focus specifically on the needs and requirements of our customers. Mineralogist interests set. This means that we can show you the most interesting corners and mining areas for you. For this we work not only with the most experienced guides together, but have also been providing stable contacts with mine owners and traders here. We can also look after your interests with regard to permits for mineral purchases or an export of your own finds. This way you can ensure that you can actually harvest the fruits of your labor yourself and take them home.
Sample tour plan for your trip through Madagascar
If you have already taken a more or less detailed look at the various offers on our site, you should already be well informed that we are committed to Your trip to Madagascar not only intensively with the preparations, but also with the execution at your needs orientate. The itinerary presented below is consequently a first Suggestion for your specific vacation planning and is intended for your Trip with mineralogical focus first of all serve as inspiration. This is a mineral tour we did in 2011 together with a group of researchers and privately interested people. The tour leads along the route Antsirabe - Ambatofilhandrana - Ilakaka and focuses on important sites for mineral resources in Madagascar. Finally, a few days stay directly on the Indian Ocean are also planned. If you wish, you can follow the presented tour directly as a package for your vacation in Madagascar book with us. Otherwise, however, we can still make various changes in your interest. You only have to inform us about these.
Day 1: Landing in Antananarivo
The tour participants arrived in Madagascar via the airport in Antananarivo, where they were picked up by a driver and taken to a nearby hotel. Since the Flights from Europe usually land at night in Madagascar, we recommend that you contact us in advance so that we can fulfill any personal wishes you may have regarding food and beverages that you would like to have after arrival.
Day 2: Gemstone exchange in Antananarivo and drive to Antsirabe
On the second day then after breakfast the Visit of a gemstone exchange in the congress center of Antananarivo on the schedule. During this visit, the travelers were not only able to learn about various Gemstone deposits on Madagascar inform, but if desired quite already the one or other mineral purchase. On the exemplary trip in 2011, a blue topaz crystal, which was formed as a perfect single crystal, was purchased.
Afterwards, the trip continued by car to Antsirabe. The mineral market there, which takes place daily, was the next highlight on the itinerary of the participants and red tourmalines as well as quartz specimens were purchased there.
Day 3: Trip to Ibity
On the third day of the trip, some particularly exciting experiences were on the agenda, as for the first time the trip participants were able to search and collect minerals yourself. Tourmalines were especially on the list of the course participants. Afterwards, some red tourmaline crystals, epidote specimens as well as various rose quartz pieces could be purchased from the villagers as well as other miners. Especially the rose quartz pieces were particularly impressive, because these were easy to find at the roadside, where they were heaped up for building houses.
Day 4: Trip to quartz site
On the fourth day, the tour participants were able to enjoy a particularly beautiful site, which was located in the midst of beautiful plants and flowers: It went to a Quartz site near Antsirabe, where, so to speak, endless finding opportunities awaited the travelers. This site can also be highly recommended for families.
Day 5: Continue to Ambositra and Ambatofinandrahana
The travelers said goodbye to Antsirabe on the fifth day and continued to Ambositra. There they were treated to an excellent Malagasy meal and were then able to enjoy a few enchanting and world famous wood carvings acquire. After that we went on to Ambatofinandrahanawhere they were expected in a good and familiar pension with tasty cuisine.
Day 6: Visit tourmaline mine
The Tourmaline Mine was the adventurous highlight on the sixth day. First, we went over a very poorly constructed road to the mine, where numerous finds were waiting. In addition, directly at the mine there were also numerous, partly still unprocessed quartz bands at vanishingly low prices. From experience, this day is one of the absolute highlights of the trip.
Day 7: Continue towards Ambalavao
First, at the beginning of the day, the trip participants dealt intensively with the purchase of best quartz grades at particularly pleasant prices in Ambatofinandrahana. Of course, all purchases were packed very well and safely for further transport, so that even the sometimes very large steps had no damage to fear. After that, the travelers turned their backs on Ambatofinandrahana and set off on the Trip to Ambalavao. There you spent the night in bungalows and enjoyed a good meal.
Day 8: Excursion to the quartz site
First, the tourists went that day to a Quartz site in the vicinity of Ambalavao. However, this proved to be less spectacular than expected. But this was compensated by the magnificent hike through the breathtaking nature the surrounding area. In addition, the excursion participants met a number of children who were busy washing gold in the rice fields. In the encounter with the villagers also arose the opportunity to capture many fantastic moments with the camera for eternity.
Day 9: Continue to Ranomafana
On the ninth day of the Journey through Madagascar the participants were mostly by car to get to Ranomafana. Once there, they had the pleasure of meeting a former guide from the national park, who told them various stories and also introduced them to two Parsons chameleons. This is the largest chameleon species in the world.
Day 10: Ranomafana National Park
The tenth day of the trip, unlike most of the time spent so far in Madagascar, was not dedicated to various precious minerals, but revolved exclusively around the native flora and fauna of Madagascar. A Visit to the Ranomafana National Park with an experienced English-speaking guide was on the plan and during this excursion were numerous spectacular animal sightings possible. The list of animals discovered included, for example, three different species of lemur, including the extremely rare and still relatively little studied golden bamboo lemur. The trip participants were also able to catch a glimpse of a leaf-tailed gecko, which was discovered despite its perfect camouflage.
Day 11: Via Fianarantsoa to Ambalavao
The excursion participants now left the beautiful landscape of the highlands behind them again and headed by car via Fianarantsoa to Ambalavao. When planning an individual trip there can be either the great Zebu Market or a trip to one of the renowned paper mills can be arranged. The art of silk fabric production is also very important in this place. From this, for interested travelers could also be various possibilities for activities result.
Day 12: Visit of an abandoned aquamarine mine
The twelfth day of the trip through Madagascar was marked by a relatively spontaneous action, because a local, who had heard about the travelers' search for minerals, paid his respects and offered many different crystals such as star sapphires, rubies or smoky quartz for sale. Since the quality seemed more than reasonable for the price, some of the trip participants purchased a few of the finds. Afterwards the man accompanied the participants to an abandoned aquamarine minein which it was still possible to get hold of a few finds.
Day 13: Visit Anja Park and continue to Ranohira
First, on day 13, we went to the market in Ambalavao, where a suitcase was purchased for the various treasures collected during the trip. After that was a Visit to the nearby ANJA Park on the plan. In this private park, the travelers were able to observe numerous calicoes as well as many other animals up close before continuing on to Ranohira.
Day 14: Visit to Ilakaka
Ialakaka reminds in a way of a City from the Wild West. Whereas gold prospecting fever had spread among the population there at that time, in Ilakaka it is the sapphires that people are after. The Visit a Saphirmine is in Ilakaka the highlight of the day. Seeing how the workers there, who are mostly poorly paid day laborers, laboriously make their way without protection is not always easy, but nevertheless a spectacular experience.
Day 15: Relaxation on the Indian Ocean
At the end of the trip, we went via Tulear to a small Bathing resort called Sarondrano, located on the Mozambique Channel. In this seaside resort, the trip participants could relax on the beach for a few more days, snorkel or undertake various other activities before returning by plane first to Antananarivo and then from there to Europe. As already noted before presenting the detailed description of the trip, this is an exemplary trip that was organized, accompanied and carried out by us in 2011. For your individual vacation in Madagascar, other tours would be possible in principle. You are welcome to simply contact us and together we will think of a Journey through Madagascarthat will make all your wishes come true.
English 
Deutsch 
Villa Sibylle Antananarivo (Madagascar)
