HIGHLIGHTS
This tour will take you from Antananarivo to Andasibe, Ankanin’ny Nofy “Palmarium”, Morondava, Kirindy, Antsirabe, Ranomafana
Andasibe – Mantadia National park
Andasibe–Mantadia National Park is about 150 km to the east from Antananarivo, along the RN2, and it can be reached in 3 to 4 hours by car. Comprising two distinct protected areas: Analamazoatra Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park, Andasibe-Mantadia National park is one of the most frequently visited site in the country, and one of the best places to observe lemurs in Madagascar. It is also one of the best primate-watching site in the world.
Fauna
This site is known to be the refuge for a wide variety of lemur species (14 diurnal and nocturnal species), including the famous Indri Indri, the Aye-Aye, the goodman’s mouse lemur, the Crossley’s dwarf lemur, the Eastern woolly lemur sifaka, and sometimes southern black-and-white ruffed lemur. 51 reptile species, 84 amphibian species, 72 mammal species, 117 bird species, and countless insectivorous bats that have been recorded. Mantadia is the one of the best birdwatching site on the Big Island.
Flora
About the flora, with its lush and green vegetation this protected area contains a collection of evergreen vegetation epiphytic plants (plants living on other plants), palm trees, mosses, fern, bamboo, hardwoods, and precious woods, and pandanus. This park is also famous for its orchids with 120 inventoried species, entirely endemic. They bloom between September and January.
The Palmarium reserve
The private reserve of Palmarium is also known as “Ankanin’ny Nofy” which translates from Malagasy as ‘nest of dreams’. It is spread across 50 hectares of peninsula land in the Lake Ampitabe area on the East coast of Madagascar, nestled on the banks of the Pangalanes channel and the Indian Ocean. Separated from the latter by thin coastal sand dunes, the landscape otherwise comprises of littoral forest with relatively flat terrain and some well-kept trails for exploration.
Fauna
Palmarium represents one of the most beautiful areas along the Pangalanes Canal, where fishermen float by and go about their daily lives. The isolation of the reserve means it is one of the few places in Madagascar where it is possible to come close to some of the least timid, free-ranging and tame lemur species on the island, including the largest lemurs, the Indri, as well as the famous dancing sifaka.
Arboreal Fauna
The area is also home to frogs, reptiles, orchids…A rare and endemic terrestrial and arboreal fauna as well as a magnificent flora (orchids, carnivorous plants, ebony, mahogany, traveller’s trees) … the most beautiful palm trees specific to Madagascar, including the rarest varieties (Dypsis, Ravenea, Orania, but also Voanioala and Lemurophoenix).
Baobabs Avenue
About ten trees 30 meters high border this avenue, of the species Adansonia grandidieri, endemic to Madagascar. Baobabs, over 800 years old, known locally as Renala (in Malagasy for “mother of the forest”), are a heirloom of the dense tropical forests that thrived in Madagascar. The trees did not grow in isolation in this dry and bushy landscape but were part of a dense forest which has now disappeared (only 10% of primary forests remain in the country).
Over the years
With the increase in the country’s population, forests have been cut down for agriculture, leaving only baobab trees, which locals preserve both out of respect and for their value as a source of food and materials of constructions.
Kirindy Reserve
Kirindy Forest or Kirindy Private Reserve is a vestige of primary dry forest located in the west of Madagascar, around 60 km northeast of the town of Morondava. It covers an area of 72 000 hectares. This site is part of the New Menabe Antimena Protected Area, located between the Tsiribihina River to the north and the Baobab Avenue to the south.
Fauna
Kirindy forest is home to a wide of animal species endemic to Madagascar, such a lemurs, crocodiles, bats, snakes, chameleons. The flagship species to see in Kirindy Forest is the Fossas. Several habituated individuals hand around the ecolodge, which makes for high quality viewing. However, fossas become more active from October onwards. There are also seven lemur species, including the dancing Verreaux’s sifaka and the red-fronted brown lemur.
Night walk
Tend to be very productive and offer chances to see the Malagasy giant jumping rat, the red-tailed sportive lemur, the grey mouse lemur, the pale fork-marked lemur, and the Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur. In addition to its wildlife, Kirindy Forest is also home to a luxuriant flora. Its tall trees are covered with mosses an epiphytes, creating a unique ecosystem.
Antsirabe
Antsirabe – whose name means “Where there is much salt”, in reference to its mineral rich waters – is known for its water, renowned throughout the world for it’s therapeutic properties. It is also famous for its textiles, tobacco, and agricultural production. This town is one of a very pretty and very clean town and one of its most prosperous. Its broad large avenues are shaded and bordered by jacaranda trees.
How beautiful it is?
During the flowering season, these colorful plants make the town even more charming with all the jacaranda trees purple flowers layers associated with rickshaws, dominated especially by the sharp orange color, gives a very particular stereotype and an exceptional key. Here, the air is very pure. The mountainous region of Antsirabe offers many hiking and trekking routes.
Lake
The volcanic lakes of the region are also a major tourist attraction, containing many ancestral legends and mysteries, two most known lakes which make the wonders of Antsirabe are Andraikiba and the extraordinary and mysterious Tritriva lake.
Ranomafana National Park
The Ranomafana National Park is located in the southeast of Madagascar straddling the regions of Upper Matsiatra and Vatovavy Fitovinany. It is 412 km south-east of Antananarivo, 65 km north-east of Fianarantsoa and 139 km west of the town of Mananjary.
World Heritage Site
Terrestrial National Park classified World Heritage Site with its dense low-lying humid forest (600-800m), its dense humid forest of medium altitude (800-1400m), its bamboo forest, its marshland where plant and animal species such as Pandanus, Vareciavariegata variegate, Crayfish, Limnogale Mergulus choose as habitat.
Fauna
6 species of fish, 74 species of insects, 90 species of butterfly including 4 rare species, 350 species of spiders, 6 endemic species of crustaceans and a subspecies of crayfish of the group of Astacoides. 58 species of reptiles, 98 species of amphibians, 115 of the 257 species of birds of Madagascar the majority of which is endemic. 12 species of lemurs, 7 species of carnivorous mammals and 20 species of insectivores, 07 species of bats including Myzopodaaurita, a monogenous that exists only in Madagascar. There are also 13 species of rodents.
Flora
The Ranomafana forest is of the rainforest type whose hard core considered as primary forest is distant from the road axis. There are Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Rubiaceae, Dypsis sp and Phloga sp of the family Palmae, Aspleniumnidus, orchids of the genera Bulbophyllum and Eulophiella. Large areas of secondary forest are occupied by Psydiumcattle yanum of the family Myrtaceae.
Tropical hardwoods
Such as rosewood or Dalbergia sp, maka or Weinmania sp and varongy or Mespilodaphne tapack, are also visible. A profusion of rare plants is also identified: ferns, bamboos and hundreds of orchids. Chinese guava occupies more and more spaces and is dispersed by lemurs and frugivorous birds.
Climate
The climate is tropical, but cooler in the highlands (dropping as low as 5°C at night in July/August in Antananarivo and Andasibe). The dry season is March to October continuing into November in most areas. The east coast is best March-May and September-November, January-March is cyclone season.
The south west area is hot, dry and semi-arid. March-April is the best time for flowers and reptiles. November (spring) is generally the best time for wildlife and birds, but lemurs can be viewed all year round. Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable.
Altutude
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- Antananarivo : 1300m
- Ankanin’ny Nofy : maximum 1200m
- Andasibe : 964m
- Morondava : 22m maximum and an average altitude above sea level of 6m
- Kirindy : 100m
- Antsirabe : 1500m
- Ranomafana : 876m
Equipment
HT Agency Tours offers torches for nocturnal wildlife walks, a water bottle. Please bring camera film (and spare batteries), binoculars and a beach towel and swimwear. Rain proof pants are very handy for walks in the rainforest. Walking poles maybe useful in Ranomafana NP and Andasibe NP.
What to wear?
Lightweight walking bootshoes and trainers is recommended. Clothing should be lightweight, but a warm sweater or jacket is advisable as nights at altitude and under desert conditions can be very cold, even in summer and especially in July to September. Rainwear is highly recommended on all tours for the occasional shower. Warmer layers will be required during the winter months.
Visa and Passport
Madagascar: An entry visa is required by USA citizens and can be obtained on arrival. The visa is chargeable at 40USD and issued for 30 days. The visa fee is payable in USD or Euro and we advise to take small denominations and a little extra as the USD amount is calculated daily by the applicable rate of exchange. Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate. For a single-entry tourist visa, you can apply via the e-visa website: https://evisamada.gov.mg/en/
Important
You will need to print a copy of your evisa approval letter and present this with your passport at immigration upon your arrival. The approval letter will take a minimum of 3 days to be processed so we strongly advise for you to apply within plenty of time (maximum of 6 months prior to your arrival) before your departure. You will be permitted to stay within Madagascar for a maximum of up to 90 days and we strongly recommend for you to read the FAQ section on the e-visa website before applying.
Insurance
It is a condition of booking with HT Agency Tours that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities.
Policy
Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses and emergency repatriation to your home country. Please ensure your policy includes medical emergency helicopter evacuation in the event of illness or injury and covers the entire duration of your holiday. If you are trekking at altitude, please ensure that there is no upper altitude limit which may limit or exclude cover for your trip.
Vaccinations
Nothing compulsory, but we recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A plus, Polio and diptheria. Please note that all travellers aged over 9 months old that have travelled from or have transit via a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission, will need to present a Yellow Fever certificate at immigration/borders in Madagascar for inspection. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria.
We recommend
Following the advice given by the Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we strongly recommend the wearing long sleeved shirts and the liberal application of insect repellent as a precautionary measure to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. These precautions should be taken at all times as the mosquitoes are also active during daylight hours. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure.
Food and drink
The costs of meals may vary according to the location, type of restaurant and number of courses eaten and so the prices given below are just an average guide. Local restaurants located off the beaten track may be less expensive, whereas an upmarket restaurant located in the center of a major city may charge more:
- Lunch price: 10 USD
- Dinner price: 17 USD
- Beer price: 2 USD
- Watter price: 1 USD
