Madagascar rainforest & island escape

On arrival at Antananarivo’s Ivato Airport, you’re met by your private driver and driven to your hotel. Depending on traffic and the location of your hotel, this can take up to an hour and a half. You have the rest of the day to relax at your lodgings or, depending on your arrival time, explore the city’s historic old town and vibrant markets with a guide.

This morning, your driver-guide will meet you from your hotel and drive you for around four hours through the Malagasy countryside to Andasibe National Park on the edge of the rainforest. A great option during your stay here is to take an evening guided walk, watching out for nocturnal animals such as tiny mouse lemurs and greater dwarf lemurs, whose eyes can be seen illuminated by your guide’s flashlight.

You have all day to explore the rainforest on foot with your private guide, searching for the various lemur species found in the area. This includes indri, the largest lemur species, which has a distinctive, haunting cry you can sometimes hear as you hike through the forest. You may also see grey bamboo, brown and woolly lemurs among the vegetation, as well as numerous reptile species such as the nose-horned chameleon, and vivid bird species like blue and red-fronted coucals. Your guide will help spot and identify the wildlife you encounter and tell you more about each species.

Today you’re driven for around 45 minutes into Mantadia National Park, whose beautiful, untouched forest provides a home for even more lemur species, including diademed sifakas, black and white ruffed lemurs and the elusive aye-aye, which is notoriously difficult to spot and only comes out at night. Make sure you wear good walking shoes as the hiking trails here can be a little more difficult.

This morning you might like to head to Lemur Island, where you can get up close to a number of habituated lemur species, including ringtail and indri. While the lemurs here aren’t wild, a visit gives you a wonderful opportunity to see these incredible animals at close quarters. In the afternoon, take the four-hour drive back to Antananarivo. You can explore more of the city with your driver-guide or relax at your hotel.

Your private driver will collect you from your hotel this morning to take you back to Ivato Airport — a journey of up to an hour and a half, depending on traffic. From here, you take the hour-long flight over to Île Sainte-Marie. Depending on the weather, you may reach your hotel by traditional zebu cart, which takes around 15 minutes, or take a five to ten-minute journey in a 4×4. On arrival, spend the rest of the afternoon and evening relaxing at your lodge among idyllic surroundings. You could head to the beach, do a spot of snorkelling or simply unwind with a cocktail.

Spend your days on Île Sainte-Marie snorkeling or diving among vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life, from damselfish to whale sharks. If visiting between June and September, spot humpback whales from the shore or join a research boat for a closer view. Explore the island’s charming capital, Ambodifotatra, where you can wander through local markets, visit the historic Catholic Cathedral, and soak up the laid-back island atmosphere.

Today you’re met by your private driver for the 10- to 15-minute trip back to the airport. The flight back to Antananarivo takes around an hour. If necessary you will have the use of a day room in a city hotel before your onward flight.