The Jungle-Beach vacation – 12 days

A trip combining an exploration of the Malagasy jungles and its wonderful beaches both by the Mozambique Channel in the East or the Indian Ocean side in the east. This is a flexible and customizable trip.

You will start by a wildlife safari at Andasibe-Périnet – a compulsory stage for all wildlife lovers. It is an exploratory journey inside this biodiversity hotspot. You will encounter several species of endemic animals including the largest of all lemurs called Indri.

Then, you will get deeper in into the equatorial primary rainforest and three marine reserves of the Masoala region. This is the largest protected area of Madagascar and one of the top five hotspots for biodiversity in the world. This rich but fragile marine and terrestrial ecosystem is worth a real exploration.

Masoala National Park is almost the heart of the Malagasy rainforest and classified a world heritage by the UNESCO.

One should also know that Masoala itself has an extraordinary beach at the Marine Reserve of Tampolo. A real unspoilt and turquoise sea surrounded by the forest at the back side and the corral reefs at the front side. One can easily spend days in the quiet part of the world.

One can chose either to stay longer at Masoala or head to the west-coast of Madagascar – where it is drier and warmer like following destinations:

Nosy Be Island – by the Mozambique Channel
Sainte Marie Island – by the Indian Ocean
Anjajavy Island – by the Mozambique Channel
Nosy Saba Island – by the Mozambique Channel

Detailed itinerary

Hiking
Canoeing
Wildlife safari
Botanical exploration
Birdwatching
Nocturnal walks
Cultural immersion
Kayaking
Snorkelling
Possibility of diving

The deep and primary rainforest of Masoala National Park and its biodiversity: lemurs, birds, reptiles and more – and its marine reserve.
The primary forest and biodiversity of Andasibe/Mantadia National Park
The dry and dense deciduous rainforest of the western coast
The landscapes of the highlands and the east slope
The seascapes of Nosy Be/Sainte Marie and/or Anjajavy
The cultural interaction with the Merina, Betsimisaraka and Antakarana tribes
The spices plantations of Nosy Be
Whale-watching in Sainte Marie, if chosen
Whale-shark watching in Nosy Be, if chosen
The marine Reserve of Nosy Be / Sainte Marie and/or Anjanjavy.

Itinerary outline

Antananarivo
Andasibe/Analamazaotra
Maroantsetra
Antananarivo
Nosy Be or Sainte Marie or Anjajavy
Antananarivo

The Jungle-Beach vacation – 12 days

Day 1 - Arrival in Antananarivo

Arrival in Antananarivo.

You will be met at the airport. Transfer to the hotel and briefing.

Day 2: Antananarivo - Andasibe

Drive eastwards to Andasibe throughout the eastern slopes.

En route, visit the reserve of Peyrieras at Mandraka.

In Andasibe, visit of VOIMMA nature reserve managed by the local community.

Night walk.

Day 3: Andasibe / Mantadia National Park

Hike at Mantadia Reserve – a primary rainforest.

Day 4 - Andasibe - Antananarivo

Hike at Analamazaotra National Park and visit of Lemurs’ Island.
Drive back to Antananarivo.

Day 5: Antananarivo - Maroantsetra

Fly to Maroantsetra. City tour and visit of vanilla workshops.
Rest of the day at leisure. Note: most boat transfers to Masoala are done only in early morning due to the state of the wind.

Day 6: Maroantsetra - Masoala

Early morning boat transfer to Masoala. Exploration of the jungle of rainforest. Rest of the day at leisure.
In the evening, night walks to spot nocturnal active animals.