We invite you to explore the uniqueness of Madagascar, often called the “eighth continent,” and for good reason: the island nation, though technically belonging to Africa, defies categorization. Located in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of the African continent, Madagascar is home to dancing lemurs, landscapes studded with mighty baobab trees, and unusual reptiles and insects.

For the past 88 million years, Madagascar has been left in almost complete evolutionary isolation, resulting in unparalleled biodiversity. Scientists estimate that 80 to 90 percent of the country’s flora and fauna are unique to the island. Birders, photographers, and nature enthusiasts can seek out its many endemic species. More than a third of its recorded bird species are also endemic.

This amazing biological diversity is supported by landscapes and ecosystems that include rainforests, cloud forests, spiny forests, deserts, savannas, wetlands, karst limestone formations, beaches, and coral reefs. The rust-colored soils of the central highlands lend the country its other nickname, the “Great Red Island.” Though many areas are protected, the country’s habitats are under extreme pressure from deforestation and mining activities. Opportunities to study biodiversity, geology, sustainability and conservation are abundant.

We’ll also explore Madagascar’s human history, which is relatively recent; it’s believed humans first arrived to the island only 2,000 or so years ago. The country’s population has become a mix of the early Indonesian cultures that first settled here, as well as African, Arab, and French.

We’re also working on adding additional people-oriented, economy-based activities, and possibly staying at a hotel in Antsirabe that is rooted in local social projects. We’ll include multiple talks on developing tourism and ecological endeavors.

From the capital city of Antananarivo to the lush cloud forests of Ranomafana and the spiny forests of Berenty, we will explore the country’s rich natural and cultural heritage and learn more about this mystical and welcoming island.

This program is full; we recommend adding your name to the waitlist at no obligation.

The island is an adventurer’s and nature-lover’s dream. It’s not crowded with tourists and its isolation from the main continent means its biodiversity is unparalleled. Here are 4 more reasons to visit Madagascar now.

Lemurs!
They’re found only in Madagascar and they’re seriously adorable creatures. They’re also almost all now officially endangered, according to New Scientist.

Koba
This local cake, made of peanuts and rice flour, looks nothing like the Western desserts you’re used to.

Baobab Trees
Madagascar hosts six of the eight species of baobab trees, also known as the bottle tree and the mother of the forest. Walk among them to feel the force of nature.

The People and the Culture
The island’s inhabitants come from multiple origins and there are a variety of ethnic groups with their own sets of beliefs and ways of life.

This tour starts and ends in Antananarivo. See the most up-to-date itinerary here.

Alumni & Family Travel Director Heidi Quiram connected with Sandy Schmidt, Specialty Travel Consultant at Holbrook Travel, for insights into Holbrook’s success, past, present, and future.

Please tell us a little about Holbrook Travel: your start, what kinds of programs you offer, your values.
Such a fabulous question and one I never tire of telling. Our founder Giovanna Holbrook began her company by taking an amazing group of intrepid travelers from her community in Gainesville, FL, to the Galapagos Islands in 1974, accompanied by leading scientists of Biology and Lepidoptera. It was not long before Holbrook had a presence in the eco-tourism business long before the term was coined, and brought people to various countries in Central and South America, as well as Western and Southern Africa. The offerings have widened over the years to some of the Asian and Pacific countries, as well as Iceland and both polar regions. And our new domestic travel options are amazing! Primarily, our company has been nature oriented, even drilling down to specific birding, photography, and garden tours that have been extremely well received over the years. As well, in 1985, Giovanna saved over 500 acres in the Sarapiqui Valley from being clear cut, and developed what is now one of the most famous eco-lodges in Costa Rica – Selva Verde Lodge. She is a legend in my eyes, and many, many others throughout the world.

Always and forever, Holbrook has been a company based on a true commitment to our mission statement, our love of the places we visit and for many of us consider our second home, and the integrity and family atmosphere of our company.

Have you been able to run group trips this year and if so, to what parts of the world?
Absolutely, our tours were running until early to mid-March, the last safely coming home from Colombia and the Galapagos Islands. But it was business as usual prior to that time, with tours from Antarctica to Mexico to Costa Rica. After that it came to a halt, of course, but we’ve been very busy speaking with travel planners, setting up future tours, and hearing from our individual travelers, whom we work with as well.

What do you hope the future of travel will look like? (I.e., how might the pandemic change travel for the better?)
I truly hope and trust that people have learned lessons from this crisis, will work together to tackle climate change for the sake of the planet like never before, and appreciate every opportunity they have to visit different indigenous cultures, soak in rich laden forests, and experience breathtaking landscapes that are all new to them, and need their love and support! This can be eye-opening at any age, and so needed in this time of social and environmental unrest.

What else would you like prospective St. Olaf travelers to know?
The Holbrook family atmosphere is something that is felt by our clients in many ways, and has proven over the years to elevate our welcome into numerous circles and opportunities internationally and locally. Please visit our website to learn more about us, watch our videos and webinars — especially valuable are the videos that Giovanna Holbrook is featured if you’d like to get to know our “soul” (keep in mind her lovely daughter Andrea is our President, so that “soul” part is very much in attendance!) — and feel free to make yourself known via email or phone, and especially via St. Olaf and Heidi Quiram, who have been fabulous partners on special departures in the past to Cuba and Costa Rica; we can’t wait to have folks continue to register for the upcoming Madagascar and Monarchs in Mexico tours! And of course, we look forward to the future with our offerings for St. Olaf. Stay tuned — excitement is in the air!

Expect an adventure! We’ll experience up-close observation of the behaviors and interactions of wildlife in their native habitats.

We’ll move between cities by air-conditioned private motor coach. The highway infrastructure can be inconsistent; some roads are quite good and others are more rustic. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will be on foot. Hotels will be tourist class (three-star or higher) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.

You should plan on seeing your family physician or a travel doctor at least four to six weeks prior to departure, preferably earlier, to talk about routine vaccinations. For more information on travel health, visit cdc.gov or who.int.

UPDATED COVID INFORMATION

St. Olaf recommends you be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including any recommended boosters for your age or health group, before departure. You should plan on seeing your family physician or a travel doctor at least four to six weeks prior to departure, preferably earlier, to talk about recommended vaccinations for this destination. For more information on travel health, visit cdc.gov or who.int.

Masks may continue to be recommended or required in certain spaces, so you should be sure to pack a few quality masks like N95 or KN95.

The travel insurance included with your program fee covers illness overseas, including covid. You can read more, including the full FAQ and a Summary document, on our Travel Insurance page.

Inclusions and exclusions vary from program to program. Please read the following information carefully.

The program fee is $7,511 per person. Based on double occupancy, the fee will include a Full-time tour manager/national guide • Discussions led by naturalists • Accommodations, meals, entrance fees, and activities listed in itinerary  • Private vehicle transportation except airport transfers in your home town  • Non-alcoholic beverages with meals  •  Internal flights • All tips/gratuities • Bottled water on the bus • Carbon offset • Departure tax • some limited medical coverage while overseas. A supplement of $950 applies for single occupancy.

Exclusions: Airfare to and from Madagascar is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the program fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: Airfare between your home town and Madagascar • Airport transfers in your home town • Required tourist entry visa • Any passport fees • Any recommended immunizations or vaccinations • Baggage insurance • Trip cancellation insurance above $2,000 lifetime coverage • Non-alcoholic beverages at group meals Housekeeping tips • Porter tips, if you choose to engage them at hotels • Laundry • Dry cleaning • Phone charges • Room service or other items of a personal nature • Expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities • Meals not specifically included on program itinerary • Items not specifically listed above as included.

This schedule is based on payments St. Olaf College must make to program vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the program.

Because of ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it is possible that a program could be postponed. In such a case, while we will strive to make full refunds when we can, there are certain expenses that may not be refunded to either St. Olaf or the participant.

Deposit due:                  $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:  $200 until January 14, 2023. If the deposit is made after January 14, 2023 there is no refund.

Interim payment due:   $4,000 by January 15, 2023
Refund if you cancel:    $2,000 until June 14, 2023

Final payment due:        June 15, 2023
Refund if you cancel:    None, unless the program is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

See the partial travel insurance included with your program fee.

Make a Payment

Complete the Traveler Information Form

Read the Release and Waiver and Terms and Conditions

Review the latest information on recommended immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Check your passport. A visa is required and may be purchased at the port of entry for stays of less than three months. Visas may be purchased with U.S. dollars, euros, or Malagasy ariary; credit cards are not accepted. Make sure you have a blank visa page and that your passport is valid for at least 6 months’ validity past the program return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. Department of State for instructions.

Prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.

Book your flights: this program is an official GO. We strongly recommend you consider adding flight cancellation insurance to that purchase. I received this helpful information from our tour operator, Holbrook:

“The program is designed to accommodate the Air France flights from Paris. Service to Madagascar is limited but if a participant uses a different carrier with arrival earlier in the day on 07OCT that can be accommodated.  On the return if the flight departs during the day they will either miss activities on 21OCT or need to stay overnight and depart during the day on 22OCT arriving home on the 23OCT. The other carrier that is primarily used is Ethiopian via Addis Ababa. Hopefully, by the time of your trip there will be other options as well but for now these are the primary choices.

This is the current Air France schedule.  Note that this flight does not operate daily.

Air France Flight Number AF0934
From: Paris Charles De Gaulle, Paris (CDG), France – Aerogare 2 Terminal E
Leaving: Sat 07 Oct 10:10 AM
Destination: Ivato Int, Antananarivo (TNR), Madagascar
Arriving: Sat 07 Oct 9:40 PM

Air France Flight Number AF0935
From: Ivato Int, Antananarivo (TNR), Madagascar
Leaving: Sat 21 Oct 11:55 PM
Destination: Paris Charles De Gaulle, Paris (CDG), France – Aerogare 2 Terminal E
Arriving: Sun 22 Oct 9:55 AM

Note also that only the flight legs between Madagascar and Paris are listed above for informational purposes, but you’ll need to purchase all your flights between your hometown and Madagascar.