This program was custom designed to introduce you to the unique flora, fauna, and culture of Madagascar.
This itinerary is subject to change. Travel demands flexibility. We will strive to balance adaptability with remaining on schedule. Please trust that, when it is not possible to follow the plan laid out below, your program leaders will work to find substitutions that retain the quality of this Study Travel program. Various details may be added or changed due to information obtained while making reservations, or perhaps on site, especially because of the weather. Included meals are listed as BLD.
Friday, Oct 6 Depart USA
Departures on individual bookings from your home town.
Saturday, Oct 7 Antananarivo Relais Des Plateaux
Arrive in Antananarivo, Madagascar, most likely on a late night flight. You’ll be met by a local guide for transfer to the hotel. Room type – Classic
Sunday, Oct 8 Antananarivo Relais Des Plateaux (BLD)
Morning free to recover at your own pace from a long couple of travel days. After lunch and an orientation, receive an overview Madagascar’s political, economic, and diverse environments as well as the cultural heart of its people. Group welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Monday, Oct 9 Andasibe Vakona Forest Lodge (BLD)
After breakfast, drive to Andasibe. Check in at the hotel and then set out to visit Lemur Island, established by Vakona Lodge to provide sanctuary for displaced lemurs that were former pets and not suited for reintroduction into the wild. The lemurs are isolated on the island and accustomed to human visitors, which offers guests the unique opportunity to interact and be photographed with them. Group dinner overlooking the Madagascan rainforest. Room type – Bungalow
Tuesday, Oct 10 Andasibe Vakona Forest Lodge (BLD)
Rise early for breakfast and a full–day exploration of the Analamazaotra Reserve in Andasibe–Mantadia National Park. The primary forests of Andasibe–Mantadia contain a dense humid forest covered with lianas, moss, fern trees, and more than 100 orchids species. Other common plants growing here are Pandanus utilis, traveler’s tree, tambourissa, bamboos and some precious wood, like palisander and ebano. Conservation of the forest is a critical challenge in this region due to the graphite mines inside the park; we will discuss conservation initiatives as they relate to natural resources. Later today, take an evening walk in the Mitsinjo Analamazaotra Forest Station, a community–managed protected area, to look for nocturnal species of lemurs and tree frogs such as the locally endemic Goodman’s mouse lemur, furry–eared dwarf lemur, hairy–eared dwarf lemur, leaf–tailed geckos, as well as tree frogs Boophis viridis and Boophis pyrrhus.
Wednesday, Oct 11 Andasibe Vakona Forest Lodge (BLD)
This morning, have breakfast while listening to the peculiar call of the endangered Indri Indri, the largest living lemurs (some reach up to three feet tall). Andasibe–Mantadia National Park is an ideal place to observe the Indri, as there are some Indri families there who have been habituated to humans. Considered a sacred animal in Madagascar, the Indri is the focus of several myths. In addition to the Indri, 13 lemur species can also be seen at Andasibe–Mantadia: woody lemur, grey bamboo lemur, diademed sifaka, brown lemur, red mouse lemur, red–bellied lemur, black–and–white ruffed lemur, and aye–aye. These forests are also home to 15 other mammal species, more than 100 types of birds, 50 species of reptiles, and 80 amphibian species.
Thursday, Oct 12 Antananarivo Royal Palissandre (BLD)
This morning have breakfast, check out of the hotel, and then transfer back to Antananarivo. Group lunch at a local restaurant and group dinner at the hotel. Room type – Standard
Friday, Oct 13 Antsirabe Guesthouse Madalief (BLD)
After breakfast begin the drive to Antsirabe. En route, visit the small town of Ambatolampy and its aluminum pot factory for a glimpse into this Madagascan industry. Though this factory is small–scale, one craftsman can still make as many as 20 of these robust pots per day. Visit the local market to hear about the seasonality of foods available and how commerce works here. Have lunch at the Rendezvous des pêcheurs in town and then continue to Antsirabe. After checking in, group dinner at the hotel. This evening we’ll hear from a Madalief Foundation representative on social work and projects. Room type – Standard
Saturday, Oct 14 Ranomofana National Park Setam Lodge (BLD)
After breakfast, transfer to the mountainous Ranomafana National Park, situated on the edge of Madagascar’s High Plateau with elevations ranging from 1,640 to 4,921 feet. Ranomafana contains a variety of forest and is part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana World Heritage Site. It has served as a model for subsequent parks and reserves in Madagascar and abroad. En route, stop in Ambositra to visit a local workshop and discuss local commerce in rural Madagascar. Check in at the lodge and have dinner. This evening take a walk along the road bordering the national park in search of nocturnal species like chameleons and mouse lemurs. Room type – Standard
Sunday, Oct 15 Ranomofana National Park Setam Lodge (BLD)
After breakfast, hike in the 102,000–acre Ranomafana National Park. Please note that hikes are moderately difficult and uphill on the way in, and often include off–trail experiences. The pace will be based on the physical ability of the participants. Ranomafana’s rainforest is home to the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur, golden bamboo lemur, and 11 other lemur species, plus species of precious wood, palm trees, orchids, and carnivorous plants. Have lunch at Centre ValBio (CVB), a world–famous research station established in 2003 and managed by Stony Brook University. Run by Dr. Patricia Wright, the accomplished American primatologist and conservationist, the CVB focuses on biodiversity, community health, environmental arts, and reforestation. After lunch, receive a presentation on the flora, fauna, and research efforts at ValBio. Then, visit the local market in Ranomofana. Next, visit Tanala village, where we’ll spend time with the king of this tribe, as well as sing and dance with villagers. Group dinner at the hotel.
Monday, Oct 16 Isalo National Park Le Relais de la Reine (BLD)
After breakfast, begin the journey to the Great South and Madagascar’s most–visited park: Isalo. The day’s drive is along some of the best roads in the country and the scenery is breathtaking. En route, stop at Anja Community Reserve, a 30–hectare forest managed by the local community, and a vital example of sustainable tourism in Madagascar. The reserve boasts a diverse variety of endemic species, including several families of orchids and saxicolous plants. The target here is the ring–tailed lemur. Group lunch in a nearby restaurant, then continue the journey to Isalo. After a long day of driving, check in to the hotel, have dinner, and rest in anticipation of Isalo and its beautiful landscapes of sandstone canyons, fauna and flora, natural swimming pools, and waterfalls. Room type – Standard
Tuesday, Oct 17 Isalo National Park Le Relais de la Reine (BLD)
Spend the day exploring Isalo National Park, a continental sandstone plateau dating to Jurassic times. This trek is across varied landscapes with different forms of sandstones, dotted with the famous dwarf baobab. After an hour walk with short climbs, stop to rest in a spectacular valley with beautiful views. The overlook shows miles of azure sky, rocky desert, and winding greenery. Trek to a white–sand natural pool for a swim, then hike back to the starting point. Transfer back to the hotel for a sundowner, then dinner.
Wednesday, Oct 18 Ifaty Le Paradisier (BLD)
This morning, continue the final leg southward. Stop at Antsokay Arboretum, a 100–acre site created in 1980 by amateur Swiss biologist Hermann Petignat and dedicated to conservation of the country’s endemic flora. Continue to the seaside town of Toliara, situated near the Tropic of Capricorn. Room type – Bungalow
Thursday, Oct 19 Ifaty Le Paradisier (BLD)
Rise early for a special sunrise walk in Reniala Private Reserve, managed by a local environmental association working to develop ecotourism in the area. Hike some of the trails to explore the spiny forest, a unique ecosystem which only occurs in the southwest Madagascar. The reserve contains more than 2000 plant species, as well as impressively old baobabs – including one that is 41 feet in diameter. There are also 65 species of birds; rare endemics such as the Red–capped Coua and the Blue Vanga can easily be seen. Return to the hotel for a late breakfast, and explore the beach or hotel amenities. Group “farewell” dinner under the baobab trees.
Friday, Oct 20 Antananarivo Relais Des Plateaux (BLD)
Transfer to the airport for the flight back to Antananarivo. Group dinner at the hotel. Room type – Classic
Saturday, Oct 21 Depart Relais Des Plateaux Day Room (BL)
Today explore the city during a drive to Ambohimanga Royal Hill, a hilltop fortress and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the palace dwellings and heritage of Madagascar, then head to lunch at an open–air restaurant. The traditional meal will also be accompanied by the singing and dancing of a local dance troupe. Return to the hotel for dinner on your own and time to pack. This evening transfer to the airport for your flight back to the U.S.
Sunday, Oct 22 U.S. Arrival
Arrive back in the U.S. Welcome home!