Northern Madagascar with Andasibe reserve & Nosy be

DAY 1: ANTANANARIVO
Upon arrival at Antananarivo. Meet and greet after the formalities and afterwards transfer to the hotel which is situated near the airport (about 10 minutes from the airport). Overnight at Le Louvre Hotel & Spa on bed and breakfast basis.

DAY 2: ANDASIBE
After breakfast at your hotel, you will depart eastward to Andasibe or Perinet, the French name during the colonisation, driving through the typical landscape of the highlands characterised by the rice fields and typical houses made by the red soil and the eastern secondary rainforest. Stop enroute at the popular Peyrieras Nature Farm, a private reptile and insects reserve, which offers a good introduction to the fauna of Madagascar; including varieties of chameleons, iguanas, geckos, frogs, amphibians, and butterflies. The adjacent forest area supports families of relocated and habituated common brown lemurs. Option  Lunch will be enjoyed in the historical city of Moramanga, one of the hot places during the Rebellion in 1947, this is also the capital of the Bezanozano people. Continue to your hotel, located near Andasibe National Park. Enjoy a night walk where you will spot nocturnal species such as the chameleon and mouse lemurs. Overnight  at Mantadia Lodge 

DAY 3: ANDASIBE
On this day, visit Analamazaotra Special Reserve, which is part of Andasibe National Park. This reserve is home to the Indri Indri, the largest living lemur, their inquisitive black and white faces can be seen from a short distance, but only in the wild. However, many legends link the Indri to humans; its Malagasy name “Babakoto” says that the Indri Indri is the father of the boy named “Koto”, who was saved by the Indri when he was in danger in the forest. The Indri are not the only reason to venture into the forest because there are other fauna as well as other lemur species such as the common brown lemur, grey bamboo lemur and the eastern woolly lemur. Birds, orchids, reptiles and amphibians lovers will all discover unique species to satisfy their curiosity.  In option Lunch at Feon’ny Ala Hotel restaurant, located on the edge of Andasibe National Park, which offers excellent local food. In the afternoon you will enjoy a visit to the private reserve at Vakona Forest Lodges and you will have experience with the lemurs, the spot is an exceptional park with its island of lemurs and crocodiles. Overnight  at Mantadia Lodge

DAY 4: ANTANANARIVO
After breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day at leisure until departure. Later drive back to Antananarivo. Overnight at Au Bois Vert Lodge on bed and breakfast.

DAY 5: ANTSIRANANA
Today after breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport and fly to Diego Suarez or Antsiranana, the capital of the North with its cosmopolitan people. Upon arrival, meet and transfer to your hotel which is situated in the town, after about 30 minutes of driving through the tree-lined street you are in the town. In the afternoon, a city tour in the capital of the Antakarana tribe which is a town reputed for the beauty of its bays, considered the second largest bay in the world after Rio de Janeiro and a member of the Association of the World’s Most beautiful bays. The tour will be done by Renault 4, a French car 4L, a sensational time to discover the colonial city with its colonnaded houses, and the view of the sugar loaf. Overnight at Allamanda Hotel on a half-board basis.

DAY 6: ANTSIRANANA
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a day excursion to the Bays of Diego Suarez with a picnic lunch. Drive to Ramena through the French Mountain which is the remnant of its military history, and stop to take pictures of the endemic baobab “Adansoniasuareziensis” and other xerophytic plants. By 4x4 car you discover the white desert sand bordered by Filaos. The Sakalava Bay is well known for water sports such as kite surfing. Back to the hotel in the afternoon. Overnight at Allamanda Hotel on a half-board basis

DAY 7: JOFFREVILLE
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then drive to the southwest to Joffre Ville to discover the Amber Mountain National Park, the oldest park of Madagascar and the water source of all areas in the surroundings. It is located about 30 km away from Diego, a volcanic mountain- range which extends from 850 to 1474 meters high. It is covered with thick wet forest, concealing several small crater lakes, hidden by exuberant vegetation, this place is very rich in fauna and flora; the visitors could find several attractions: a wide range of reptiles, endemic plants of the botanical trails, numerous spectacular waterfalls, crater -lakes can be easily observed. Overnight at The Litchi Tree or Nature Lodge on a half-board basis.

DAY 8: ANKARANA RESERVE
Breakfast and check-out from the hotel. Afterwards drive southward to Ankarana on RN 6 with a detour in Irodo to visit of the Red Tsingy, a spectacular landscape with its red colour and green vegetation growing at the edge of the mountain. Arrive in Mahamasina, the eastern entrance to the Ankarana reserve, then discover the amazing Tsingy limestone karst pinnacles and learn their geological formation. Possibility of spotting lemurs, birds, and different species of reptiles. The massif is penetrated by numerous caves and canyons. Overnight at Ankarana Lodge on a half-board basis.

DAY 9: ANKARANA RESERVE
After the breakfast drive to the park and continuation of the walking guided tour through the dry deciduous forest, stop at the nice spot to have a wonderful view of the Tsingy or Tsingy Rary. THE”WOW” factor is your time on the hanging bridge. Overnight at Ankarana Lodge on a half-board basis.

DAY 10: NOSY BE
After breakfast, continue by car to Ankify, and drive through the dramatic landscapes: rice fields, raffia and Ravinala forest (traveller’s trees), coffee trees, cocoa and ylang-ylang plantation. Transfer by speed boat to Nosy be which takes about 45 minutes. Arrival in Nosy Be then transfer by car to your hotel from Hell Ville port, through the road bordered by  Terminalia trees, mango trees or sugar cane plantations and through Dzamandzar village, one of the largest villages in Nosy Be. After 30 minutes transfer you reach Bemoko village situated on the northwest of the island. Overnight at Ravintsara Wellness Hotel on a half-board basis

DAY 11: NOSY BE
On this day, enjoy a day excursion to Nosy Komba and Tanikely islands including lunch. Later head back to the hotel in the afternoon. Nosy Komba is a mountainous small island between Nosy Be and the mainland, the most visited island on account of its half-tamed lemurs which are willing to eat bananas in the visitor's hand. Visit the Fisher Village and its handcrafts market well known for its embroidery. Nosy Tanikely: a neighbour small island of Nosy Komba, a national submarine reserve protected for ages, the island at the sea bottom, a real Scuba-diving area where the amateurs can admire a multicoloured life sight of coral reefs and coloured fishes. Overnight at Ravintsara Wellness Hotel on a half-board basis.

DAY 12: NOSY BE
Day free at leisure. Optional visit of the island by car to discover Mont Passot, the highest point of view and Andilana Beach the most beautiful beach on the island. Overnight at Ravintsara Wellness Hotel on a half-board basis.

DAY 13: ANTANANARIVO
After breakfast at the hotel, Have time left to spend at leisure until departure. Later transfer to the airport for the flight to Antananarivo. Arrive at Ivato airport, meet and transfer to your hotel situated in the town. Overnight at Le Louvre Hotel & Spa on a half-board basis.

DAY 14: ANTANANARIVO
Today, enjoy a full-day visit to Antananarivo. After breakfast, depart for a city tour and then visit Ambohimanga King Palace. Antananarivo,” the city of thousands “ is well known as its upper town or Haute Ville or Old City. The old city is dominated by the numerous churches built of stone, by colonial or traditional houses with nice verandas,  by its Queen’s palace on the top of the hill overlooking the lower city or the modern city and the surrounding rice fields and lakes. The visit starts from the old city then drives down through Independence Avenue and its arcade building and ending by the main railway station. The lower town with its contrasting styles of architecture: the Carlton Hotel with its 15 stores, the modern building of the different ministries and radio station. Visit the flower market and drive around Anosy Lake which is well decorated in October thanks to the jacaranda trees and its purple flowers. 

Then drive northeastward to Ambohimanga, the sacred blue hill, the cradle of Merina Monarchy and listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Ambohimanga is an important historical place of the Malagasy people and was for a long time forbidden to Europeans. It is the home of Andrianampoinimerina who is the first King who tried to unite the different kingdoms into one country. Ambohimanga has seven gates, though some are all but lost among the thick vegetation. One of the most spectacular, through which you enter the village, is an enormous stone disc which was formerly rolled in front of the gateway each night. Overnight at Le Louvre Hotel & Spa on a half-board basis.

DAY 15: END OF ITINERARY
After breakfast at the hotel. Spend time at leisure until departure. Later transfer to the airport for a flight back home.