THE GREEN EAST

Day 1 : Arrival in Tana 

Arrival in Tana, meet and greet at the airport then transfer to your hotel.

Our reps will meet you at your hotel to hand you all your travel documents and to make a briefing for the whole tours.

ANTANANARIVO  :

Antananarivo means “City of thousands”. Its story began 500 years ago, the king Andrianjaka sent over 1000 soldiers to cut the forest and to conquer the land. Then the great King Andrianampoinimerina, attracted by the beauty of the city, decided to build a palace there, which became later his successor's main palace.

From here the same king started to unify the different kingdoms of the island.  During King Radama's reign  Antananarivo became the capital of all Madagascar. .

Antananarivo is build on 3 levels : the high city where the queen's palace is situated, the first area occupied during the royal period, then the mid-city, the administrative area where all the better boutiques of the capital are found, then the low city which is the commercial area of the town.
                       
Overnight : Gassy Country House BB

Day 2 : Antananarivo - Andasibe 

3 to 4 hours’ drive to Andasibe, through the green landscape of the east. This step brings us to the humid part of the country with many primary forest and lakes.

On the way, we stop in Pyereras Reptiles park to see farmed chameleons and other species of reptiles. On a walk inside the forest, we can spot 2 species of lemurs: the sifaka “coquereli” and the brown lemurs “fulvus”.

Overnight : Vakona Forest Lodge BB

Day 3 : Andasibe

Morning hike in Mantadia National Park, 17 km from Andasibe. Created in 1989, it has the same climate and altitude but much larger than Andasibe. Due to its difficult access, it is less visited than Andasibe thus wilder and denser. Both parts belonged to the same humid forest. The primary forests of Andasibe-Mantadia contain a dense humid forest covered with lians, moss, and fern tress. 120 orchid’s species are blooming between September and January. 1200 plants almost unique to the island have been recorded.

Another common plants growing here are pandanus, ravinala palm-tree, tambourissa, bamboos and some precious wood, like Palissandre and rosewood. On the way back, we stop and visit the private park of Vakona in the “islands of lemurs” which the best spot to take photo of lemurs, then visit of Analamazaotra Andasibe National Park.

Mantadia :

A large number of animal diversity has been recorded: 17 mammal species, 117 birds species, (many of them endemic, like the Madagascar yellow brow, Madagascar baza, Madagascar wagtail or the Madagascar serpent-eagle), 51 species of reptiles, among them the biggest chameleon of the island, the boa a and many leaf-tailed geckos, 84 species of amphibians.

Apart from the Indri, another lemur species inhabits these forests, such as woody lemur, grey bamboo lemur, diademed sifaka, brown lemur, red mouse-lemur, red-bellied lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and even aye-aye..

We end the day by a visit to Andasibe village, a typical Betsimisaraka (The-Many-inseparable) village, the second largest tribe and live; they cultivate rice and work on wood and forest exploitation. 

Overnight : Vakona Forest Lodge BB

Day 4 : Andasibe - Ankanin'ny Nofy

3 to 4 hours morning exploration of the Special Reserve of Andasibe, to see the Indri Indri the biggest lemurs of the island. This 810-ha reserve is a unique with endemic fauna and flora. It contains a wide variety of orchids, canopy, animals like chameleons, tenrecs, and many birds.

Afterwards, 3 hours’ drive to Manambato. Stop and visit the town of Brickaville, an old colonial city known for its sugar cane plantation. Then continuation on a dirt track to Manambato where we take a 1-hour boat transfer to Akanin’ ny nofy. We cross the Rasoabe Lake then the Pangalanes channel built during the colonisation period for commercial use. We can admire many birds along the luxuriant vegetation of the east.

Arrival in the afternoon. Ankanin’ny Nofy means nest of the dreams. Surrounded by a huge and blue lake, this is the ideal place for rest and to be in contact direct with nature, on arrival, settlement in the lodge, By 05.30 pm, we take a 30 minutes boat across the Ampitabe Lake and visit the “aye aye” island, a newly created park to protect the endangered lemurs “aye aye”. This 1-hour visit enables us to see very closely these unique and seldom seen lemurs in its natural habitat. 

Overnight : Palmarium Hotel BB

Day 5 : Ankanin'ny Nofy

For the bird-watchers, an early morning expedition to spot endemic birds around the area is available. Then after breakfast, you’ll have another hike to explore « PALMARIUM” private park which is home to 7species of lemurs, with “ Indri Indri” as a highlight, many species of reptiles and birds. Flora is also very rich with its garden of palm trees, orchids and the famous vanilla. Since the bungalows are situated inside the park, guests will be permanently in contact with lemurs.

Overnight : Palmarium Hotel BB

Day 6 : Ankanin'ny Nofy – Mahambo

Early departure for 2 to 3 hours journey by boat along the Pangalanes channel. We will  enjoy the life of the people living along the channel with their Bamboo pirogue.

Arrival in Tamatave, we'll have a short city tours and discover the main harbour and the second most important city of Madagascar. Afterwards, we head northwards and have 3 hours' drive to Mahambo 70 km from Tamatave along the beautiful coastal road. We are in the most luxuriant and humid region of the island with the highest rainfall and humidity in the country. 

Overnight : La Pirogue DBB

Day 7 : Mahambo - Sainte Marie 

Early departure for 2 Hours boat transfer Sainte Marie. The sea is rather calm in the morning that is why all the transfers should be done only in the morning.Upon arrival in Ambodifototra, the capital of Sainte Marie, a driver will transfer you to Hotel where you overnight.

Overnight : Princesse Bora Lodge DBB

Day 8 – 9 : Sainte Marie 

Sainte-Marie is a small island situated in the on the east of Tamatave. It is used to be the home of pirates during the 16th century. The queen of the island was even married to one of them. Dotted with nice beach, wonderful creeks, Sainte-Marie is most frequented place by tourists. It is for those looking for tranquillity and beauty, a place where we can watch the dancing of whales from July to October.

A tropical isle with luxuriant vegetation, Sainte - Marie is also a nice place for walk or for cycling, snorkelling and diving. There are also interesting sights around Ambodifotatra and the Baie des Forbans, in the town there is also a Catholic church built in 1837, the Pirates’ Cemetery which marked the European passage in the island. The population is admired for their kindness and hospitality. Night at the same hotel. 

Overnight : Princesse Bora Lodge DBB

Day 10 : Sainte Marie - Antananarivo

Transfer to the airport for the flight back to Tana, On arrival transfer and night in hotel.

Overnight : San Cristobal BB

Day 11 : Sainte Marie - Antananarivo

Transfer to the airport for the international flight back home.

End of our services.