Discovery · Family or group
Dreams of the Wild North and Turquoise Lagoons
Head for the wild north: a boat crossing from Nosy Be, the tsingy and caves of Ankarana, the colourful pinnacles of the Red Tsingy, the rainforest of Amber Mountain, then the white sands and crystal-clear waters of the Three Bays.
- 7 days
- North
- Quote within 48 h
At a glance
Trip highlights
- The boat crossing from Nosy Be to Ankify, on the mainland
- Ambanja, the land of cocoa prized by the great master chocolatiers
- The tsingy, caves, lakes and canyons of Ankarana National Park, on trails to suit your fitness
- The strikingly coloured pinnacles of the Red Tsingy
- The rainforest of Amber Mountain, with its lemurs, birds and reptiles
- The white sands and crystal-clear waters of Diego Suarez’s Three Bays
- The old town of Antananarivo, the City of the Thousand
Your route
- Antananarivo
- Nosy Be
- Ambanja
- Ankarana
- Red Tsingy
- Amber Mountain
- Three Bays
- Antananarivo
Domestic flights, a vehicle with a driver-guide and a boat crossing between Nosy Be and Ankify.
Day by day
The itinerary
A 7-day itinerary that can be fully tailored: every stage can be adapted to your pace and wishes.
Day 01
Arrival in Antananarivo
International flight
Welcome to Madagascar! You are met on arrival at Antananarivo airport and transferred to the hotel.
Overnight at your hotel near the airport
Day 02
Antananarivo – Nosy Be
Domestic flight
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Nosy Be, the first stop on your journey through the north.
Overnight in Nosy Be
Nosy Be
Day 03
Nosy Be – Ankify – Ankarana
245 km, about 3.5 hours by road
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, the morning is yours to relax at the hotel. Then it’s off to the pier: a boat crossing of about an hour brings us to Ankify, on the mainland.
The road first passes through Ambanja, the land of chocolate, or rather of cocoa: this is where the world’s great master chocolatiers come to find what they need to elevate their creations and delight your palate. After lunch on site, at your own expense, we continue to Ankarana National Park, arriving in the late afternoon.
Check-in and overnight at Ankarana
Day 04
Ankarana – Red Tsingy – Amber Mountain
120 km, about 3 hours by road
After a hearty breakfast, we set off early for Ankarana National Park, entering at 7 am. Whatever your fitness level (beginner, keen walker, trail runner…), a choice of walks and trails awaits you at the park entrance, taking in tsingy, caves, lakes and canyons.
Following a picnic lunch at your own expense, we take the road to Joffreville, with a detour to the Red Tsingy, 63 km from Diego Suarez on the RN 6. Recently developed for visitors, the site stands apart from other tsingy for its geology and striking colours: erosion, a mix of different oxides and the passage of time have sculpted its unusual pinnacles.
We then continue to Joffreville (Ambohitra), named after Joseph Joffre, who founded it in 1903 while serving as colonel in charge of the Diego Suarez region. We reach Amber Mountain in the late afternoon.
- Tsingy: Meva, Rary, the Tsingy turrets and the Grand Tsingy de Benavony
- Caves: the Bat, Skeleton, Antsironandoha, Milaintety and Potamochères caves
- Andrafiabe Cave and the Cathedral
- Caves and lakes: Crocodile Cave and Lake Ampandriamborona, Pigeon Cave and Lake Mangily
- Rivers, lake and canyon: Perte des Rivières, Lac Vert, Rivière Verte and the first canyon
- Ambohimalaza viewpoint
Red Tsingy
Day 05
Amber Mountain National Park – Three Bays
110 km, about 3 hours by road
After breakfast, the walk begins at 7.30 am in Amber Mountain National Park, which is also a special reserve. Its dense rainforest, relatively easy to reach, packs remarkable biodiversity and a very high level of endemism into a small area.
Here you will find precious woods such as Dalbergia chlorocarpa and Canarium madagascariense, members of the olive family including Olea ambrensis, and abundant wildlife: seven species of lemur (two nocturnal and five diurnal), 75 bird species and 59 reptile species.
A wide range of walks and trails is on offer, to suit your interests and fitness. We then leave the park for lunch at your own expense, before taking the road to the Three Bays.
Amber Mountain
Day 06
Diego Suarez – Antananarivo
Domestic flight
A last morning in the north, devoted to the Three Bays. On the east coast of Diego Suarez, Sakalava Bay, Dunes Bay and Pigeons Bay follow one another in a string of white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water, perfect for swimming.
Transfer to the airport and flight back to Antananarivo, where you are met and taken to your hotel. Lunch today is at your own expense.
Overnight at your hotel near the airport
Day 07
Antananarivo – flight home
International flight
After breakfast, a vehicle is at your disposal for an orientation tour of the City of the Thousand: we make the most of the day to explore the old town. Lunch at your own expense.
Transfer to the airport and flight home. End of our services.
Antananarivo
Clear and simple
What the price includes
The price includes
- The vehicle
- Fuel
- Driver-guide
- Guide and driver allowances
- Accommodation for the guide and driver
- Transfers as mentioned in the programme
- Sea transfers
- Sightseeing as mentioned in the programme
- Half-board meals (breakfast and dinner), as mentioned in the programme
- Park and reserve entrance fees
- Local guides in parks and reserves
The price does not include
- Activities marked “possibility of”
- Lunches
- Activities not mentioned in the programme
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Domestic and international flights
- Insurance
Good to know BEMIRAY Tours’ insurance does not cover clients for repatriation or illness.
Ready to go?
Dreams of the Wild North and Turquoise Lagoons
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