Adventure · Family or group
The Authentic East: Between Forests and Shores
From the forests of Andasibe, where the indri can be seen all year round, to the shores of the Pangalanes Canal and Île Sainte-Marie: nine days discovering an authentic Madagascar of wild nature, ancestral traditions and local know-how.
- 9 days
- East & Sainte-Marie
- Quote within 48 h
At a glance
Trip highlights
- Nature and biodiversity
- Culture and ancestral traditions
- Local crafts and know-how
- Genuine encounters and immersion
- Adventure and spectacular landscapes
Your route
- Antananarivo
- Andasibe
- Pangalanes Canal
- Sainte-Marie
By 4×4 with a driver-guide and by boat on the Pangalanes Canal, then return flights between Antananarivo and Sainte-Marie (not included).
Day by day
The itinerary
A 9-day itinerary that can be fully tailored: every stage can be adapted to your pace and wishes.
Day 01
Antananarivo – Andasibe
150 km of tarmac road, about 3.5 to 4.5 hours including stops
After breakfast, your guide meets you for a briefing on the trip, then you head east on the RN2. Along the way, the landscape is dotted with ravinala (traveller’s trees), bamboo and grasses known locally as bozaka.
The first stop is Mandraka Park, a private reserve better known as Madagascar Exotic: a centre where butterflies and other animal species are bred. Allow about an hour for the visit.
The road continues to Moramanga, where you visit the Gendarmerie Museum. Founded in the 1950s and a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), it traces, through its collections, the events that shaped Madagascar’s history, particularly in the military sphere.
After lunch along the way (at your own expense), you continue to Andasibe National Park, arriving in the late afternoon to settle into your hotel.
Overnight at Andasibe Lemurs Lodge, half board
Andasibe
Day 02
Andasibe National Park
A day exploring the park, a realm of lianas and epiphytes such as orchids, mosses and ferns: more than a hundred orchid species have been recorded here. The forest is just as rich in wildlife, with 14 species of lemur, 51 species of reptile, including the famous manditra boa, and 84 species of amphibian. As for the indri (Indri indri), it can be seen all year round.
You can also visit the private Vakona Reserve for a few walks and dugout canoe trips with the centre’s local guide. Lunch is at your own expense.
Within the park, several trails are on offer to suit your fitness level, from the easiest to the most demanding.
- Rianasoa trail
- Sacred Waterfall trail
- Tsakoka trail
- Belakato trail
Overnight at Andasibe Lemurs Lodge, half board
Andasibe
Day 03
Andasibe – Manambato – Pangalanes Canal
After breakfast, you set off again with your guide for the banks of the Pangalanes Canal, by way of Manambato, our boarding point. This network of waterways stretches for several hundred kilometres.
The day includes a stroll through a fishing village down to the river mouth, with the option of a swim and a taste of local specialities. Lunch is at your own expense.
Next, you explore the private Palmarium Reserve, at a place called Ankanin’ny Nofy, the “nest of dreams”. It covers 50 hectares between Lake Ampitabe and the Indian Ocean, along the canal. Some ten lemur species roam freely here, including the indri, sifakas, the crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus) and the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata).
Rare and endemic wildlife, both ground-dwelling and arboreal, lives alongside magnificent flora: orchids, carnivorous plants, ebony and mahogany trees, and traveller’s trees.
Overnight at the Acacias hotel, half board
Pangalanes Canal
Day 04
Manambato – Antananarivo
After a hearty breakfast, you enjoy the canal banks one last time before heading back to Antananarivo, the “City of the Thousand”. Arrival late in the day.
Overnight at the Palissandre Hôtel, half board
Antananarivo
Day 05
Antananarivo – Sainte-Marie
A very early start and transfer to the airport for your flight to Île Sainte-Marie, known in Malagasy as Nosy Boraha. On arrival, you are met by your hotel and transferred to your seaside accommodation. Lunch is at your own expense.
Overnight at Princesse Bora Lodge, half board
Île Sainte-Marie
Days 06 – 08
Sainte-Marie
Three free days to enjoy the island as you please. A range of activities is available locally: excursions on foot, by bike or by quad bike, boat trips, diving and snorkelling, among others.
Nights at Princesse Bora Lodge, half board
Île Sainte-Marie
Day 09
Sainte-Marie – Antananarivo
A final morning by the sea, then transfer to the airport and flight back to Antananarivo. End of our services.
Domestic flight
Clear and simple
What the price includes
The price includes
- 4×4 vehicle
- Fuel
- Driver-guide
- Driver-guide’s allowances
- Driver-guide’s accommodation
- Boat trips on the Pangalanes Canal
- Transfers
- Visits listed in the programme
- Meals listed in the programme: breakfasts and dinners
- Entrance fees to parks and reserves
- Local guides in parks and reserves
- Empty return journey of the vehicle
The price does not include
- Activities described as possible or optional
- Lunches
- Activities not listed in the programme
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Domestic and international flights
- Insurance
Ready to go?
The Authentic East: Between Forests and Shores
Ask for a detailed, no-obligation quote or book your dates straight away: we reply within 48 hours.
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