7-DAY THE CALL OF INDRI.
Characterized by tropical wet climate, evergreen rainforests rich in abundant wildlife, stunning landscapes as well as stunning birdlife, the East part of Madagascar differentiates itself in a unique and special way that attract nature lovers worldwide to witness it’s beautiful scenery.
Day 1
On arrival in Tana, you will be met and warmly welcomed at the airport, followed by a transfer to your hotel where you will spend the night. With a strange meaning of “City of thousands”,Antananarivo came into establishment 500 years ago when King Andrianjaka was attracted by the scenic beauty of the city, sent over 1000 soldiers to cut the forest and conquer the land and then the great King Andrianampoinimerina, decided to build a palace there, which became later his successor’s main palace. Based in this palace, the same king started to unify the different kingdoms of the island. During King Radama’s reign, Antananarivo became the capital of all Madagascar and is built on three levels, the high city where the queen’s palace is located and it is 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.
Day 2
Embark yourself on a 4 to 5 hours drive to Andasibe, through the green and lush vegetation which opens up the humid part of Madagascar’s numerous primary forests and lakes along with landscape consisting of rice fields, waterfalls and scanty forest stations. As you progress with the journey, you will have a stop over in Pyereras Reptiles Park to see farmed chameleons and other species of reptiles. On entering inside the forest, you will spot 2 species of lemurs: the sifaka “coquereli” and the brown lemurs “fulvus”.Thereafter You will spend the night in a hotel.
Day 3
You will start the day with a 3 to 4 hours guided walking safari in the Andasibe National Park, a huge tropical rain forest in the east. It is known for hosting the nine species of lemur and numerous wildlife species but the highlight is the “Indri Indri” which is the largest lemur on the island. It contains a wide variety of orchids, canopy, endemic animals like chameleons, tenrecs, and many birds. After the hike, you will visit Andasibe village, a typical Betsimisaraka (the-many-inseparable) village, that mainly lives on agriculture. Then, you will visit the private park of Vakona in the “islands of lemurs” which is the best spot to take photos of lemurs. You will spend the night in a hotel.
Day 4
This morning you will embark on a road journey eastwards along National Road 2 and have a 3-hour drive to Manambato. You will have a stopover in Brickaville for a short visit to this old colonial city. Then you will drive about 10 km to the crossroad and take 7km of dirt road which leads you to Manambato, a tiny village on the bank of Rasoa Be Lake, which serves as the harbor for the speed boat to Ankanin Ny Nofy basically meaning the ” Nest of dreams”. You will board a 1-hour boat to reach Akanin’ Ny Nofy. You’ll cross Rasonabe Lake, then the Pangalanes Channel, an artificial waterway built during the colonization period for commercial use. During the crossing, you might spot some birds and enjoy the luxuriant vegetation of the East. You will spend the night in a hotel.
Day 5
This day mainly favors the bird watching lovers, you will have an early morning expedition to spot endemic birds around the area. Then after breakfast, you’ll have another hike to explore Palmarium, a private park that is home to 7 species of lemurs, with ” Indri Indri” as a highlight. Many reptiles, birds, amphibians, and endemic plants of the east make the reserve a “must” for nature lovers. Flora is also very rich with its garden of palm trees, orchids and the famous vanilla. Since the bungalows are situated inside the park, you will be permanently in contact with lemurs. By 5:30 pm, you will take a 30-minute 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 you to see very closely these unique and seldom-seen lemurs in their natural habitat.
Day 6
After breakfast, you will board for a 1-hour boat ride to Manambato. You will cross Lake Ampitabe and then the Pangalanes Channel before you will arrive in Lake Rasoamasay and Rasoa Be. From Manambato, you will take 45 minutes of dirt track up to the main road and continue to Brickaville and have a short stop to wander along this old colonial town, one of the main cities along the national road. From there you’ll drive for 4 to 5 hours to Mantasoa where You will stay overnight in your hotel.
Day 7
Today, you will head back to Tana. You will first take the 15km track to Ambatoloaka and from there you will take the national road N°2 and drive 60 km northwards to Tana. You will still be in the transition area between the humid and rainy climate of the East and the chilly temperature of the Highland. The landscape is dominated by rice fields, a rocky mountain, an eucalyptus forest, and a charcoal oven on the hill. You will arrive in Tana, from where you will connect to the flight back home.
