Madagascar rainforest & island escape

On arrival at Antananarivo's Ivato Airport, you'll be met by your private driver and driven to your hotel. Depending on traffic and the location of your hotel, this can take up to 90 minutes. You have the rest of the day to relax at your hotel or, depending on your arrival time, explore the city's historic old town with a guide.

This morning, your driver-guide will meet you from your hotel and drive you for around five hours through the Malagasy countryside to Andasibe National Park on the edge of the rainforest. A great option during your stay here is to take an evening guided walk, watching out for nocturnal animals such as tiny mouse lemurs and greater dwarf lemurs, whose eyes can be seen illuminated by your guide's flashlight.

You have all day to explore the rainforest on foot with your private guide, searching for the various lemur species found here. This includes indri, which has a distinctive, haunting cry you can sometimes hear as you hike through the forest. You may also see grey bamboo, brown and woolly lemurs among the vegetation, as well as numerous reptile species such as the nose-horned chameleon. Your guide will help identify the wildlife you encounter and tell you more about each species.

Today you’ll be driven for around 45 minutes into Mantadia National Park, whose beautiful, untouched forest provides a home for even more lemur species, including diademed sifakas, black and white ruffed lemurs and the elusive aye-aye, which is notoriously difficult to spot and only comes out at night. Make sure you wear good walking shoes as the hiking trails here can be a little more difficult.

This morning you might like to head to Lemur Island, where you can get up close to a number of habituated lemur species, including ringtail and indri. While the lemurs here aren't wild, a visit gives you a wonderful opportunity to see these incredible animals at close quarters. In the afternoon, take the five-hour drive back to Antananarivo. You can explore more of the city with your driver-guide or relax at your hotel.

Today you’ll be driven to the airport where you will take a short flight to Nosy Be, an island off the northwest of Madagascar. On arrival you’ll be taken to the port to get a boat to Tsara Komba. On arrival at your hotel, you can rest your walking boots and put on your flip-flops, ready for some serious beach relaxation.

Nosy Komba is ideal for relaxation with sandy beaches and small coves to explore but if you’re feeling more adventurous there are a number of activities that the hotel can help you arrange. We’d recommend snorkeling off the tiny uninhabited island of Nosy Tanikely, one of the best snorkeling sites in the area and home to coral, tropical fish and sea turtles.

You may like to spend your day on the beach, swimming, snorkeling and relaxing. After a day in the sunshine, you’ll return to the lodge where a delicious meal will await. The food here is locally sourced and inspired, with a daily-changing menu and fresh ingredients grown in the kitchen garden.

During your time on Nosy Komba we’d recommend a trek through the forest, accompanied by a private guide. Your guide will take you through the lush forest and highlight the Macaco lemurs, chameleons, birds, frogs and butterlies that call this area home. You’ll also pass through vanilla and wild pepper plantations before reaching the highest point of the island and walking back down. The typical trek takes around four hours but this can be adapted to your comfort level.

Today you’ll say goodbye to Tsara Komba and Nosy Be. This morning you’ll be picked up by boat and transferred back to Nosy Be Airport for your onward flight.

Arrive home today to complete your journey.