Ethiopian Experiences
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"Madagascar is a place where nature has been allowed
to run wild, a land of extraordinary beauty and biodiversity."
(attrib. Unknown)
Ethiopian Experiences in Madagascar
Magnificent Madagascar
A paradise - a treasure trove
The colourful north of the island
See our Tours schedule page and newsletters for latest news
Adventure, relaxation,
and a taste of authentic Madagascar.
Northern Madagascar is a region of stunning natural beauty, rich biodiversity, and vibrant culture. With lush and verdant rainforests, pristine beaches with crystal-clear waters, and a range of extraordinary wildlife, this is truly a must-do experience.
A twelve-day tour to experience beautiful coastlines,
unforgettable wildlife, majestic rainforests, and so much else.
And as always, comfortable hotels, excellent food, friendly people.
£2685
plus flights and visa.
Everything else is included - characterful and comfortable accommodation, truly delicious food, all tourist costs, guide fees,
and all land transportation.
Here are the dates for our next group tour in 2024.
We'd love you to join us.
Departure on an evening flight
Friday, 19th July
Return on a daytime flight
Saturday 3rd August
We would strongly encourage you to join one of our very friendly, small-group accompanied tours.
But If you'd prefer to travel alone, or as a couple, or as a group of friends, we can run this tour for you at any time of the year. You just need to get in touch and let's discuss your requirements.
Use the form at the bottom of this page.
Antananarivo
🇲🇬 Day 0: We should arrive in the capital, Antananarivo (see our November 2021 newsletter) in the afternoon and have plenty of time to get installed in our rooms prior to an excellent tour group dinner and a detailed talk through our plans.
🇲🇬 Day 1: Our Sunday sees us immediately driving out of the city to get our first (and up-close) experiences of Madagascan wildlife. Lemurs Park is home to six or seven varieties of lemur at freedom in their family groups - you will be enchanted! Then after a relaxed and rather special lunch, we set off in a different direction to visit the area's premier historic site, Ambohimanga (The Blue Hill), the attractive traditional fortified settlement of Madagascar's kings and queens and an excellent place to start our understanding of the history and culture of this extraordinary country.
🇲🇬 Day 2: Monday is our day to get to know this characterful capital city, with time spent in the rambling market before walking up into the Haute-Ville with a knowledgeable local guide to show us some of the notable features - the palace, the historic frieze, the cathedral. A fine French-influenced dinner is welcome.
I want to thank you for all your time, effort and organisation for our trip to Madagascar. Your unfailing patience was worthy of a medal!
Antsirabe
🇲🇬 Day 3: Our road trip begins, in a comfortable tourist bus with large windows. We are on our way to Antsirabe, a town famous for its varied handicrafts. After a lunch in town, we do a short drive out to Andraikibah Lake and stroll along the attractive lakeside to survey the numerous tiny shops selling ammonites, fossils, gemstones and other fascinating things. Coffee is taken at a comfortable lakeside hotel before our return.
🇲🇬 Day 4: This is a craft-making (and of course shopping, if you so desire) day. We start off by visiting a traditional sweet-makers and get a full demonstration of the confectioner’s art, with plenty of freebees at the end. Then it’s on to see how many different things you could possibly make out of zebu horn, how they create amazing miniature vehicles out of drinks cans, and what beautiful local embroidery is in the making. Later we take a short walk through local market stalls before driving back into town to see the imposing main square, a railway station with fine architecture, an unexpected cathedral with fine stained glass. After a coffee in the gardens of a somewhat grand hotel, we might even catch a local boules/pétanque tournament.
Ambositra
🇲🇬 Day 5: A morning drive brings us to the next main town on our tour, Ambositra. After a good lunch and the possibility of some Madagascan folk-dancing, we shall take a guided country walk and have an opportunity to learn more about the local culture, seeing country buildings and perhaps watching the mud-brick-making process. There are lots of fine craft shops in this town also, particularly specialising in wonderful wood-carving.
Ranomafana
🇲🇬 Day 6: We are heading for one of the most famous protected areas in Madagascar, the Ranomafana rainforest, and a two-night stay in a relaxed and attractive country village (see our March 2021 newsletter). It’s a substantial drive to get there but the ever-changing scenery is easy to appreciate and keeps our interest. After lunch we take some relaxation in preparation for an hour and a half of night walk, with a knowledgeable local guide using torchlight to show us pygmy lemurs, beautiful tree frogs and more than one variety of our first Madagascan chameleons.
🇲🇬 Day 7: This is a day of individual choices. The rainforest itself is a magical and amazing place but the three- or four-hour trek required to make it really worthwhile is a tough one by most standards. The forest paths are steep and the tourist groups leave the main routes completely when multiple guides and spotters call them into the trees to see the next variety of tree-top lemur that they have found. For those who choose this option (not one for the faint-hearted or weary-limbed) a subsequent restful and relaxing afternoon will definitely be the order of the day. But for those wiser ones who decide the challenge is just a bit too great, we offer a substantial but flat walk to the beautifully laid-out and extensive Arboretum on the edge of the village where we can appreciatively wander at will, along with an area of hot springs where some pleasant bathing may be had. The village itself is attractive and well-worth a wander between periods of relaxation.
Sahambavy
🇲🇬 Day 8: We are now on our way to the town of Ambalavao. But first we are going to strike out to the east of the RN7 to get to the main tea-plantation in Madagascar, called Sahambavy. There is a first-rate lakeside hotel here where we shall enjoy a special lunch and look round its extensive and beautiful garden that is a combination of garden centre and a small zoo. After that we shall have a short guided tour of the plantation itself and be shown the tea-producing process before we resume our drive to Ambalavao for our overnight stop.
Anja Park
🇲🇬 Day 9: One of the most dramatic of the national parks is our destination today - Isalo. But first we are heading to a smaller, privately-owned park called Anja Park (see our December 2022 newsletter) where a local guide will show us the maki, the ring-tailed lemur, ubiquitous and easily seen, along with possible further sightings of chameleons and suchlike. We then continue in a south-westerly direction, reaching the small town of Ranohira for dinner and sleep.
Isalo
🇲🇬 Day 10: Isalo (see our November 2022 newsletter) is the Grand Canyon of Madagascar offering impressive trekking opportunities at all levels of fitness. We are proposing an expertly guided, three-hour, leisurely and not too challenging trek that we can all enjoy, a sunny and perhaps tiring experience but one that will provide special memories. Our focus is a surprisingly fertile and deeply shaded oasis called the Piscine Naturelle (natural swimming pool) which you will welcome for a much-needed rest and a possible bathe. We are going to employ our own private cooks to be there in advance and prepare us a freshly barbecued lunch.
" I can only reiterate praise for the impeccable organisation and an excellent choice of venues, hotels and restaurants. A meticulously planned trip which allowed us to enjoy Madagascar without having to worry about practicalities."
Toliara
🇲🇬 Day 11: We are just a few hours from the sea-coast in south-west Madagascar now and the end of our day's drive will see us comfortably settled in Chez Alain hotel, just on the edge of this town of Toliara (Tuléar) (see our June 2021 newsletter). The rooms themselves are simple and unpretentious bungalows but the hotel is an oasis of peace and birdsong (quite a rarity in Madagascar) with a small, inviting swimming pool and a fine varied menu of food. We can use any time we have to explore the town.
🇲🇬 Day 12: We can’t get to this point and not seek to enjoy some of the almost paradise-like coast. Today we drive out to the very pretty seaside retreat of Ifaty with excellent restaurants, a palm-fringed sandy beach and plenty of alluring shops selling colourful goods. We are here to eat, drink, walk, possibly have a swim in the sea - and relax.
Ivato
🇲🇬 Day 13: It has taken us ten days on the RN7 to reach this southerly point, but we are using our one domestic flight to get back more speedily to the capital, Antananarivo (Tana for short). But our Madagascan experiences are not over yet. The capital’s airport is in a suburb called Ivato and we shall visit the very well-laid-out Crocodile Farm once we are there. Don’t panic! This is really not like a farm at all but more like a very intimate and well-cared-for zoo gardens with, yes, crocodiles but also a wide range of other Madagascan wildlife. We might take some refreshment here before going back into the city for the night, by way of some extraordinary souvenir shops.
🇲🇬 Day 14: Our Madagascan Odyssey ends after a group brunch and a Saturday afternoon return flight, taking with us a full memory bank of experiences to last for some time to come.
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We can never be sure of flight costs in advance but based on our past experience and some recent increases in international flight prices, the complete package of two international flights and one domestic flight may well come to something around £1700 per person.
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The cost of the tourist visa at the present time is about £30.
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For other general information, see Our tours > All the tours information