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Madagascar Holidays Safari Tours Lemurs Wildlife Beaches Nosy Be St Marie

Holiday: Mandrare River, Madagascar + Manafiafy Beach + Ringtail Lemurs

Day 1
You will be met at Antananarivo Airport and transferred to your hotel situated near the airport.
 
Check in and relax.in the capital city of the tropical island of Madagascar.
Day 2
Transfer to Antananarivo Airport for your flight to Fort Dauphin (now called Tolagnaro).
 
You will be met at Fort Dauphin Airport and transferred 4-hours in a 4x4 vehicle, travelling along a bumpy road to your luxury eco-camp located on the banks of the seasonal Mandrare River. Situated near the small village of Ifotaka, here you will see the dry "spiny forests" of southern Madagascar.
 
As we drive to your tented camp, you will be able to observe the lifestyle of the people who live here. They have important burial rituals associated with ancestor worship and measure their wealth in zebu (cattle). You will also see huge sisal plantations, large cacti and magnificent baobab trees.
 
After checking in your lodge, enjoy a night walk to search for nocturnal lemurs in this fascinating flora and fauna frontier - so don't forget your headlamp, which is an essential item.
 
Note: A scheduled charter flight direct to Mandrare River Camp is available for a significant supplement on Mondays and Thursdays only.
Days 3 To 5
Today is devoted to exploring the wildlife along the banks of the Mandrare River, which is the lifeblood of this otherwise dry region.
 
In the morning, we drive along the river bank to a crossing point and walk for 2 to 3 hours in the magnificent sacred Gallery Forest (in the wet and shoulder season, you will wade across the river). Here you can hope to see magnificent Ringtail Lemur (the national animal of Madagascar) and the gorgeous white Verreaux's Sifaka in the wild - a memory that will last a lifetime.
 
After lunch, enjoy another 2 to 3-hour walk through the sharply contrasting sacred dry Spiny Forest, where you will see interesting tombstones and learn more about local customs and fadys (taboos). You may also see chameleons and other interesting insects and reptiles.
 
Enjoy sundowners against a magnificent backdrop of baoba trees, before returning to camp for dinner.
 
Note: Tracking lemurs is done on foot. Some trails are demanding, but your guide will be mindful of your level of fitness and adapt your route accordingly. Wear walking boots with good tread and carry proper rain gear, including lightweight waterproof trousers. Gardening gloves are useful to protect your hands when scrambling through the rainforest and a head torch for night walks is essential.
 
Day 6
Transfer 4-hours in a 4x4 vehicle, travelling along a bumpy road to Fort Dauphin.
 
After lunch in town (own account), we continue 2-hours along a bumpy road to Manafiafy Beach. Settle into your secluded beach lodge, nestled in a rainforest overlooking spectacular Sainte Luce Bay.
Days 7 To 9
At leisure to relax and unwind on spectacular Manafiafy Beach.
 
With its vast empty beaches carpeted with sea shells, and great piles of granite boulders in the hinterland, this is a place where the lemur rainforests meet the turquoise Indian Ocean.
 
Enjoy nature walks in the coastal rainforest to spot lemurs, view the wetlands and mangrove swamps, snorkel and fish in the warm sparkling waters - or simply relax on the endless golden sands. From June to October there is the added opportunity of spotting migrating humpback whales.
Day 10
Transfer by 4x4 vehicle to Fort Dauphin for your flight to Antananarivo, where you will be met and transferred to your airport hotel.
Day 11
Transfer to Antananarivo Airport for your flight home.