The Complete Guide to Madagascar

M A DAGA SC A R TRAVEL GUIDE

NATURAL WORLD SAFARIS

UNIQUE

MADAGASCAR “In this unique environment, even time feels skewed, as if the twin processes of evolution and extinction are happening simultaneously. Rustling with bug-eyed lemurs, shy geckos, giant moths, and other freaks of nature, this island in the Indian Ocean will give up its secrets if you’re willing to be patient.” - Sophy Roberts, writing for Condé Nast Traveller travelling with Natural World Safaris.

Madagascar is unique, astonishing... and at times a little challenging. To plan an itinerary for Madagascar, you need to know it from the ground upwards as with changing internal flight schedules, different climatic zones, better times to see different wildlife in different areas and a French speaking infrastructure, you need to know your stuff. Thankfully, our years of experience starts with our Founder & CEO Will Bolsover’s years of guiding throughout this remote tropical island and continues with our Destination Specialists who’ve travelled extensively around the island.

From where to encounter the various species of lemur, to forgotten massif of majestic plateaus divided into deep canyons seldom visited by tourists or locals alike, we can advise and plan a trip that makes the most of your time in Madagascar, whether you want a hideaway in the rainforest or to be flown by helicopter to one of the top luxury island resorts in the world, we can take care of the details for you.

Natural World Safaris knows and loves Madagascar like no other travel outfitter. Our passion has allowed us to gain unique access to parts of the island and conservation projects that you can’t visit through anybody else.

Email our Destination Specialists on sales@naturalworldsafaris.com and we can send you a range of itinerary ideas to suit your interests, budget and travel style.

ABOUT MADAGASCAR The island of Madagascar broke away from the earth’s continental landmass about 165 million years ago, long before these two supercontinents broke up into the countries we know today. Separated from the rest of the world, this special island was able to evolve independently in an evolutionary bubble.

There are no ‘big five’ or fierce predators in Madagascar; they simply did not evolve here. Instead, the flora and fauna developed and adapted to fit the unique environments of this incredible island, giving us dancing lemurs, colourful chameleons and an incredible natural world unlike anywhere else.

With the exception of one or two recent additions, Madagascar doesn’t provide the kind of luxury accommodation you would expect from areas such as Botswana, but there are some excellent places to stay when you know where to look. Infrastructure can at times frustrate and journey times are often slow.

But with a little patience, this unique destination offers astonishingly varied landscapes and some very unusual wildlife encounters.

WHEN TO GO The best time to visit Madagascar is

loads of different lemurs and other

from April to October. This dry season

animals active. July is the first official

brings fewer rain showers, meaning

month of whale watching season in

optimal conditions for seeking out

Ile Sainte Marie and the incredible

wildlife, hiking and enjoying the beach.

humpback whales can often be seen in substantial groups.

January - March: This is a wet and hot period in Madagascar and roads to

September - October: This is the end

some of the National Parks can become

of the cooler season and temperatures

impassable due to thick mud.

start to increase. This is arguably one of the best times to head to Madagascar

April: Although there may still be heavy

on holiday. Warmer weather means

downpours, they are interspersed with

wildlife that was hibernating in August is

bright sunshine. We consider this the

now active again; chameleons, snakes,

start of the tourism season, as parks are

lizards, small lemurs and rodents are

open and ready for the first visitors of the

again roaming through Madagascar’s

year. National Parks such as Andasibe

jungles and desert plains in plain sight.

are lush and green, and in Berenty, the

September offers the last chance to

green flora contrasts magnificently with

see humpback whales off the coast of

the orange, dusty looking ground where

Ile Sainte Marie before they migrate.

you’ll often find ringtail lemurs.

October is particularly magical as there are lots of baby lemurs around.

May - June: These are good months to visit with occasional showers but plenty

November: Temperatures continue to

of sunshine. The highlands are still cool

increase making things quite hot and

and can be quite wet; however, this is

humidity builds rapidly in the east and

one of the best times to head to the

north. The wildlife is still very active but

southwest, which can get too hot in the

trekking becomes uncomfortable.

summer months.

December: This is the start of the wet July - August: July marks the beginning

season in Madagascar and trees in the

of the high season as it is cooler with

rainforests hang heavy under the deluge

little rainfall. This means trekking the

of rain from tropical storms, and swelter

naturally humid rainforests can be

under 30°C heat. However, further south

refreshing and airy. The rainforests are

and west the temperatures are still

alive with unique flora and fauna, with

cooler and drier.

WILDLIFE Madagascar is home to a unique plethora of wildlife. Boggle-eyed

Chameleons: Madagascar is home to about half the world’s 150 or so

chameleons, dancing lemurs, and leaf-

species of chameleons. They can be

tailed geckos are just the start.

seen throughout the country, and are often best spotted on night walks. They

Lemurs: Lemurs are primates that are

range in size from the minuscule pygmy

unique to Madagascar and display a

stump-tailed chameleon, which is the

range of interesting behaviours from

size of fingernail at 35 mm (1.4 inches)

singing (the Indri) to dancing (the Sifaka).

in length, to the Parson’s chameleon

There are over 100 different species

measuring up to 70cm in length.

of lemur, ranging from the tiny pygmy mouse lemur whose head and body are between 2.25 to 4.75 inches long, to the Indri who can grow as tall as 3 feet

Frogs: Madagascar is thought to have more than 300 species of frogs, 99 percent of which are endemic.

Frogs are the only amphibians found

You’ll encounter lemurs all over the

in Madagascar. They are best seen on

island of Madagascar, and our itineraries

night walks and are a range of strikingly

are designed to maximise the number of

beautiful colours.

species you can spot during your trip.

A few of our favourite lemur hotspots: •

• •

•

Marine: The coast of Madagascar is a wonder for marine life and world

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park for

renowned as a whale-watching

Indri lemurs, grey bamboo lemurs

destination. Between June and

and common brown lemurs

September, huge groups of humpback

Berenty Reserve for ring-tailed

whales gather off the eastern shore of

lemurs and Verraux’s sifakas

Madagascar having migrated from the

Ranomafana National Park for black-

Antarctic. Located off the north coast of

and-white ruffed lemurs, red-fronted

Madagascar, the island of Nosy Be is a

brown lemurs, grey bamboo lemurs

marine hotspot and popular with divers.

Ankarafantsika National Park for

Both the green turtle and the hawksbill

Coquerel’s sifakas, mongoose

turtle can both be seen here and it is also

lemurs, Western woolly lemurs,

the location where Whale sharks are seen

common brown lemurs and

between October and December, and it is

sportive lemurs.

even possible to swim with them.

CLIENT EXPERIENCE An NWS client shares her experience traveling on our small group safari in Madagascar.

“As for the lodges, I was a bit concerned beforehand because I wasn’t sure what to expect, but everywhere was comfortable and the food was excellent.

“NWS were helpful right from the start when we explained what we were

“We were lucky to be able to visit

interested in seeing; we were sent

the Kianjavato Lemur Project. The

several trips to review and ended up

project tracks three species of critically

choosing a small group safari which

endangered lemurs and works on

allowed us explore different regions.

helping them. Part of this is the reforestation of many areas that were

“Our local guide was outstanding. His

burned by locals for farming. We even

knowledge of the culture, the wildlife,

got to plant small trees while we were

his easy-going ways and his excellent

there! The project employs locals “to

grasp of the English language made the

preserve forests while simultaneously

trip even better. For each hike, we had

raising the standard of living for people

a local guide to lead us - they were also

reliant on natural resources.

top notch. You could tell that they all loved their jobs and truly cared about the

“I have only praise for NWS. We will

country and its wildlife.

definitely use this company again for our next adventure. There were no surprises

“The highlight of the trip was the wildlife.

from a scheduling perspective. In fact,

I fell in love with lemurs and we managed

our domestic flight from the capital

to find all the ones we were hoping for.

city of Antananarivo to Tamatave was

In addition, guides pointed out colourful

cancelled but NWS actually chartered

birds, chameleons and frogs. It was

us a small plane so that we would not

incredible. These guides were even

be inconvenienced in any way - amazing

excellent at finding nocturnal creatures in

service, we felt so well looked after.

the darkness!

“A note about Madagascar itself. It is a “The accommodations were very good

wonderful place, but don’t expect a five-

for where we were too. And the food

star experience. Madagascar is far behind

was gourmet! Madagascar roads are

the Western world with a very poor

pretty bad, but our driver was great and

population, but they were generous and

we were always comfortable.

welcoming. We had the trip of a lifetime!”

SMALL GROUP SAFARI 16 DAYS, AUGUST - OCTOBER FROM £4,095 / $5,450 USD PP. A fantastic small group safari to Madagascar that gives you the opportunity to explore a number of destinations, in the company of just seven others. You will visit the national parks of Isalo, Andasibe, Mantadia and Ranomafana; the Palmarium Reserve; the Kianjavato Lemur Project; and the coastal city of Tulear.

This exhilarating adventure through some of Madagascar’s most biodiverse regions showcases the best of its wildlife and natural splendour. As part of a small group of just eight guests, you will first visit the Palmarium Reserve for a glimpse of the peculiar aye-aye, before traversing the wildlife-rich rainforest reserves of Andasibe and Mantadia to listen out for the early-morning calls of the indri lemurs. From there, pass through the country’s scenic highlands and try to spot three separate species of bamboo lemur within the forests of Ranomafana National Park The final section of your journey will see the landscape shifting to vineyards, savannah and the rocky outcrops of Isalo National Park – where encounters with the distinctive ring-tailed lemurs beckon – before your safari ends on the west coast of the “Red Island”.

ONE WEEK BESPOKE SAFARI 7 DAYS, APRIL - OCTOBER FROM £1,600 / $2,130 USD PP. On this safari you will get to see a lot of lemurs in a short amount of time!

After a night in Antananarivo you’ll start your search for lemurs at Palmarium Reserve. Within the nearby forests there are 10 different lemur species can be found and, although wild, they are used to people and it is a great chance to get close to them; this is a great spot for photography. One species you can see here is the endangered aye aye, seldom seen in Madagascar. Currently 6 live on a nearby island and this is the best place in the country to see them.

Next you will make your way to Andasibe National Park, a stunning rainforest with some truly wonderful wildlife. Here you will explore the park, both during the day, and if you wish, at night to see what nocturnal fauna and flora you can spot!

Mantadia National Park offers a much more rugged experience with steeper trails but exceptional rewards; there are good chances of spotting the golden coloured Diademed sifaka as well as Indri and black and white ruffed lemurs.

This itinerary can be changed to suit your personal interests and travel requirements.

TWO WEEK BESPOKE SAFARI 14 DAYS, APRIL - OCTOBER FROM £5,500 / $7,315 USD PP. A truly explorative safari through Madagascar. You will have the opportunity to explore the stunning beaches of Ile Sainte Marie as well as the bustling city of Antananarivo and the private reserves of Palmarium and Anjajavy.

Start your magical exploration of Madagascar slow and easy at the beautiful Princesse Bora Lodge. This is a fantastic location for some beach relaxation and exploration. Located in a palm grove along a white sandy beach this is the perfect place to relax. You are then able to move on to the cheeky lemurs of Palmarium where you can get up close and personal experiences.

One of the highlights of your trip is exploring the rainforest of Andasibe with its resident singing Indri lemurs. Your final few days are spent at the private nature reserve and luxury Relais and Chateaux beach lodge of Anjajavy. Here you can enjoy water skiing, snorkelling, windsurfing, catamarans, fishing, boat excursions, visits to the local villages and a variety of walks to admire the local fauna and flora.

This itinerary can be changed to suit your personal interests and travel requirements.

LUXURY BEACH BESPOKE SAFARI 14 DAYS, APRIL - OCTOBER FROM £16,945 / $22,540 USD PP. Discover the beauty of the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, as you travel from Anjajavy to Masoala and on to spectacular Miavana on Nosy Ankao.

Travel in style while still experiencing a huge array of activities. Spot lemurs dancing through trees, visit local communities to get an insight into the country’s culture and enjoy water-based activities.

Starting in Anjajavy, you’ll stay within a 550-hectare private nature reserve which comprises an eclectic mix of landscapes including dry deciduous forest, unique limestone rock formations called ‘tsingy’ and beautiful beaches.

From here you’ll head to the Masoala peninsula, where the rainforest meets the reef.

An exhilarating helicopter ride over mountains, baobabs & shipwrecks ends in a gentle landing on Miavana, a remote private island off the coast of Madagascar offering the best in luxury. Here you can choose from the variety of activities available including the ‘Blue Safari’: guided water activities that will provide fascinating insights as you explore the aquamarine bays, beaches, lagoons and channels of the archipelago.

This itinerary can be changed to suit your personal interests and travel requirements.

WHY US FOR MADAGASCAR Over the 17 years that Natural World Safaris has been established, we’ve sent clients all over the globe, to some of the most remote and least travelled parts of the planet. We are well recognised as the leading experts in our field; our awards and press coverage pay testament to this.

Madagascar is a unique and quirky destination. Road distances on Google Maps are meaningless, published flight schedules unreliable and online reservations hit or miss. A poor country with undeveloped infrastructure, you need to know the lay of the land in order to plan a trip here.

Our Founder & CEO spent many years here guiding, while several other members of the team have also spent extended periods of time in Madagascar.

We know it well, and have several contacts and personal friends in-country who we can rely on. While you are away you also have access to our 24/7 emergency line so you can speak to somebody in our UK office at any time of day or night.

We use the very best English speaking guides. You’ll also always have both a private naturalist guide and driver; this is a destination where you want your driver keeping his eyes on the road, not sharing stories and information while looking out for points of interest. Our focus is wildlife, including up close and personal encounters. Critically, all our trips operate non-obtrusively and with respect to the wildlife and the natural environment.

IN THE PRESS & AWARDS Natural World Safaris has won various awards for our unique and carefully crafted safaris. We’ve also featured in the press around the globe, receiving rave reviews from some of the world’s most respected travel writers.

“The Fixer to use”

“A marvel for first-hand knowledge of destinations”

“One of the most unique experiences in the world”

“One of the more intrepid operators in southern and eastern Africa”

“An adventure off the scale - a place and experience to make your heart beat faster”

YOUR NEXT STEPS Contact our team of destination specialists at sales@naturalworldsafaris.com and somebody will get in touch to tell you more about this fantastic destination and the sort of options available for you. We can send you a sample of itineraries to look through, to suit your interests, travel style and budget.

Natural World Safaris UK Tel +44 (0) 1273 691 642 US Toll Free 1866 357 6569 Australia Toll Free 1800 668 890 sales@naturalworldsafaris.com naturalworldsafaris.com @natworldsafaris NaturalWorldSafarisLtd naturalworldsafaris Registered address: Natural World Safaris Ltd Granta Lodge, 71 Graham Road, Malvern Worcestershire, WR14 2JS, UK Registered in England Company No: 05649357