East And North Wildlife

Welcome! You are now in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar! How was your international flight? We hope you enjoyed it. Everything is ready for you to rest: a great meal for dinner and a comfortable bed in the hotel where you will stay overnight. We are here to drive you to your nice accommodation.

Yay, are you ready? Bring your joy and your thirst for adventure: this morning, we will depart for Tsarasaotra Lake which is located in the city of Antananarivo itself. Please note that Tsarasaotra is closed to visitors during the week-end.
This place is so wonderful. You are on your way to have your first discovery of Malagasy birds! Tsarasaotra Lake is a RAMSAR site and it also called “home of egrets, heron and endemic duck.”

For you to get acquainted with your discoveries here is our Bird Top List:
Cattle Egret (Bulbucus ibis), Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides), Blackcrowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Dimorphic Egret (Egretta dimorpha), Blackcrowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Red-billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha), White-faced whistling Duck(Dendrocygne viduata), Knob-billed Teal (Sarkidiornis melanotos), Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides), Swamp Warbler (Acrocephalus Newtoni)

After our first visit, we will hit the road again to go to Andasibe National Park (Perinet) through the highlands! Enjoy the journey (144km/ 3 to 4 hours): contemplate the stunning scenery, take pictures and relax. We will arrive in Andasibe in the afternoon for lunch, which will be at your expense. Why not try Malagasy dish to get into the mood of the country you visit?

Tonight dinner will be served at your hotel, and a room will be prepared for you to rest. But still, we’ve prepared something special for you! We will end our day with a night tour to encounter some nocturnal lemur and chameleon species! Prepare yourself to be wowed by the Mouse Lemur, Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur, and the eastern Woolly lemur.

So, what is in store for you today? Well, we will have a transfer by car to Mantadia National Park. And then, spend our whole morning in the park before getting back to the hotel in the mid-afternoon!

The Mantadia National Park is part of the Andasibe complex. Of course, it is a protected area. It is large and dense, a breathtaking green place. Once there you will encounter the finest specimens of lemurs, which are the Diademed Sifaka and the Ruffed Lemur! Wow, for sure, you’ll marvel at them when you’ll spot these two. We will also find 4 species of rare Roller Madagascar. We’ll be back at the hotel before dinner. Your room is waiting for you there.

We know that you came here to encounter the east and north wildlife, that’s why at the end of every section, we will do our best to give you the top list of fauna we’ll meet. Here you go:

Lemur’s Top list:
Black and White Ruffed Lemur, Diademed Sifaka, Brown Lemur, Red Bellied Lemur

Birds Top list:
Blue Coua, Red-fronted Coua, Blue Pigeon, Nuthatch Vanga, Sclay Ground Roller, Short legged ground roller, long tailed ground roller, Tylas Vanga l, Nelicourvi Weawer.

Reptiles and Frogs top list:
Parson’s chameleon, Short-nosed chameleon, nose-horned chameleon, stump-tailed chameleon, and frog: 3 to 4 species of boophis and about 5 species of Mantidactilus.

Did you wake up early to watch the sun rise? Surrounded by so much greenery, it is such a unique moment. How about wandering in the Indri-Indri special reserve today? Covering an area of 810 ha, this special reserve is managed by Madagascar National Park. And it is one of the highlights of this tour because it is “home” for the largest lemur in Madagascar, the Indri Indri. One of the funniest facts about this lemur species is that it is how it communicates. It is a singing lemur.

We will also meet other species of lemurs, several species of birds, chameleons and frogs. The flora covers valuable timber species, numerous medicinal plants, lots of orchid and fern. Yay! We will have dinner at the hotel today. But what about another night tour to discover more lemurs and chameleons before going to bed?

Lemur’s Top list:
Indri-Indri, Mouse Lemur, Common Brown Lemur, Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur, eastern Woolly lemur, Grey Bamoo Lemur , Red-Bellied Lemur

Birds Top list:
Blue Coua , Red-fronted coua , Nuthatch Vanga , Madagascar wood rail , Madagascar Cuckoo-Roller , Cristed , Ibis , Magpie – Robin , Hook Billed Vanga , Collared Nightjar , Madagascar Scops Owl , Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher , Nelicourvi Weawer , Tylas Vanga

Reptiles and Frogs top list:
Parson’s chameleon, Short-nosed chameleon, nose-horned chameleon, stump-tailed chameleon, and frog: 3 to 4 species of boophis and about 5 species of Mantidactilus

Wake up little bird! Early in the morning, we’ll go to the Torotorofotsy marsh. You will be able to observe some species of birds and especially the Golden Mantella (Mantella aurientiaca). Are you ready for lunch? Let’s enjoy our meal at Andasibe, before going back to the capital city in the afternoon. Antananarivo is 144km (3 to 4h) from Andasibe. Once in your hotel, relax before dinner. How about sending pictures on your Instagram account or writting to your friends and family? Once in bed, you’ll probably think of writing down your memories in your diary.

Birds Top list:
Slender-Billed Flufftail Sarothrura watersi, Greater Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis and aggregations of waterfowl: such as Meller’s Duck Anas melleri.

Frogs top list:
Golden Mantella, Mantella Painted

Antananarivo – plane – Diego – car – 30 km – 1h to 1h30 – Joffreville

Don’t worry, be happy! We are on our way to be transferred to the airport to take our flight to Diégo-Suarez (also called Antsiranana). Once in Diégo, your guide will welcome you and take you for a 1 hour drive to Joffreville (30km). Take time to settle in your hotel. Refresh yourself. [Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel].

Joffreville is located at the foot of a mountain. This little town is the starting point for treks to the National Park called “La Montagne d’Ambre” or Amber Mountain. This green oasis treasures 77 endemic species of birds, 7 species of lemurs and 24 species of amphibians.
Here is our tomorrow potential wildlife list :

Lemur’s Top list:
Sanford’s Brown lemur, crowned lemur, Fat tailed lemur, Eastern Pitchfork Lemur

Birds Top list:
Amber Mountain rock trush, Crested Ibis, Red Owl, Crested Coua, Pitta like ground Roller.

Reptiles and Frogs top list:
Montagne d’Ambre Panther Chameleon, Amber Mountain chameleon, Petter’s Chameleon, Mossy Leaftail Gecko, Brookesia antakarana, Plated Leaf Chameleon

How was breakfast? Today, you will be transferred up to the entrance of the amazing Amber Mountain National Park. Just enjoy strolling around, don’t think about dinner. We’re taking care of it at the hotel where you will stay overnight.

This majestic forest extends over 18 000 ha! This area is the northern water tank of Madagascar where streams and waterfalls spurt out. The park is home to two species of nocturnal lemurs and five diurnal species, especially the crowned lemurs or Eulemur Coronatus. These primates live in harmony with reptiles, amphibians and endemic birds. If you are lucky (are you?), you will see the smallest chameleon in the world, the brookesia.

A reminder of our Wildlife list :

Lemur’s Top list:
Sanford’s Brown lemur, Crowned lemur, Fat tailed lemur, Eastern Pitchfork Lemur

Birds Top list:
Amber Mountain rock trush, Crested Ibis, Red Owl, Crested Coua, and Pitta like ground Roller

Reptiles and Frogs top list:
Montagne d’Ambre Panther Chameleon, Amber Mountain chameleon, Petter’s Chameleon, Mossy Leaftail Gecko, Brookesia antakarana, Plated Leaf Chameleon.

After breakfast, we will be leaving Joffreville for a 2 hours’ drive (100km) to the Ankarana region, with the amazing opportunity to watch staggering landscape all along the way. Then, after you arrival at your bush camp, located just near a lake, we will give you time to nap and rest before dinner. You’ll also enjoy marveling at stunning Tsingy massif or exploring the camp and its surrounding (villager’s lifestyle and Mahavavy river).

Here’s our Ankarana wildlife top list:

Lemur’s Top list:
Amber Mountain fork-marked lemur, Northern sportive lemur, Crowned lemur, Sanford’s brown

Mammal’s Top list:
Commerson’s leaf-nosed bat, Fanaloka or striped, Ring-tailed mongoose, Fosa

How your yesterdays little stroll in the surroundings? It is day 9, and you will have a full day to explore Ankarana National Park. Depending on your interest and physical conditions, several types of tours are suggested through the reliefs, dripstone caves, and natural trails. Note that you will stay at Iharana Bush Camp – Standard Room DBB – where you will have dinner and overnight stay.

May be you’ll spot many of those animals today:

Lemur’s Top list:
Amber Mountain fork-marked lemur, Northern sportive lemur, Crowned lemur, Sanford’s brown

Mammal’s Top list:
Commerson’s leaf-nosed bat, /Fanaloka or striped, Ring-tailed mongoose, Fosa

Ankarana – car – 153 km – 4h to 5h – Ankify – boat – 45mn to 1h – Nosy Be

We’re so happy you enjoyed yesterday. This morning is another opportunity to wander around to discover the park. Then, we will drive you to Ankify where you will take the boat (45mn) to Nosy be.

This island was like put apart from the world. The ocean, transparent and pure, is the most obvious part of its beauty. Its authenticity lies in the architecture of its houses, its history, its very diverse fauna and flora. Once in your room at the hotel (where you will have dinner and your overnight stay), prepare your sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses. You can now relax or swim in the turquoise water.

Lemur’s Top list:
Black lemurs, Grey backed sportive lemur

Ready for new adventures! Bring your camera! Today, we will have a transfer by car and a traditional canoe trip to Lokobe reserve. This canoe experience is really amazing. Navigating the ocean is like having an adventure on a clear mirror. The Lokobe reserve is mostly known for its Black lemur, and the beautiful Nosy be Panther Chameleon. Just enjoy your day; as usual we will take care of the dinner at the hotel where you will stay overnight.

Lemur’s Top list:
Black lemurs, Grey backed sportive lemur

Ouch, here goes the end of your trip in Madagascar. We’re so happy you made it. Now, depending on your schedule flight, you will have your transfer to the airport and then flight to Antananarivo. We will be there to welcome you and assist you for your connexion flight. We like to say that it’s of course better in person. By coming, you will receive even more than all that was said above. Money is valuable but time and memories aren’t, and we are here to give you as much unforgettable memories as possible. Can’t wait for you to come!