9-Nights Classic Madagascar: Rainforests & Rivers from $7,578

Day 1: Arrive in Antananarivo

Upon arrival into Ivato Airport you will be greeted by an English-speaking guide and representative of Goway Travel, who will accompany you to your hotel in the upper town of Antananarivo. 'Tana' - as the locals call it - has fascinating traditional architecture and a more Indonesian influence than the rest of Madagascar. After check-in at your boutique hotel, take time to relax and enjoy views across the city before dinner.

Hotel: La Maison Gallieni (3 Star Rating)

Welcome The Maison Gallieni, an establishment of choice for travelers like you. Equipped with air conditioning, La Maison Gallieni rooms offer all the comfort you need. You can even stay connected thanks to the free wi-fi. The pool and lounge will help make your stay even more special. Antananarivo is full of Italian restaurants

Meal(s): Dinner

After an early breakfast, your guide will take you east to Andasibe, a stunning rainforest park about four hours' drive from the capital. The park consists of two protected areas, the Perinet Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park. Perinet is world famous for its population of Indri lemurs, the largest living lemur species. The journey to Andasibe offers first-time visitors to Madagascar a gentle introduction to rural life, with rice fields, red-brick houses and roadside stalls selling seasonal fruits and vegetables lining the route.

After arriving at your lodge and enjoying lunch, visit a private reserve operated by the local NGO Mitsinjo, which supports reforestation, conservation education and Madagascar's first amphibian captive-breeding program. The reserve is home to a fascinating variety of wildlife. In the evening, a guided night walk will be organized in the forest surrounding the reserve to search for nocturnal lemurs, chameleons and other forest creatures.

Hotel: Mantadia Lodge (4 Star Rating)

Mantadia Lodge opened March 10, 2018. It is located on a Hill 100 meters high allowing him to enjoy a panoramic view of the forest. The hotel offers 25 rooms including 10 Twins and 1 family suite for 5 people. All rooms offer the comfort of a 3 star with Wi-Fi, cable TV, panoramic views with private terrace, indoor lounge and a wood stove for the cool season. The restaurant has also been designed with an exceptional view thanks to these huge windows and a terrace of 40 square meters for a single lunch. There is a bar and a lounge with reading area. In the morning you may be woken by the song of Indri Indri, these lemurs that can only be seen in Andasibe Park. The hotel also has an infinity pool and 2 massage parlors. The whole team is waiting for you to make your stay unforgettable. Mantadia lodge offers in its shop 2 ranges of sweaters and shall: the cashmir and the natural silk of Madagascar. You will also find products and souvenirs made by local artisans: jewelry, decorative objects, honey, wild pepper.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast you will head to Mantadia National Park (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes' drive) with a picnic lunch. Look for some of the lemur species found in this beautiful park including Indri indri, diademed sifaka, grey bamboo lemur, red-bellied lemur and black-and-white ruffed lemur. The trails here are slightly more challenging, but the rewards are great as the forest is taller, wilder and less visited than Perinet.

This is a naturalist's paradise with many seldom-seen species of mammals, reptiles and birds including the scaly ground roller, the pitta-like ground roller and the red-breasted coua. Enjoy a picnic near the Rianasoa Waterfall before hiking back to the vehicle and returning to your lodge. In the evening you may choose to take another optional night walk with your local guide.

Hotel: Mantadia Lodge (4 Star Rating)

Mantadia Lodge opened March 10, 2018. It is located on a Hill 100 meters high allowing him to enjoy a panoramic view of the forest. The hotel offers 25 rooms including 10 Twins and 1 family suite for 5 people. All rooms offer the comfort of a 3 star with Wi-Fi, cable TV, panoramic views with private terrace, indoor lounge and a wood stove for the cool season. The restaurant has also been designed with an exceptional view thanks to these huge windows and a terrace of 40 square meters for a single lunch. There is a bar and a lounge with reading area. In the morning you may be woken by the song of Indri Indri, these lemurs that can only be seen in Andasibe Park. The hotel also has an infinity pool and 2 massage parlors. The whole team is waiting for you to make your stay unforgettable. Mantadia lodge offers in its shop 2 ranges of sweaters and shall: the cashmir and the natural silk of Madagascar. You will also find products and souvenirs made by local artisans: jewelry, decorative objects, honey, wild pepper.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast enjoy a guided visit to the 810-hectare Perinet Reserve in search of the famous Indri lemur. With its barely visible tail, striking black-and-white markings and expressive face, the Indri is one of Madagascar's most iconic animals and cannot survive in captivity.

During your walk through the rainforest you may encounter several other lemur species including grey bamboo lemurs, common brown lemurs, diademed sifaka and black-and-white ruffed lemurs. Birdwatchers should look out for the velvet asity, blue coua and nuthatch vanga among many other endemic species.

After lunch at the lodge, drive back to Antananarivo in the afternoon (approximately five hours) and check into your hotel near the airport for dinner.

Hotel: Hotel Nosy Manga (3 Star Rating)

Nosy Manga Hotel is a boutique property located in the Ivato district of Antananarivo, just a short distance from Ivato International Airport. The hotel provides a convenient base for travelers arriving in or departing from Madagascar’s capital while also offering a calm and welcoming environment away from the city center. Accommodation includes a selection of comfortable guest rooms and suites designed with modern furnishings and practical amenities for short stays or overnight stopovers. Guests can relax in the garden setting, enjoy the outdoor swimming pool, or dine at the on-site restaurant serving a range of international and Malagasy dishes. A bar and terrace provide additional spaces to unwind after travel. With its proximity to the airport, friendly service, and essential facilities, the hotel is well suited for transit guests, business travelers, and visitors beginning or ending their Madagascar journey.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast transfer to Ivato Airport for your domestic flight to Fort Dauphin. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide from Mandrare River Camp and transferred to a local restaurant for lunch before continuing by road to the camp. The drive to Mandrare River Camp takes you through the remarkable landscapes of southern Madagascar's spiny forest.

On arrival at camp settle into your tent overlooking the Mandrare River. Later in the evening depart on a guided night walk through the surrounding forest. This is a fantastic opportunity to see diurnal lemurs settling down and nocturnal species emerging as darkness falls. You may encounter mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs, chameleons, owls and many other fascinating creatures.

Hotel: Mandrare River Camp (4 Star Rating)

On the banks of the Mandrare River, this camp is nestled under the shade of tamarind trees which is the lifeblood of the region. Home to an abundance of unique wildlife and the fascinating Antandroy tribe.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast head to the sacred gallery forest south of the camp. Depending on the river level you will either walk or take a boat across the Mandrare River to reach this beautiful deciduous forest. Inquisitive groups of ring-tailed lemurs and the always entertaining Verreaux sifaka are often the highlight of this excursion.

Return to camp for lunch and a relaxing afternoon by the pool. In the late afternoon explore the sacred spiny forest where the ancestral tombs of the Antandroy people can be found among the unusual vegetation unique to this region. Your guide and a local tracker will introduce you to Antandroy culture and traditions before you enjoy sundowners along the banks of the Mandrare River.

Hotel: Mandrare River Camp (4 Star Rating)

On the banks of the Mandrare River, this camp is nestled under the shade of tamarind trees which is the lifeblood of the region. Home to an abundance of unique wildlife and the fascinating Antandroy tribe.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After an early tea or coffee depart for a morning walk through the spiny forest. As the sun rises over the landscape you may spot many endemic birds including crested coua, various vangas and the running coua.

After breakfast visit a local village or the nearby market (held on Thursdays and Saturdays) where you can meet members of the Antandroy community and gain insight into their daily life and traditions. Return to camp for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing while watching life along the river from your terrace.

Later in the afternoon depart for a sundowner among the iconic baobab trees before returning to camp for dinner. In the evening local villagers may visit the camp to perform traditional songs and dances that form an important part of Antandroy culture.

Hotel: Mandrare River Camp (4 Star Rating)

On the banks of the Mandrare River, this camp is nestled under the shade of tamarind trees which is the lifeblood of the region. Home to an abundance of unique wildlife and the fascinating Antandroy tribe.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast depart for a full-day excursion to Lac Anony (mid-May to October), a remarkable saltwater lake separated from the Indian Ocean by towering sand dunes. The lake is home to flamingos and a variety of other water birds.

After the two-hour drive to the lake, walk along the shoreline to a scenic picnic location. Climb the high sand dunes for spectacular views across the landscape before enjoying a refreshing swim in the lake. Later return to Mandrare River Camp in time for dinner.

Hotel: Mandrare River Camp (4 Star Rating)

On the banks of the Mandrare River, this camp is nestled under the shade of tamarind trees which is the lifeblood of the region. Home to an abundance of unique wildlife and the fascinating Antandroy tribe.

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast drive back to Fort Dauphin in time for your domestic flight to Antananarivo. On arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel in the historic upper town. If time allows you may explore some of Antananarivo's markets and historic landmarks.

Hotel: La Maison Gallieni (3 Star Rating)

Welcome The Maison Gallieni, an establishment of choice for travelers like you. Equipped with air conditioning, La Maison Gallieni rooms offer all the comfort you need. You can even stay connected thanks to the free wi-fi. The pool and lounge will help make your stay even more special. Antananarivo is full of Italian restaurants

Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

After breakfast check out of your hotel and transfer to Ivato International Airport in time for your onward flight.