9-Nights Madagascar's Incredible Wildlife by Air - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Itinerary Details

1 Arrive Antananarivo, Madagascar

Madagascar’s capital — located in the Central Highlands — brims with colonial houses, steepled hilltop churches and French mansions. The aroma of Malagasy street food mixes with the scent of cassava muffins from nearby bakeries, while museums and palaces lend insight into the city’s rich history.

Board a privately chartered flight to Isalo, its sandstone landscape sculpted into deep canyons and dramatic formations. Rare endemic plants thrive here, including native spine-bearing palms and local aloe species. For wildlife enthusiasts, the park offers sightings of sifaka, brown lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs. Adding to its significance, Isalo holds sacred status for the Bara tribe, who have utilized caves within the canyon walls as burial sites for centuries. This afternoon concludes with a visit to Giorgio’s Window, a natural rock formation and stunning backdrop for sunset photography.

A full-day guided walk unveils the remarkable diversity of this park. Lush tropical vegetation — characteristic of the east — contrasts with vast rolling plains punctuated with striking rock formations. Within dense streamside growth, keep watch for unique species. Above, glimpses of 80 bird species — perhaps the rare Benson’s rock-thrush, knob-billed duck or crested ibis — reward observant eyes. Meanwhile, the Canyon des Singes meanders through vibrant forest and colorful rock formations, culminating in a stunning natural rock pool.

A morning flight to Ifotaka brings you to the country’s remote southern region and your permanent tented camp with panoramic views across the Mandrare River. Later, a guided night walk explores the eerie, prehistoric spiny forest. A chance to glimpse diurnal lemurs settling into their nighttime roosts.

River conditions permitting, a walk or boat trip across the Mandrare leads to the largely deciduous gallery forest with its sifaka and ring-tailed lemur populations. Later, a walk through the sacred spiny forest unveils unique flora, fauna and the ancestral tombs of the Antandroy tribe. Conclude the day with a sundowner amid magical baobabs.

As light filters through octopus trees, dawn in the spiny forest brings the chance to observe endemic birds like crested coqua, various vangas and the running coua. A visit to a local market or village then lends insight into the fascinating Antandroy community. Evening brings a sundowner as the moon rises against the mountain backdrop. Later, local villagers share traditional songs and dances, showcasing their cultural heritage.

A morning flight returns you to Tana, where you continue overland to lush Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and the adjoining Analamazaotra Reserve. Known for the indri lemur’s distinctively loud song, this biodiverse park shelters native species, including the large Parson’s chameleon, alongside rare orchids and ferns. Trails weave through the dense forest, passing lakes en route to the Sacred Waterfall.

Set out to explore Mantadia National Park in search of the diademed sifaka, grey bamboo lemur, red-bellied lemur and white-ruffed lemur. Watch, too, for abundant birdlife, including the scaly ground roller, the pitta-like ground roller and the red-breasted coua. As night falls, a guided hike through the surrounding forest offers a search for nocturnal mice, as well as the white-footed sportive, fat-tailed dwarf and woolly lemur varieties.

Perinet Reserve offers chances to spot the dozen lemur species that inhabit the park, including grey bamboo, white-ruffed and common brown lemurs. Vivid birdlife captivates, with potential sightings of the endemic velvet asity or nuthatch vanga. You may also spot a range of reptile and invertebrate species, alongside over 1,000 orchid species.