11 days and 10 nights in mid-range and basic hotels
The highlights of this tour:
- Nosy Be “the island of perfumes”
- The solidarity circuit in the capital of Ankara
- The Ankarana Nature Reserve
- The Anjahakely Special Reserve
- The Red Tsingy
- The Amber Mountain
- The Emerald Sea
- The city of Diego Suarez and its 3 Bays
Itinerary
DAY 1: Nosy Be / Ankify - Visit to the Millot / Ambanja plantations
- Departure from the hotel at 7:00 a.m. for a transfer to Hellville Port. From there, cross the sea to Ankify Port. Once there, our team will pick you up for the Ankify-Ambanja journey by 4x4, passing by the Millot plantation. Take a fascinating tour of the Millot plantations located in northwest Madagascar. Created by Lucien Millot at the beginning of the 20th century, you will follow the Sambirano River, whose excesses and overflows enrich the land, allowing not only this exceptional cocoa to flourish, but also the essences of the flowers that make up your perfumes. Discover how Madagascar's Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata!) made the fortune of the perfumers of Grasse, and how the greatest perfumers came to seek the magical essences of Vetiver, Patchouli, and Rosa palma.
- Lunch on site.
- After a digestive break, visit the town of Ambanja, surrounded by coffee and cocoa plantations dating back to the colonial era.
- Discover its famous Sambirano River, its lush vegetation (banana trees, traveler's trees, etc.), some colonial buildings (church, courthouse, etc.), its two picturesque markets, and numerous shops run by Indian and Chinese immigrants.
- Overnight stay with half-board at the Vel Lodge Hotel.
DAY 2: Ambanja / Ambilobe – visit to the town of Ambilobe / Iharana – Visit to the Mandresy cave – Ambatomiloloha sunset aperitif
- Departure from the hotel after breakfast, immerse yourself in the past of royalty by visiting the house of King Antakarana (Ambilobe), discover the lifestyle of the local population, visit the market and its crafts, taste the famous dried banana (local product). Our guide will also share his knowledge with you during this beautiful discovery.
- At the end of the visit, transfer to Iharana bush camp, one of the most beautiful Ecolodges in the North of Madagascar.
- Lunch awaits you there and then you will visit the Mandresy cave, in other words the ficus cave, where you will have the chance to discover bats, beautiful concretions, the seasonal underground river, the trace left by the ancestors during the tribal war such as the terracotta pot. Once there, the guide will provide you with a headlamp, an essential element to discover this enormous cavity filled with stalagmites and stalactites.
- The tour lasts 2 hours, please wear good walking shoes.
- After the Mandresy cave, you move on to visit Ambatomiloloa on a belvedere giving a very pretty view of the Sirama plain and Tsarabanjina accompanied by a sunset and an aperitif surrounded by the Tsingy of Ankarana.
- At the end of the visit; return to Iharana Bush Camp.
- Overnight stay with half board at Iharana Bush Camp.
DAY 3: Iharana
- Day of your choice: free, relax to enjoy the hotel swimming pool or take advantage of it to do several activities offered by the hotel including cycling or walking to discover the surrounding villages and see the local life of the villagers or visit the Tsingy gris, these famous sharp and pointed limestone rocks formed by erosion at the whims of wind and rain.
- Overnight stay with full board at Iharana Bush Camp.
DAY 4: Iharana / Red Tsingy / Diego Suarez
- Departure from the hotel at 8:00 a.m. to go to the Red Tsingy.
- Not far from the Analamera Reserve, the Red Tsingy are a fairy chimney-like erosion. These ephemeral and phantasmagorical red formations are the result of the whims of wind and rain. The Red Tsingy can form over a relatively short geological period. The place is breathtakingly beautiful! Unique in Madagascar.
- Lunch at Violette's.
- After the digestive break, departure for Diego Suarez.
- City tour to discover the beauty of Diego Suarez. It is the largest city in northern Madagascar and the third largest port on the island. Capital of the Diana region, its inhabitants are called Antsiranese. It is sheltered by Diego Suarez Bay, one of the most beautiful bays in the world after Rio Janeiro Bay. This city, with its glorious past, invites you to discover its original architecture and brings back memories of the passage of the English and French through the region.
- The visit to the soldiers' grave is on the program.
- You will see the visit of the local market with its fresh and natural products.
- Visit the bay to see Cap Diego, the ancient city of Diego.
- Overnight stay with half-board at the Hotel La Terrasse du Voyageur.
DAY 5: Diego Suarez / Visit of the Three Bays / Visit of the French Mountain / Diego Suarez
- Depart your hotel at 8:00 a.m. for a day trip to the Three Bays and the French Mountains. Each one as beautiful as the next and with very little traffic, these white sand bays border a turquoise sea with an extraordinary underwater richness.
- Successively, discover the Baie des Sakalava and its fun boarders, the inaccessible but attractive Baie des Pigeons, and the refreshing Baie des Dunes.
- After the bays, you will continue your journey to Cap Miné, where you will find old cannons inherited from the colonial era, an old lighthouse and a breathtaking view of the Diego-Suarez pass.
- Then you will pass by the beach of the old military camp in Orangea before arriving in Ramena, the charming traditional fishing village.
- Lunch at a local eatery in Ramena.
- In the afternoon, departure by car to the entrance of the Montagne des Français.
- Continue your exploration of Malagasy flora and fauna through a trail accessible to everyone. Let yourself be led by our guides who will show you the baobabs, two of which are endemic to the region, the thorny trees, and the aloes. At this unique pilgrimage site, follow the Stations of the Cross, which will lead you to the panoramic terrace from where you will see one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
- Extend your journey and enter the protected area of Ambohitr’Antsingy.
- Along the way, discover the remains of the colonial era with the mines of the French Legion fort and its tunnels, caves, optical telegraph building and finish with the 656 steps that will give you access to the 360° view. A superb panoramic view at sunset.
- Dinner at La Kaza restaurant.
- Overnight stay in B&B at the La Terrasse du Voyageur hotel.
DAY 6: Diego Suarez / Visit to Amber Mountain / Joffre city
- Pick-up at 7:30 a.m. from your hotel for a visit to Madagascar's first national park. Created in 1958, Amber Mountain National Park is located in the heart of a volcanic region. The altitude ranges between 850 and 1,475 meters, at the peak of Amber Mountain. Rightly considered a "biological treasure," it is home to a magnificent protected tropical forest, preserved from any human impact, where a rich and complex nature thrives. A true water tower for the region, you will explore various waterfalls such as the Antomboka waterfall, the Sacred waterfall, the Antakarana waterfall, and Lake Mahasarika.
- Also discover beautiful panoramas of the far north of the island.
- Lunch at the Relais de la Montagne d’Ambre.
- Historical tour of the village of Joffre Ville with its colonial architecture in the afternoon.
- Overnight stay with half board at the Benedictine Sisters Monastery.
DAY 7: Joffre city / Ankify
- After breakfast, transfer by 4x4 to Ankify.
- Speedboat crossing to the port of Hellville.
- From there, our car will then drop you off at your hotel in Nosy Be.
NB: This is not a very difficult tour, all transfers are by 4x4 car. Trekking in the parks and reserves (D4, D5, D8, D9) takes 4 to 6 hours, and the guide will adapt to your pace.
This price includes
- Round-trip car transfers to Nosy Be
- Round-trip speedboat transfers from Ankify to Nosy Be to Ankify
- 4X4 vehicle with driver and fuel
- Multilingual guide and guidance
- Driver and guide allowances
- Entrance fees to paid parks and tourist sites
- Lunches from Day 1 to Day 7
- One bottle of water per day per person
- Bed & Breakfast accommodation Breakfast
- Half-board accommodation
- Aperitifs
This price does not include
- Lunches not mentioned
- Tips, personal expenses, drinks, and extras
- Tours and services not mentioned in the program
- International and domestic plane tickets
- Visa
Tips:
In parks and reserves: Walking shoes and mosquito repellent are required. ;
At sites (D9 and D10), sunscreen and sunglasses are required.