Madagascar Explorer - Madagascar Tour Package

Arrive in Johannesburg, a 19th-century gold mining settlement that's now a cosmopolitan city of 4.4 million. Food and music are central to life in "Joburg," and its clubs and pubs are an integral part of the social fabric. Gather with our small group this evening for a welcome dinner with our Expedition Leader.Overnight in Johannesburg.

Fly over the Indian Ocean this morning to Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, where our adventure begins. We drive past rice paddies and rural villages into the rain forest to reach Andasibe-Mantadia National Park where we'll have our first opportunity to look for lemurs, primitive primates found only in Madagascar. The country is home to approximately 100 species and subspecies of lemur, and the world’s largest, the indri, is found in this park. As exciting to hear as it is to see, this pied creature’s call is a loud, eerie wailing that rings from the trees. During the day we may also spy gray bamboo, Eastern woolly and black-and-white ruffed lemurs, as well as diademed sifakas that dance through the canopy. On night walks, look for tree frogs, chameleons and palm-sized brown mouse lemurs that skitter among the strangler figs and giant ferns. Overnight in Andasibe-Mantadia National park .

The day is free to explore the National park at own pace.Overnight in Andasibe-Mantadia National park .  

The day is free to explore the National park at own pace.Overnight in Andasibe-Mantadia National park .

Return to Antananarivo by road and take a chartered flight to the hilltop town of Fianarantsoa, noted for its 19th-century colonial Old Town filled with colorful houses and winding streets. From here, we make a scenic drive to Ranomafana National Park, created in 1991 following the discovery of the endangered golden bamboo lemur. Today, the park is a hub of research and discovery that is vitally important for the conservation of regional wildlife. Comprised of steep, mountainous terrain, Ranomafana's 250 square miles encompass varied habitats at a range of altitudes, from lowland rain forest to cloud forest to high plateau forest. Cliffs draped in lush vegetation and waterfalls abound in this rugged wilderness, which we explore on guided hikes.Overnight in Ranomafana National park.

The day is free at leisure to explore the national park at own pace. Overnight in Ranomafana National park.

Have a camera ready and enjoy the changing views on a full day scenic drive to southern Madagascar. Get glimpses of local life as we pass through small villages into a land in stark contrasts with the eastern rainforests. Overnight in Isalo National park.

The day is free at leisure to explore the national park at own pace. Overnight in Isalo National park.

After a leisurely breakfast at the lodge, we fly back by chartered aircraft back to Antananarivo for connecting flights to Johannesburg and homeward, or on to your safari extension.