Shaun, thank you. Our trip was superb and my wife and I enjoyed every minute of it. Our guide was excellent, being enthusiastic and extremely competent and our itinerary suited us perfectly with superb accommodation and great food! We are grateful to World Primate Safaris for organising a trip we will never forget and which has given us such a memorable and unforgettable experience.

David and Heather - Madagascar

An overall excellent schedule. Your guides are highly recommended; they went out of their way to find the wildlife and explain the history. Terrific customer service, we were most impressed.

Gaye - Madagascar

I think we are just about to send you guys a thank you card - we had a wonderful time! In all honesty I cannot say that we have ever been treated as well as we were in our various locations. Top rate and all our friends have had to endure countless recollections and praise for the trip and your firm.

James and Laura - Madagascar

Wildlife, Culture and Adventure Holiday

A 15 Day Wildlife, Culture and Adventure Holiday - From £2,890 per person

Day 1
Arrival in Tana; met by your driver and guide and transferred to your hotel. On arrival at your hotel you have a briefing on your safari. Depending on Chameleon your time of arrival there is an optional extra excursion to the Tsimbazaza Botanical Gardens.
Overnight: Tana Plaza; an upmarket hotel with located on the Avenue de L'Independance

Day 2
In the morning you set off in the direction of Andasibe Reserve with a brief stop at the Ambohimanga Palace on your way. This Palace represents the lineage of kings and queens past and is an important place to stop in order to understand the history and culture of the "Red Island". Leaving the Palace you drive east to Andasibe Reserve passing through highland scenery and rice paddies. Time to relax upon arrival, take a stroll or have your first nocturnal wildlife walk.
Overnight: Vakona Lodge; the most luxurious lodge in the area with 24 quiet and comfortable bungalows and also a swimming pool. Delicious food with courteous service. Horse riding is an optional extra or alternatively visit the hotel's own little reserve where you can observe former "pet lemurs" living in relative freedom. You also have the option of spotting your own wildlife just by walking along the road near the lodge! (HB)

Day 3
A day to explore Andasibe/Perinet National Park or Mantadia with your local wildlife guide. A montane forest park offering the chance to spot a variety of lemurs, reptiles and birds. One of its most famous inhabitants is the Indri, Indri - the largest of lemurs with a black and white teddy bear like appearance. You hear the Indri before you see them and waking up to their songs of communication in the early hours of the morning with the mist still hugging the rainforest canopy is a highlight of your trip to the Red Island. Best to leave early morning to be near the Indri when they make their distinctive morning group communication calls. Other lemurs which can be seen here are the red-bellied lemur, brown lemur, lesser bamboo lemur, with nocturnal lemurs - brown mouse lemur, greater dwarf lemur (Sep/Oct - May), Eastern woolly lemur, sportive lemur, aye aye (seen once each year!).
Overnight: Vakona Lodge (B/D)

Day 4
A further day to explore Andasibe National Park and see some of the amazing wildlife it has to offer. Aside from the 9 species of lemur in the park, there is also a wide variety of other fauna such as tenrecs, boas, chameleons (a highlight is the bright green Parson's chameleon) and some excellent bird watching. If you feel you have explored enough of the forest of Andasibe then another option is to move on to Mantadia just 20km north. Slightly harder work (steeper trails) than Andasibe this park is for the enthusiast with the possibility of spotting the diademed sifaka and also the black and white ruffed lemur. One of the few remaining parks with practically untouched primary forest and some spectacular views.
Overnight: Vakona Lodge (B/D)

Day 5
Today you depart Andasibe with a day driving back to Tana and then southwards to Antsirabe. Throughout the day you pass through a variety of highland scenery with an optional stop at Ambatolampy to see aluminium pot casting.
Overnight: Hotel des Thermes a comfortable 3 star hotel (B/D)

Day 6
Today you continue your drive south through the highlands and make your way eastwards to the rain forest reserve of Ranomafana National Park.
Overnight: Hotel Domain Nature; a real rainforest lodge overlooking the Namorona River.14 bungalows set amongst lush vegetation and constructed with local materials offer comfortable accommodation (B/D)

Day 7
Day to visit the Ranomafana forest. Here you may be lucky and see 3 species of bamboo lemur (out of 4 found in Madagascar). The most common is the lesser bamboo lemur which you may have seen in Andasibe. The greater bamboo lemur is very rare and only known for 2 locations, you may find them by hearing the crack of big bamboo stems as they feed. The star of Ranomafana is the golden bamboo lemur which was only discovered in 1986 (researchers were trying to find the greater bamboo lemur). A diet of bamboo tips Ringtail Lemur in Madagascar containing cyanide may be responsible for their golden fur. The largest lemur in the park is the elusive Milne-Edwards sifaka, often spotted high up in the forest canopy. You should also look out for red bellied lemur which live in couples with their offspring and red fronted brown lemur which live in large groups. Ranomafana is a birding hotspot but finding birds in the dense forest can be very tricky - an early morning start is essential. Evening nocturnal visits are organised here in a designated area in the forest where bananas are offered to bring out mouse lemur and meat to attract the striped civet.
Overnight: Hotel Domaine Nature (B/D)

Day 8
Another full day to explore the rainforest of Ranomafana.
Overnight: Hotel Domaine Nature (B/D)

Day 9
Today you make an early start for the drive to the south. After a brief stop at Fianarantsoa the last major town on the highlands we descend into the west coast region where the scenery changes to open savannah grasslands with zebu herds tended by Malagasy cowboys. There is time before lunch to visit the vineyards found at the town of Ambalavao and to see handmade paper being produced. Just after Ambalavao is the community managed reserve of Anja. Here you should be able to spot troupes of ring-tails in the forest between huge granite outcrops. In the late afternoon you will be driving through the fantastic scenery of the Isalo National Park before arriving at the oasis setting of the Jardin de Roy Hotel.
Overnight: Jardin du Roy; a stunning hotel newly constructed in the Isalo National Park (B/D)

Day 10
Today you have the fantastic opportunity for some trekking through impressive canyons and along dramatic bluffs; Isalo's topography has been sculpted over the years by wind and water and now lends itself to some quite fanciful shapes! A classic walk is along the Massif affording dramatic views and arriving late in the afternoon at "La Piscine Naturelle", a natural swimming pool formed in the rocks fringed by palm trees and forever topped up by a flowing waterfall. After a day out in the sun it is hard to refuse! Travellers also have the option of visiting a variety of natural canyons in the area, horse riding or just relaxing back at the Jardin du Roy. There is no better way to finish the day however than to watch the sun setting through "La Fenetre" a natural rock formation providing a window to the setting sun!
Overnight: Jardin Du Roy (B/D)

Day 11
After breakfast you leave the hotel for a final drive across the savannah plains before arriving at the coastal town and regional capital of Toliara. You stop just before town at the arboretum which has the most extensive collection of south Madagascan plants found anywhere on earth. After lunch you can take a walk on the botanical trail and you may also spot a sleeping mouse lemur among the bizarre branches. There is no beach at Toliara but just 20 miles north is the reef protected bay of Ifaty.
Overnight: Hotel Paradisier; wooden bungalows with private terraces and mezzanine levels perched on the edge of the beach offer a great place to sit back and relax. With sweeping sea views, a beautiful swimming pool and some of the best diving in the world it is impossible not to enjoy this private haven! (B/D)

Day 12
Transfer to the airport at Toliara for the internal flight to Fort dauphin and then transfer directly to Berenty reserve. Time to relax upon arrival or alternatively start your exploration of the Reserve!
Overnight: Berenty Reserve; 12 comfortable bungalows (B/D)

Day 13
Full day to enjoy walks in the reserve and watch the Ring-tailed Lemurs, brown lemurs and the dancing Verreaux's Sifakas. A great opportunity for some great photographs as these lemurs are highly photogenic Sifaka and are often only within a few feet of you. Throughout the day a variety of pleasant walks are possible throughout the Reserve and along the banks of the river; a variety of night walks are also possible with the possibility of spotting the white footed sportive lemur and also the grey mouse lemur. Other interests in the Reserve include flying foxes, nearly 100 different species of birds and also one of the best ethnological museums on the island.
Overnight: Berenty Reserve (B/D)

Day 14
A return trip to Fort Dauphin where you have the chance to relax. Fort Dauphin is situated in a beautiful location on a peninsular, surrounded by 3 beaches and lush green mountains. The main beach is also littered with shipwrecks which makes for quite a romantic setting. Fort Dauphin is a lively town with a good nightlife and a variety of good restaurants.
Overnight: Hotel Dauphin; the principal hotel of Fort Dauphin with lovely gardens (B/D)

Day 15
Transfer to the airport at Fort Dauphin for the internal flight back to Tana and your connecting flight back to the UK.

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