Unique Madagascar

Overview

This is a fantastic journey in a unique and magic country: Madagascar, the Earth’s number one biodiversity hotspot and home to 200,000 species of plants and animal life.

Around 85 percent of all flora and fauna found in Madagascar is endemic, first of all the iconic lemurs, but also geckos and chameleons.

The capital, Antananarivo, is the visitors hub, starting point for a luxury Madagascar holiday made of spectacular sights, white palm-fringed beaches and truly unique experiences and activities.

The trip winds between fascinating national parks in search of lemurs, chameleons, orchids, baobabs, geckoes, the spectacularly-eroded tsingy and tropical beaches in a remote island sanctuary.

Highlights

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

The Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is famous for its primary rainforest home to many endemic species, including 11 lemurs, of which the indri, the largest of all lemur species, the park is the island’s best location for spotting Madagascar’s largest lemur.

Other species in the park include chameleons and tenrecs, and a large number of bird species for birdwatching lovers.

Hearing the indri’s haunting calls in the forests of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and a nature walks in the forest are a must for wildlife lovers.

Night walks from the lodge allow for different sightings including the tiny mouse lemur whose eyes glimmer at the torch light.

Nosy Ankao

Nosy Ankao is a remote island sanctuary in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar, a tropical dream for a luxury relax or to enjoy a large range of water activities.

The island, only accessible by helicopter from Nosy Be or Diego Suarez, is a virgin secluded island and the perfect jumping off point for exploring Northern Madagascar.

Nosy Ankao is the largest island in a beautiful archipelago off the North-Eastern coast of Madagascar, it offers water and land activities, wildlife experiences, helicopter adventures, magical dives on unexplored reefs and heaven for impressive marine life, fishing trips from the beach, from other Islands or from the boat, wakeboard and waterski at sunrise, kitesurf safaris and adventure caving.

The lodge boast relaxed white beaches where it is possible to indulge a total detox and reconnect with nature or stargaze around the firepit.

Daraina Lemur Conservation

A short helicopter flight from Nosy Ankao will bring you in a less well-known place but equally as spectacular as some of the more popular locations in Madagascar, Daraina is home to the golden-crowned sifaka lemur.

One of the world’s rarest primates, this lemur is found here and nowhere else, other lemurs are found in the conservation area including the crowned lemurs and the Sanford’s brown lemurs, and even occasionally the aye-aye.

Undulating hills covered in deciduous and semi-evergreen forest make Daraina one of the richest and most ecologically sensitive areas in the North of the island.

Ankarana National Park

A scenic helicopter flight from Nosy Ankao is the best way to admire iconic tsingy stone forests in the Ankarana National Park.

The park is known for its Tsingy, the Malagasy name for forests of karstic limestone pinnacles structures, for the incredible wildlife that inhabits the region and for the biggest underground network of caves in Africa.

The Ankarana National Park boats hiking trails and pathways that wind through scenes of rocks and ridges to spectacular viewpoints, looking out to a mighty sea of limestone tsingy tips.

Ankarana is home to the highest density of lemurs in any of the reserves in Madagascar, thanks to the thick deciduous forest at the more isolated lower section of the park.

Crown lemurs specifically are large in population, but dwarf lemurs, Sanford’s brown lemur, Perrier’s black lemur and Northern sportive lemur can also be found here.

In the park is present also the fossa the Madagascar’s largest mammalian carnivore, as well as the tenrecs, ring-tailed mongoose and the Madagascar striped civet.