Day 1: Antananarivo – Madagascar
Your epic Western Madagascar Safari begins on your arrival at Ivato International Airport in Madagascar’s capital city of Antananarivo. You will be greeted upon your arrival and transferred to your comfortable city hotel to relax and unwind. Depending on your arrival time, there may be an opportunity to enjoy an optional city tour to explore Madagascar’s bustling capital.
- Included Activity: Airport Transfer
- Optional Activity: City Tour
- Meals Included: No meals included (Classic); Dinner (Superior)
Day 2: Antananarivo to Morondava & Kirindy – Madagascar
After breakfast, your Madagascar Safari returns to the airport to catch a flight from Antananarivo to Morondava city in Western Madagascar (flight not included in tour price). You will be met at the airport and climb aboard a vehicle for a road transfer to Kirindy village close to the Kirindy Mitea National Park. This region is a dry deciduous forest dotted with towering baobabs, endemic plants, and wildlife adapted to this parched forest environment. The forest is home to the fossa, a slender, long-tailed, cat-like mammal endemic to Madagascar and its top predator, as well as a variety of lemur species.
Unwind at your lodge for the rest of the afternoon. After dusk, head out on a guided night walk into the forest in search of its fascinating nocturnal species such as the pygmy mouse lemur, certain species of chameleon, and possibly even a fossa, if you’re lucky.
- Included Activity: Airport Transfers, Kirindy Forest Night Walk
- Meals Included: Breakfast (Classic); Breakfast & Dinner (Superior)
Day 3: Kirindy Mitea National Park to Bekopaka – Madagascar
Day 3 of your epic Western Madagascar Tour is a long day of travel. We make an early start, stopping en route to Kirindy Mitea National Park to admire the iconic Baobab Alley in the ethereal light of sunrise.
Kirindy Mitea National Park showcases a stunning mix of dry deciduous forests, spiny thickets, and coastal mangroves, making it a biodiversity hotspot that is home to many endemic species adapted to the dry, arid conditions. Head out on a Kirindy Safari, keeping a lookout for the 7 species of lemurs that call it home, including the fat-tailed lemur and the tiny Pygmy Mouse lemur, believed to be the world’s smallest primate. Kirindy is also the best place to spot the giant jumping rat, fossa, and a variety of spiny hedgehog-like tenrecs. The park is also home to 3 of the 6 endemic baobab species in Madagascar.
After a morning spent in the park, we head north on bumpy roads to the village of Tsimafana. From here we take the ferry across the mighty Tsiribihina River to Belo sur Tsiribihina, before continuing to our destination for the day, the town of Bekopaka. Please note that it is a very long driving day due to poor road conditions.
- Included Activity: Baobab Alley by dawn, Kirindy Mitea National Park Safari
- Meals Included: Breakfast (Classic); Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Superior)
Day 4: Tsingy Bemaraha National Park & Grands Tsingy – Madagascar
After breakfast, we head off in a 4×4 vehicle for a full-day adventure in the breathtaking Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its towering limestone pinnacles known as “Grands Tsingy.” We trek through this otherworldly landscape of razor-sharp rock formations and deep canyons, providing a dramatic backdrop as we navigate suspension bridges and narrow pathways. Along the way, we will likely encounter some of the park’s rare wildlife, including over 11 species of lemurs, all adapted to this unique karst ecosystem. We head deep into the park, seeking out its towering limestone spires, some reaching heights of several hundred meters.
- Included Activity: Bemaraha National Park & Grands Tsingy Trek
- Meals Included: Breakfast (Classic); Breakfast & Dinner (Superior)
Day 5: Bekopaka to Morondava – Madagascar
After breakfast, our Western Madagascar Safari departs Bekopaka for the journey back south to Morondava. We stop to view the traditional tombs of the Sakalava tribe tombs along the way. Towards the end of our drive, we stop to visit Baobab Alley once again, its centuries-old, towering baobabs trees casting long shadows across the landscape in the golden sunset light. These ancient trees are remnants of a once-dense forest that stood here.
We arrive in Morondava by early evening and settle into our comfortable hotel for the night.
- Included Activity: Sakalava Tribal Tombs, Baobab Alley visit
- Meals Included: Breakfast (Classic); Breakfast & Dinner (Superior)
Day 6: Morondava to Antananarivo – Madagascar
Your final day begins with a peaceful morning canoe ride aboard a traditional dugout canoe, navigating the scenic waterways lined with lush mangroves. The journey takes you past the quaint fishing village of Betania, offering a glimpse into the local life and culture of coastal Madagascar.
Once back at the hotel, you will be collected for a transfer to the airport to catch your return flight to Antananarivo (not included). Here, your epic Western Madagascar Safari comes to a close.
- Included Activity: Dug-out Canoe Mangrove excursion, Airport Transfer
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Madagascar Safari Notes
Day 1 of this Western Madagascar Safari begins with an airport greet and transfer to your lodge for a stay overnight in Antananarivo. Should you wish to arrive before this tour is scheduled, speak to our friendly travel advisors to arrange pre-tour accommodation. You will then be collected from there on Day 1 of this itinerary.
It is also advisable to fly out the day after the tour ends in Antananarivo to allow for delays and changes. Simply ask your friendly travel advisor to add post-tour accommodation to your safari booking.
Madagascar Flights
Note that local and international Flight costs are not included in this Western Madagascar Safari package and will be quoted at the time of booking. Our friendly travel advisors will be able to advise on your options and make bookings on your behalf through our flight partners.
Madagascar Tour Accommodation
Accommodation on this budget Madagascar Tour is a choice of Classic or Superior Grade. Your travel advisor will assist with choosing the accommodation type that suits your requirements.
For more details contact African Budget Safaris
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