Ethiopian Experiences
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"Madagascar is a place where nature has been allowed
to run wild, a land of extraordinary beauty and biodiversity."
(attrib. Unknown)
Ethiopian Experiences in Madagascar
Magnificent Madagascar
A paradise - a treasure trove
The colourful north of the island
See our Tours schedule page and newsletters for latest news
Adventure, relaxation,
and a taste of authentic Madagascar.
Northern Madagascar is a region of stunning natural beauty, rich biodiversity, and vibrant culture. With lush and verdant rainforests, pristine beaches with crystal-clear waters, and a range of extraordinary wildlife, this is truly a must-do experience.
A twelve-day tour to experience beautiful coastlines,
unforgettable wildlife, majestic rainforests, and so much else.
And as always, comfortable hotels, excellent food, friendly people.
£2785
plus flights and visa.
Everything else is included - characterful and comfortable accommodation, truly delicious food, all tourist costs, guide fees,
and all land transportation.
Here are the dates for this
brand-new tour - summer 2025.
We'd love you to be with us.
Departure flight
Saturday, 16th August 2025
Return flight
Thursday 28th August 2025
We would strongly encourage you to join one of our very friendly, small-group accompanied tours.
But If you'd prefer to travel alone, or as a couple, or as a group of friends, we can run this tour for you at any time of the year. You just need to get in touch and let's discuss your requirements.
Use the form at the bottom of this page.
The itinerary
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🇪🇹 Day 0:
Evening flight
Heathrow to Antananarivo
Antananarivo
🇲🇬 Day 1: Our aircraft touches down in the capital, Antananarivo, more often known as Tana
(see our November 2021 newsletter) and we have an especially comfortable and select hotel chosen for you for the first two nights to begin this new and amazing tour. Dinner will be excellent, and accompanied by conversation and discussion, preparing for a day of activity on the morrow.
🇲🇬 Day 2: For many of our guests this will be the first time to be in Madagascar, so we have a full day of activity in the capital city. We shall get to know the historic centre, with the bustle and colour of its daily market just down from our hotel. We shall also drive out of the city and visit (for a few perhaps, revisit) the wonderful Lemurs Park, on the outskirts of Tana, a high quality reserve and protected environment for six or seven species of lemur, all viewed at close quarters, yet all completely at liberty in this semi-wild environment. Another excellent dinner will complete our day.
Such a wonderful time.
Thank you so very much for all your care for us all
Diego Suarez (Antsiranana)
🇲🇬 Day 3: Today we change the scenery completely. We take a morning flight to the very north of the island and check into our hotel right on the main street of the town of Diego Suarez, also known as Antsiranana. This is a friendly and characterful town with interesting shops and good cafes. A huge brand-new market has just been completed, and we shall pay it a visit before walking in attractive gardens and enjoying French patisseries.
🇲🇬 Day 4: Prepare yourself for sun, sea and sand today as we drive to the north coast and visit part of the Three Bays coastal walk - silver sands, pristinely clean, hardly a tourist in sight, and the bluest ocean views that you may ever have witnessed. Have a swim if you wish, inspect the souvenirs, or just relax with a drink while more energetic others stroll a little further. Lunch will be taken in the village of Ramena, facing the sea and watching Malagasy children build sandcastles. We'll eventually be back in Diego Suarez for peace and dinner.
🇲🇬 Day 5: Its forest and wildlife today. We drive south along the fairly well-maintained N6 to visit the Montagne d'Ambre with its pretty waterfalls, avenues of towering trees, and definite sightings of lemurs, chameleons, etc. all accompanied by a knowledgeable and expert local guide. Lunch will be in a garden restaurant near to the rainforest. We are back for our third night in Diego and some more of Madagascar's excellent French-inspired food and drink.
Ankarana
🇲🇬 Day 6: We leave Diego for the third and last time today, moving south-east on some much more countrified and local roads towards an extraordinary and geologically-world-famous area of bright red rocks - Tsingy Rouge. It will be warm and sunny here but not at all exhausting as we weave our way between the magical pillars of red laterite rocks. Another local lunch will be taken prior to continuing our journey back to the N6 and down to Ankarana on the edge of another area of rain forest and a peaceful night in a comfortable countryside hotel.
A great trip. Wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Nosy Komba
🇲🇬 Day 7: A morning drive will take us to the small harbour at Ankify from where numerous boats take visitors over to the wooded island of Nosy Komba - much of it devoid of roads or transport. Our hotel is leafy and comfortable, looking straight out over the Indian Ocean, and away from the local bustle of the only real town, Ampangorina. We shall have relaxed time to stroll and explore this afternoon, with lots of chance to buy really lovely souvenirs if we wish to before dinner and some peaceful sleep to prepare ourselves for the next day's activity.
🇲🇬 Day 8: A really intimate and well-organised little museum is our focus after breakfast, and we shall be shown round by a charismatic young man who shares the accolades for this fine little place. There'll be coffee and further exploration before lunch. But then we shall walk for no more than 15 minutes to reach an extraordinary corner of the extensive rain forest here on the island where we shall have the most intimate access to the lemurs, tortoises - and even very peaceful and sleepy non-venomous snakes! The policy here is to protect the majority of the island's wildlife by allowing guests to get really close to just a few of the animals. A small piece of banana secreted in the hand will certainly have its appeal to the locals.
Nosy Be
🇲🇬 Day 9: We shall be loath to leave this intimate little island, but even more wonders await us. On a relaxed morning schedule, we shall take another boat over onto the bigger and more well-known island of Nosy Be, landing in the harbour of its main town, called Hell-Ville. The town was apparently named after a famous French Admiral called Anne Chrétien Louis de Hell, a name to conjure with - especially for a man! We find our way to our wonderfully comfortable and rural retreat just away from a much busier and somewhat glitzy little town called Ambatoloaka, right on the sea coast. In the afternoon we're back to explore Hell-Ville and in the evening we might celebrate with a cocktail or two.
🇲🇬 Day 10: This will be an exciting day. Accompanied by another extraordinarily charismatic young local guide, called Christelin, we shall travel east for a way towards the Lokobe Reserve where he lives. To accomplish the final part of the journey, we shall transfer to a local wooden pirogue boat, with a paddle per person, and soon find ourselves in a magical place. Walks up into the forest, with plentiful wildlife, will be followed by lunch specially cooked for us on the little beach. After this slightly more energetic day, we'll be pleased to head back for supper, drinks and a little nightlife.
🇲🇬 Day 11: We are nearly at the end of this twelve-day trip to paradise, but before we leave Nosy Be, we must visit another small island off the west coast to have lunch with a locally-famous Italian patron who will welcome us to enjoy his rather special invitation-only cooking at Danae Beach. No paddling today - just a very short motorized crossing. Swimming and sunbathing if wished, but relaxation and well-being for all.
🇲🇬 Day 12: We don't need to get all the way back down to Antananarivo for our return home, and we shall use the little local airport on the east of Nosy Be to get us right back to London on a daytime flight all the way, taking with us truly memorable visions and experiences.
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We can never be sure of flight costs in advance but we would expect the two international flights to come out at about £1000 and the one domestic flight at about £200.
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The cost of the tourist visa at the present time is about £30.
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For other general information, see Our tours > All the tours information