Madagascar North Tour
The North of Madagascar may seem far from the capital, Antananarivo where international flights typically arrive and depart but it is a truly exceptional destination for a dedicated tour. Here is a glimpse of a journey traveling from the historic port of Antsiranana to the stunning beaches of Nosy Be.
The highlights
Visiting a mix of national parks, reserves and sightseeings.
Short car drives, with constantly changing landscapes
Amaze in front of Madagascar island surrealist landscape
Tour alternates with beach activities
The tour in details
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Upon your arrival at Ivato international airport, our team is happy to welcome you at the arrival gate, whatever your arrival time is. After assisting you with services like money exchange and SIM card purchasing if needed, we will get in the car and head to your hotel.
We will assist you with your luggage to your room. Dinner is included at the hotel.
Most of the time domestic flights to Antsiranana from Antananarivo always require an early departure, the advantage is, we can enjoy the sunrise in the sky of Madagascar. Upon arrival in Antsiranana, our car will be waiting for us and we will drive to the Three bays to recover from the early journey. We will stop at Montagne des Français to see our first baobab tree of the tour, then in Sakalava Bay, we will see the biggest baobab tree in the middle of the deciduous forest. Continuation to Dunes and Pigeons Bays, which are a good spots for soaking our feet or for swimming. Lunch at Ramena Beach with seafood and drive to our hotel. Afternoon free with no set program.
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The T shape baobab of the North
Antsiranana is well known for its iconic endemic baobab species called Adansonia suarezensis in a « T » shape. This can be seen on the road to the Three bays at Montagne des Français or seen from afar on the road from Joffreville to Ankarana.
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Morning transfer back to Ramena Beach for a sea excursion to the Emerald Sea in the Babaomby Peninsula. We will board a traditional motorized pirogue to reach the area. You will notice the seawater changing progressively from clear blue to a mix of dark-shaded turquoise, which gives the Emerald Sea its name. This day is dedicated to nautical activities; for professionals, it is an ideal spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing. You can simply enjoy the sea and a picnic in a shaded area with fresh seafood. In the afternoon, we sail back with the Varatraza trade winds.
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After breakfast at your hotel, we will head to Montagne d’Ambre National Park for the visit of the day. We will try to find the smallest living chameleon « the brookesia », which is even tinier than our fingernails. Encounter lemur and bird species, and even butterflies during the season. The plus of Montagne d’Ambre is that some trails can be connected by car, so, from the end of a trail, we will be driven to another one, avoiding a long walk. Afternoon drive to Ankarana with a stop at the Tsingy rouge. Continuation to our hotel once the visit is over.
Today we will visit Ankarana National Park, one of the parks classified as exceptional by MNP. We will start walking from the parking lot to try to reach the Tsingy. Yes! The north of Madagascar also has Tsingy, and this one is less physical for those who want a moderate adventure. A benefit of Ankarana National Park is that the trail is shaded, about 2/3 is shaded, protecting us from the heat of the north. Depending on our luck, we will see birds such as Vangas, and crowned lemur all along the way. Don’t miss out on some colourful diurnal moths during the walk. In the Tsingy Rary, we will observe these limestone formations and if time allows, we will cross the hanging bridge over the Tsingy.
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The cave in Ankarana
Depending on your preference, we can visit the cave in the afternoon. Please note that it requires about 100 steps to reach the bottom of the cave, then another 20 steps to explore the cave with a steep and abrupt slope. This cave is only visited only during dry season and is inaccessible during the heavy rains from January to April.
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We leave Mahamasina after breakfast and drive south to reach Ankify. Near Ambanja city, we will visit a plantation of vanilla and cocoa beans.
The boat transfer from Ankify to Hell-ville takes about an hour. There, another car will be waiting for us for our next visit, which is Lemuria Land. This is a private zoo-like reserve where we can see tortoises, and of course lemurs, here we can see the ring-tailed lemur, the black macaco, which is endemic to Nosy Be.
Transfer to our hotel after the visit by crossing Nosy Be, « the perfume island », named due to its ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) plantations.
![Madagascar roadtrip landscape with the North lush rainforest]()
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In order to let you experience a beach stay as it should be, we will have a sea excursion to Nosy Iranja. Transfer to Ambatoloaka Beach, where we will join a group sea excursion. After a boat transfer of about an hour thirty minutes, we will have a full-day farniente on the beach of Nosy Iranja. Lunch under a paillote will consist of seafood. Afternoon return to Ambatoloaka and transfer to our hotel.
In case your international flight departure is from Antananarivo, on this day you will have a flight back to the capital. Depending on the domestic flight, you may visit Nosy Be, including the island tour to see the sacred trees and the market before the transfer to the airport in Fascene. In case time doesn’t allow it, in Antananarivo, we will take you on a tour of Croc Farm or to the downtown area to visit the Queen’s Palace.
![The hill of Analamanga in Antananarivo highland, picture by FAR Madagascar Travel Agency Tour Operator]()
The last day of your expedition in Madagascar. Depending on your flight, we may take you on a city tour to visit « the city of a thousand ». We will ensure your transfer to the airport, making some stops at the craft market for souvenirs. We wish you a safe flight. We say to you « VELOMA! »
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