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Helinirina Raharomanana – Madagascar Tours Guide
North West Madagascar Tour
- 15 days / 14 nights
- Antanarivo
- Minimum age: 10 years
- Availability: All year
- Antsiranana
- Maximum number of persons: 40
North West Madagascar Tour - Itinerary
Circuit : Antananarivo – Ankarafantsika – Majunga – Antsohihy – Ambanja – Ankify – Nosy Be – Diego Suarez…
- Day 1 – Antananarivo
- Day 2 – Antananarivo – Ankarafantsika
- Day 3 – Visit of the Ankarafantsika national park
- Day 4 – Ankarafantsika – Majunga
- Day 5 – Free day in Majunga
- Day 6 – Departure Majunga – Antsohihy
- Day 7 – Antsohihy – Ambanja
- Day 8 – Free day in Ambanja
- Day 9 – Ambanja – Ankify – Nosy Be
- Day 10 – Discovery of the city of Nosy Be
- Day 11 – Visit of the small islands Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Komba
- Day 12 – Visit of Nosy Iranja
- Day 13- Nosy Be – Diego Suarez
- Day 14 – Nosy Be – Diego Suarez – Visit of the 3 bays
- Day 15- Diego Suarez – Antananarivo
- Day 16- Return to the country of origin
North West Madagascar Tour - Details of the itinerary
The contrast between a semi-arid panoramic view of the central highlands to the coastal landscape, its rich biodiversity as well as its paradisiacal beaches make the northwestern circuit of Madagascar a must-see destination for travelers in search of a real adventure. Madagascar tours guide is also able to elaborate a tailor-made tour in Madagascar according to the tour ideas that will be proposed to us. We can, for example, propose a 10-day Madagascar tour for travelers who only have a few days to make an interesting tour in Madagascar.
Day 1 – Antananarivo
Once settled in your hotel after your arrival in Antananarivo for this North-Western Madagascar tour, your guide will show you some key places of the capital:
- Lake Anosy and its angel statue standing in the middle of the lake. The district of Anosy is home to many administrative headquarters such as the ministerial buildings, the law courts, the largest hotel as well as the largest soccer stadium next to Mahamasina.
- The Queen’s palace in Manjakamiadana, a historical relic from the time of the Kingdom of Madagascar is located in the upper town of Andohalo,
- The chic district of Analakely and the famous avenue of independence as well as the arcaded buildings, a witness of the architecture of the colonial period in Madagascar.
Day 2 – Antananarivo – Ankarafantsika
Leaving the capital, you will reach the national park of Ankarafantsika, an essential passage for a visit in the northwest. By taking the national road n°4, you will cross a part of the landscape of the central highlands with a semi-desert landscape dotted with a few trees before entering the heart of the northwest region of the island.
As you progress, you will notice a change in the landscape with the presence of more and more traveler trees and mango trees.
In the evening, your guide will install you in a hotel in Ankarafantsika.
Day 3 – Visit of the Ankarafantsika national park
The park is made up of contrasting landscapes with the presence of different types of forests (dense and dry), savannah, lakes as well as the landscape of the lavaka shaped by the erosion like that of Ankarokaroka. You will meet there a unique floristic formation as well as faunistic species with very strong endemicity of which lemurs and birds.
You will meet there species of lemurs of which the Microcebus, the tiny species of lemurs in the world, species of reptiles like crocodiles, chameleons, iguanas, fresh water turtles…
Day 4 – Ankarafantsika – Majunga
From Ankarafantsika to Majunga, you will plunge more and more into the climate and the typical landscape of the northwest with large grassy areas and some forests. The presence of mango trees and trees of the travelers indicate that you are not far from the city of flowers.
At the entrance of the city of Majunga, you will be greeted by fruit merchants on the roadside. After this long travel circuit in Madagascar towards the northwest, you will have the right to a well deserved rest in one of the hotels of the city of Majunga.
Day 5 – Free day in Majunga
For the 5th day of your North-Western Madagascar tour, you will have a whole day to appreciate the beauty of the city of Majunga and the tourist sites around.
Starting with the visit of the market of Bazar Be or Mahabibo, the port, the lake and the sacred fish of Mangatsa in the morning. In the afternoon, you can enjoy the sea through an excursion in the famous Grand Pavois, a favorite beach in the city of flowers. In the evening, your guide will take you back to your hotel.
Day 6 – Departure Majunga – Antsohihy
After Majunga, heading to Antsohihy, a stopover town between Majunga and Nosy Be or Diego-Suarez. For a distance of 385 km from Majunga, the journey will take more than 7 hours through a landscape of shrubby savannah and vegetation typical of the entire Sofia region.
In Antsohihy, you will be able to visit the special reserve of Bora near the city. The name Antsohihy comes from the name of a tree called Sohihy very present in this region. You will spend the night in a hotel of the city before the next stage towards Ambanja.
Day 7 – Antsohihy – Ambanja
After a vast grassland of shrubby savannah, you will enter a landscape dominated by lush vegetation of the coastal part of northwest Madagascar. The change of landscape is felt at the entrance of the Sambirano valley. The 189 km journey from Antsohihy to Ambanja is usually done between 4 and 5 hours for the regulars of the northern circuit of Madagascar.
The landscape is constituted on both sides of the road by a succession of plantations of cocoa, coffee and mango trees. In its great majority, the trees of the traveler dominate the whole landscape. At the entrance of the city of Ambanja, you will be greeted by the scent of jackfruit and the song of cicadas. Ambanja is the cradle of colonial plantations like cocoa, coffee, vanilla, pepper, ylang-ylang. In the afternoon, you will have the choice between resting in your hotel or making a small excursion in the surroundings. In the evening, you will spend the night in your hotel in Ambanja.
Day 8 – Free day in Ambanja
Once in Ambanja, don’t miss the visit of the cocoa and caté plantations, a specialty of the region. Its geographical position near the Sambirano river as well as its micro-climate makes Ambanja a fertile region favorable to the culture of colonial type like cocoa which is known worldwide for its qualities.
This stay in Ambanja on the occasion of the northwestern circuit of Madagascar, will teach you all about the culture, the harvest and the organic transformation of the cocoa beans. It is in Ambanja that is produced a rare species of cocoa called “criollo”, known for its pronounced taste with a very low bitterness.
Day 9 – Ambanja – Ankify – Nosy Be
After a day in Ambanja, you will reach Ankify, the embarkation point to the island of Nosy Be. The duration of the crossing varies according to the means chosen, either on board of a motorboat or a speedboat. After lunch, you will be able to rest in your hotel or go for a little walk in the closer neighborhoods.
In the evening, you will return to your hotel and spend the night there.
Day 10 – Discovery of the city of Nosy Be
The next day after breakfast, you will discover the city of Nosy Be, starting with the reserve of Lokobe and its fauna: frogs, chameleons, geckos … Passing by the capital of the island whose complement of its name “Hell-Ville”, you will notice the remnants of the colonial era in Madagascar through the architecture of colonial buildings and the market.
Not far from Hell-Ville, you will not miss the visit of Lemuria Land where reptiles and birds live. To finish the visit of Nosy Be, your guide will take you to the distillery workshop where the essential oil of ylang-ylang is extracted. In the evening, you will return to your hotel to spend the night.
Day 11 – Visit of the small islands Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Komba
The next day, that is to say on day 11 of this North-Western Madagascar Tour, the guide of Madagascar Tours Guide will make you visit two of the islets around Nosy Be: Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Komba.
Nosy Tanikely or Nosy Be Marine Park is located in the heart of the bay of Nosy Be. This geographical position as well as its coral reef makes Nosy Tanikely a real natural aquarium. This islet is a privileged habitat for many marine species thanks to its marine reserve, its corals and its rich biodiversity. Its eastern beach offers an area for swimming, diving, snorkeling … A visit to recommend in case of Nosy Be Madagascar tour.
Nosy Komba or the island of lemurs is located between Nosy Be, the island of perfumes and the mainland. In addition to its dense tropical forest, Nosy Komba is endowed with a sumptuous beach with waters of emerald color as well as an exceptional fauna and flora of which lemurs macaco, Boa constrictor, chameleons… Its beaches with white sand, its crystalline waters protected by a coral reef make it an excellent zone of bathing, scuba diving and several other activities related to the sea. In the evening, you will return to your hotel in Nosy Be.
Day 12 – Visit of Nosy Iranja
Nosy Iranja is the best known of the visitors among the islets that surround Nosy Be thanks to its wide stretch of white sand of a length of 2 km which connects two islets: Nosy Iranja Be and Nosy Iranja Kely.
These islets form an exceptional landscape with turquoise water surrounding the lagoon. Nosy Iranja is the right place for travelers looking for a change of scenery in an idyllic setting. You will reach your hotel in Nosy Be in the evening.
Day 13 – Nosy Be - Diego Suarez
After a few unforgettable days in Nosy Be, head for Diego Suarez by car.
Day 14 – Nosy Be – Diego Suarez – Visit of the 3 bays
Day of discovery of the 3 Bays in Diego Suarez. The transfer to the village of Ramena will be done by car before a hike to the 3 Bays: Bay of Dunes, Bay of Pigeons and Bay of Sakalava. It will be an easy walk on the white and fine sands of the eastern part of Diego Suarez.
The Bay of Pigeons will offer you a possibility of bathing. At the end of the hike, you will arrive at Sakalava Bay, one of the best kitesurfing spots in Madagascar. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon. The visit of the 3 Bays is among the list of sites to organize a hiking tour in Madagascar.
Day 15- Diego Suarez – Antananarivo
At the end of your cheap tour in Madagascar, organized by Madagascar tours guide in the North-West, you will return to the capital via the domestic flight. Our driver will welcome you at the international airport of Ivato and will install you in your hotel.
Day 16- Return to the country of origin
Your transfer to the airport will be provided by Madagascar tours guide driver guide. On the way to the departure point for your home country, your guide will lead you to the handicraft market on the side of the road to the airport to allow you to buy souvenir items of your Northwest Madagascar Tour.
In addition to the existing tours such as the 15 days Madagascar tour for example, Madagascar tours guide, specialized in the organization of tours in Madagascar, studies all proposals for customized tours. Propose us your idea of circuit and we will communicate you our estimate as soon as possible.
For travelers experienced in certain circuits in the Big Island, Madagascar tours guide puts at your disposal its car rental service in Madagascar which will allow you to reedit your favorite circuit.
North West Madagascar Tour - Map