Northern Madagascar Tailormade Family Adventure

Arrive on Nosy Be, Madagascar's famous 'Island of Perfumes', and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax after your journey and enjoy your first taste of island life.

Depending on arrival time, there may be an opportunity for a first swim or stroll along the beach before dinner (own account).

After breakfast, transfer to the port at Hell-Ville and cross by boat to Ankify on the mainland.

From Ankify, continue by road through the fertile Sambirano region, an area known for its plantations of cocoa, coffee, vanilla and other tropical crops. The landscape gradually changes as you travel inland towards the dry forests and spectacular limestone formations of Ankarana.

Arrive at Ankarana Special Reserve and settle into your lodge. Depending on arrival time, enjoy a gentle introductory walk around the surrounding area.

Ankarana is famous for its extraordinary tsingy, caves, canyons and underground rivers, as well as its diverse wildlife.

Ankarana Special Reserve

Ankarana Special Reserve is one of northern Madagascar’s most spectacular protected areas, renowned for its dramatic tsingy limestone formations, deep canyons, dry forests and extensive network of caves. Guided walks reveal an extraordinary landscape shaped by erosion, with opportunities to explore rocky trails, caves and viewpoints while looking out for lemurs, chameleons and endemic birdlife. The reserve also has strong cultural significance for the Antakarana people, with sacred caves forming an important part of the region’s heritage. For adventurous travellers, Ankarana provides a fascinating combination of spectacular scenery, wildlife, geology and local culture.

Today is devoted to exploring the remarkable Ankarana Special Reserve with a local guide.

The reserve's dramatic limestone landscape has been shaped over millions of years, creating jagged tsingy formations, deep canyons, caves and natural viewpoints. Depending on the family's interests and fitness levels, your guide can select a suitable walking route.

There will be opportunities to look for crowned lemurs, Sanford's brown lemurs, chameleons, geckos and other endemic wildlife, while the more adventurous members of the family can enjoy some of the reserve's ladders, bridges and cave passages.

The walking can be adapted to suit, making this an exciting introduction to Madagascar's unique landscapes without making the day unnecessarily demanding.

Leave Ankarana and travel towards the relatively little-visited Andrafiamena-Andavakoera Protected Landscape.

The journey becomes increasingly adventurous as you leave the main road and travel into the forested hills. The reserve is a particularly interesting destination for families looking for something away from Madagascar's more established tourist routes.

On arrival at the remote lodge, settle into this simple, community-focused forest camp. The surrounding area is rich in biodiversity and provides an excellent opportunity to experience Madagascar's wildlife in a more intimate setting.

Later, enjoy a gentle walk around the camp or relax and take in the peaceful surroundings.

Andrafiamena-Andavakoera is a remote and little-visited protected landscape in northern Madagascar, offering an opportunity to experience some of the island’s most important and fragile habitats away from the main tourist routes. The area encompasses a fascinating mix of sub-humid and dry forests, karst landscapes and distinctive tsingy, supporting an impressive diversity of wildlife, including several species of lemur, birds, reptiles and chameleons. It is particularly significant as the natural habitat of the Perrier’s sifaka, one of Madagascar’s rarest lemurs. Exploring the reserve on foot provides an immersive experience of its forests and dramatic landscapes, while visits also contribute to the conservation of this important wilderness and the communities living around it.

Spend a full day exploring Andrafiamena-Andavakoera with a local guide. This protected landscape encompasses a fascinating mixture of sub-humid forest, dry forest and limestone terrain. It is home to an impressive range of wildlife, including nine species of lemur, numerous birds, reptiles and amphibians. Most notably, the forests of Andrafiamena provide the exclusive habitat of the critically endangered Perrier's sifaka.

The day can be tailored to the family, with a guided forest walk providing opportunities to search for lemurs, chameleons and colourful birds. For families interested in wildlife, this is likely to be one of the most memorable days of the journey.

If conditions and family interests permit, a night walk can also be arranged, offering the chance to search for nocturnal wildlife such as dwarf lemurs, bats, chameleons and other creatures that become active after dark.

Leave Andrafiamena and travel towards the Amber Mountain region. En route, stop to explore the spectacular Red Tsingy, where erosion has sculpted the laterite landscape into a series of striking red pinnacles and valleys.

Continue into the foothills of Amber Mountain and the small village of Joffreville, where you will spend the next two nights.

The change of scenery is dramatic, moving from the dry landscapes of northern Madagascar into the cooler, greener environment surrounding the mountain.

Today explore Amber Mountain National Park, one of northern Madagascar's most beautiful rainforest areas.

The park's lush volcanic landscape is crossed by forest trails leading to waterfalls, streams and scenic viewpoints. With a local guide, walk through the rainforest in search of Madagascar's distinctive wildlife, including lemurs, chameleons, frogs and colourful birds.

The walking can be adjusted according to your ability/interest, making this a good opportunity to experience Madagascar's rainforest without undertaking a particularly strenuous trek.

There will also be time to enjoy the cooler mountain climate and peaceful surroundings around the old world charm of Joffreville.

Amber Mountain National Park is a lush, cool and misty rainforest oasis rising dramatically above the drier landscapes of northern Madagascar. Centred around an ancient volcanic massif, the park is characterised by dense montane forest, spectacular waterfalls and tranquil crater lakes, with well-established trails offering opportunities to explore this remarkably diverse environment. The forest provides a habitat for several species of lemur, colourful chameleons, endemic birds and a wealth of other wildlife, while the refreshing mountain climate makes a welcome contrast to the warmer lowlands. A visit to Amber Mountain combines beautiful scenery, fascinating wildlife and gentle exploration in one of northern Madagascar’s most rewarding natural environments.

After checking in, explore some of the spectacular coastline around the city. A particularly enjoyable family excursion is to the Three Bays – Sakalava Bay, Pigeon Bay and Dune Bay – where dramatic coastal scenery, sandy beaches and turquoise water provide a welcome change after several days exploring inland.

There should be time for a swim or beach walk, depending on conditions.

Return to Diego Suarez in the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxed evening in the city.

After breakfast, begin the journey back towards the coast and Ankify.

The road takes you through northern Madagascar's changing landscapes before reaching the port, where you board the boat for the short crossing back to Nosy Be.

On arrival, transfer to your beach hotel and begin the relaxing second half of the holiday.

The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the swimming pool, beach or hotel facilities.

Enjoy five nights in total on Nosy Be, providing plenty of time for the family to relax after the more adventurous mainland section of the journey.

Days can be completely flexible, with a choice between relaxing at the hotel and taking optional excursions.

Possible activities include:

• Boat trip to Nosy Sakatia for swimming and snorkelling
• Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve for excellent snorkelling
• Boat trip to Nosy Komba to explore the island and meet local communities
• Whale-watching during the appropriate season
• Diving and snorkelling excursions
• Kayaking or paddleboarding
• Visit to a local ylang-ylang plantation
• Island sightseeing and visits to Hell-Ville
• Sunset cruise
• Quad biking or cycling
• Simply relaxing on the beach or beside the pool

Nosy Be is particularly well suited to the final part of a family holiday because activities can be as active or relaxed as the family wishes. The surrounding islands and clear waters also provide plenty of opportunities for teenagers to stay active while parents enjoy some downtime.

Days can be completely flexible, with a choice between relaxing at the hotel and taking optional excursions.

Days can be completely flexible, with a choice between relaxing at the hotel and taking optional excursions.

Days can be completely flexible, with a choice between relaxing at the hotel and taking optional excursions.

Enjoy a final relaxed breakfast at the hotel before transferring to Nosy Be Airport for your onward flight.

Your northern Madagascar family adventure comes to an end.

Further exploration of Madagascar can be arranged on request in the south and west of the country