Bao-Bao, Baby! | Journey Across Madagascar

Picture a setting sun tinging the sky with hues of red, purple, and orange, the mighty baobab striking a squat pose against the sky, its plump trunk leading up to a few delicate flinger-like branches, making for one mystical sight. One Arabian legend says the devil plucked up the baobab, thrust its branches into the Earth, and left its roots in the air. A tree so distinctive they named it twice!

Easily recognized by their swollen base at the trunk which gives the tree a bottle-like appearance. They can be as short as 5 meters to as tall as 12 meters with the bottle-trunk up to 5 meters in diameter. With blooms in the spring of large white flowers which only open at night, these ancient trees have many tales to tell, given their estimated age up to 2,000 years!

Few places on Earth offer such an intense kaleidoscope of nature as Madagascar, from fertile hills cascading with terraced rice paddies, forests of every kind from wet & rainy to dry and spiny, and a laterite-rich soil which gives the country it’s nickname of “Red Island”. With thousands of kilometres of coastline, the sea is never very far, turquoise and idyllic, dangerous and mysterious, big adventure on the world’s fourth largest island.

There is no other place on Earth where you’ll find more lemurs because they’re only found in Madagascar! Endemic to the island and evolved from monkeys and apes, they once were as large as the male gorilla! There are now over 100 species of lemurs, in all shapes and sizes, from the pygmy mouse lemur to the long-tailed Indri.

And while the signature animal of Madagascar is the Lemur, there are many weird and wonderful creatures, from the eerie-looking fossa-fossa (a cat-dog crossover), colourful and camouflaged chameleons, oddly shaped insects, vivid frogs, graceful rays and turtles, several species of sharks, and humpback whales during the winter months.

Madagascar, from East to West, from Lemur to Boabab, on the road, the river, and the sea!

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Let’s bao!!

Day 1 // Tana - Antsirabe
After arrival we head to Antsirabe wile enjoying the views of highlands, rice terraces, vegetable plantations, and traditional Malagasy houses of the high plateau.

Day 2 // On the Road to Miandrivazo
Visit Antsirabe city by rickshaw. Continue drive to Miandrivazo. We’ll make a few stops at local villages and viewpoints along the way, a roadside lunch of local specialties.

Day 3 // Miandrivazo – River trip
Today we start our all-aboard adventure on the boat, enjoying peaceful day at river banks. We’ll meet some local tribes along the riverbank, catch sight of some endemic birds and chameleons, and along the river till we reach a gorge with Lemurs in their natural habitat. We’ll hop off the boat and into nearby waterfall for refresh and camp along the river for the night.

At night a local party: traditional dance of West Mada.

Day 4 // Kirindy Forest at Night
We’ll head down the river and check-out from our boat, take a quick car-ferry ride before reaching Kirindy. Short rest in the hotel. Towards later afternoon we'll get ready for a night walk in search of Lemurs and other nocturnal creatures!

Day 5 // Boabab at Sunset in Morondava
This morning we head back to the Kirindy forest for trek through the forest in the daylight, to search for the dancing lemurs, Sifaka and red fronted brown. We'll certainly see lots of reptiles and birds nearby the giant sacred baobab.

We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and head to most awaited sunset in famous valley of baobabs, set against magical red and purple sky.

Day 6 // Relax at the beach
We’ll settle into a peaceful beachfront spot just outside the city lights, with hammocks, shaded loungers, and the gentle sound of waves on the Mozambique Channel. Swim or wade in the shallows until west-coast orange sunset covers the golden sands.

Day 7 // Tana
Today we catch a local flight to Tana where we’ll check-out capitol's Royal Tombs and Pink Palace. Few last selfies with lemurs and their wet-noses. Enjoy a little souvenir shopping at the local market, wander many streets of wooden houses.

Day 8 // Departure
Transfer to airport for return flight home. Bye, bye Mada x

Level of difficulty: Easy and relaxing

Activities: trekking, sightseeing, cruising, camping.

Accommo & meals: breakfasts included, accommodation in comfy lodges and hotels, double sharing. 1 nights camping. Single room is subject of extra cost and availability.

Cost: AED 6,600 excl. flight
Cost valid until MAR 05.

Specifically excluded: Lunches and dinners in local restaurants.

Visas:
Any passport can obtain a visa on arrival valid for 90 days.

See yah in Mada x

Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238 / info@trekkup.com