Self-Launched Madagascar Wildlife Circuit: Lemurs, Baobabs & Isalo (14 Days)

Land at Ivato Airport, change money (Ariary at the airport or BNI/BOA ATMs in town), buy a local SIM (Telma or Orange data bundle, ~£6 for 5GB). Take an airport taxi or arrange a hotel pickup to the Haute-Ville area (~£12-15, agree the price first). Settle into a guesthouse near Analakely or Ambatovinaky and take a gentle walk around Lac Anosy and the Analakely market. Eat dinner at a local hotely (rice, romazava or ravitoto, ~£3-4).

🚌Airport taxi to city ~£14 (negotiate, ~30-45 min)

🛏Guesthouse in Haute-Ville, e.g. budget rooms around Ambatovinaky (~£18-25/night double, ~£10-12pp)

• →Lac Anosy walk
• →Analakely market wander
• →Local hotely dinner

Early taxi to the taxi-brousse station and take the shared minibus to Brickaville/Ambatondrazaka road junction, then transfer to Manambato on the Canal des Pangalanes (~4-5 hrs total, ~£8-10). From Manambato take the short motorboat across the Pangalanes lakes to Akanin'ny Nofy (~£10-12 per boat, split between passengers). Check into a simple lakefront lodge and take your own dusk/night walk — the reserve is famous for its semi-habituated indri, black-and-white ruffed lemurs and aye-ayes. Local guides at the reserve cost ~£6-8 per person.

🚌Taxi-brousse Antananarivo–Manambato ~£9; boat across Pangalanes ~£11

🛏Simple lakefront lodge in Akanin'ny Nofy (~£20-28/night double)

• →Canal des Pangalanes boat crossing
• →Evening guided walk in Palmarium Reserve (lemurs, aye-aye)

Full day in the reserve: morning walk with a local guide to see indri and ruffed lemurs up close, then hike to the Akanin'ny Nofy waterfall and swim in the lake. Afternoon free to relax (there's a small spa at the pricier hotel if you want it). Return for a second night walk after dinner — aye-aye sightings are more likely in the dark. Buy lunch at the lodge or bring snacks from Tana.

🚌Walking only

🛏Lakefront lodge in Akanin'ny Nofy (~£20-28/night double)

• →Day walk in Palmarium Reserve
• →Akanin'ny Nofy waterfall hike
• →Second night walk

Boat back to Manambato, then taxi-brousse on to Brickaville and a connection up the RN2 to Andasibe village (~4-5 hrs, ~£10). This is the heart of indri country. Check into a guesthouse in Andasibe village — plenty of cheap family-run options (~£15-22/night). In the evening take a guided night walk in the village reserve (~£6) for mouse lemurs, chameleons and frogs.

🚌Boat + taxi-brousse Manambato–Brickaville–Andasibe ~£10-12

🛏Andasibe village guesthouse (~£15-22/night double)

• →Guided night walk in Andasibe village reserve

Full day in Mantadia National Park with a licensed park guide (mandatory; ~£9-12 guide fee plus ~£20 park entry and vehicle access). Trek primary rainforest for indri, diademed sifaka and black-and-white ruffed lemurs; visit the natural swimming pool for a dip. Note Mantadia is 1.5 hrs from the village by 4x4 or hired taxi — share one to reduce cost.

🚌Shared 4x4/taxi to Mantadia trailhead ~£8-10pp return

🛏Andasibe village guesthouse

• →Mantadia National Park trek
• →Natural swimming pool
• →Indri and sifaka spotting

Early morning visit to Analamazaotra (Perinet) Special Reserve — the easiest place in Madagascar to hear and see indri at close range (~£18 entry + guide). Then taxi-brousse back to Antananarivo on the RN2 (~3 hrs, ~£5-7). Evening in Tana and prep for the flight south.

🚌Taxi-brousse Andasibe–Antananarivo ~£6

🛏Guesthouse in Haute-Ville, Antananarivo

• →Analamazaotra Special Reserve early morning walk
• →Indri observation

Take the early Tsaradia/Madagascar Airlines flight Tana–Morondava (~1 hr, book well ahead — ~£95-130 one way). From Morondava take a shared taxi-brousse or 4x4 transfer up the rough road to Kirindy Forest (~2.5 hrs, ~£12-15 shared). Check into the CNFEREF/Basic campsite-lodge at Kirindy. Night walk for fosa (giant fossa), fork-marked lemurs and mouse lemurs (~£8 guide).

🚌Domestic flight Tana–Morondava ~£110; shared 4x4 Morondava–Kirindy ~£14

🛏Basic lodge or bungalow at Kirindy Forest (~£20-30/night)

• →Kirindy Forest night walk (fosa, nocturnal lemurs)

Morning guided walk in Kirindy's dry deciduous forest — the best chance of spotting the giant fossa, plus sifaka and chameleons. Head back to Morondava, then take a zebu cart or taxi (~£12 return) north to the Avenue of the Baobabs for the classic sunset shot, stopping at the Baobab Amoureux (lovers' baobab). Stay on the coast in a simple beach bungalow in Morondava.

🚌Shared transfer Kirindy–Morondava; taxi or zebu cart to baobabs ~£12 return

🛏Beach bungalow/guesthouse Morondava (~£18-25/night double)

• →Kirindy day walk
• →Avenue of the Baobabs sunset
• →Baobab Amoureux

This is a genuine mission by road: taxi-brousse Morondava → Miandrivazo (lunch stop) → Antsirabe, roughly 9-11 hrs (~~£18-22 for the full journey, or two segments). Ask for a 'taxi-brousse premiere classe' minibus for comfort. Arrive Antsirabe in the evening — cooler highland air, pousse-pousse rickshaws waiting. Simple hotel or guesthouse in town.

🚌Taxi-brousse Morondava–Miandrivazo–Antsirabe ~£20

🛏Highland guesthouse in Antsirabe (~£15-22/night double)

• →Miandrivazo lunch stop
• →Antsirabe evening wander by pousse-pousse

Morning to see Antsirabe's colonial charm — the thermal baths, gem workshops and the famous pousse-pousse. Then taxi-brousse via Ambositra (woodcarving capital, good lunch stop) to Ranomafana (~6-7 hrs, ~£12-14). Arrive in the village and take an evening guided night walk on the park edge for mouse lemurs, chameleons and — with luck — a glimpse of aye-aye (~£8).

🚌Taxi-brousse Antsirabe–Ambositra–Ranomafana ~£13

🛏Guesthouse in Ranomafana village (~£15-22/night double)

• →Ambositra woodcarving workshops
• →Ranomafana night walk

Full day trekking with a licensed park guide (~£22 park entry + ~£10 guide). Ranomafana is one of the best places in the world for rainforest lemurs — golden bamboo lemur, Milne-Edwards' sifaka and the very rare greater bamboo lemur. Hike to waterfalls and take in the misty montane forest. Optional: soak in the village thermal springs in the evening (~£2).

🚌Walking to park entrance

🛏Guesthouse in Ranomafana village

• →Ranomafana rainforest trek
• →Waterfall hike
• →Golden bamboo lemur and sifaka spotting
• →Thermal springs (optional)

Long transfer day south: taxi-brousse Ranomafana → Fianarantsoa → Ambalavao → Ranohira (~8-9 hrs, ~£16-18, break at Ambalavao). Stop at the community-run Anja Reserve for a 2-hr walk among ring-tailed lemurs basking on granite boulders (~£8 entry + guide) — one of the best-value wildlife stops in the country. Check into a guesthouse in Ranohira village at the gate of Isalo.

🚌Taxi-brousse Ranomafana–Ambalavao–Ranohira ~£17

🛏Ranohira village guesthouse (~£18-25/night double)

• →Anja Community Reserve ring-tailed lemur walk

Full day guided trek in Isalo (~£20 entry + ~£10 guide): the classic circuit through canyons to the Blue and Black Pools, natural swimming holes and the Namaza canyon, with ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux's sifaka along the way. Late afternoon, walk up to the Isalo Window for sunset over the sandstone massif. Bring plenty of water — it is hot and shade is limited.

🚌Local taxi/4x4 to trailhead ~£8pp return

🛏Ranohira village guesthouse

• →Isalo National Park canyon trek
• →Blue and Black Pools
• →Isalo Window sunset

Morning taxi-brousse to Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park (~1.5 hrs, ~£5) for a short walk — a dry forest with Appert's greenbul, standing's day gecko and sifaka. Continue to Toliara (~2 hrs, ~£6) and take the afternoon domestic flight to Antananarivo (~£90-120, book ahead). If time allows in Tana, visit the Rova (Queen's Palace) and the La Digue craft market. Overnight near the airport for onward flights.

🚌Taxi-brousse Ranohira–Zombitse–Toliara ~£11; domestic flight Toliara–Antananarivo ~£105

🛏Airport-area budget hotel Antananarivo (~£20-30/night double)

• →Zombitse-Vohibasia forest walk
• →Rova of Antananarivo (time permitting)
• →La Digue craft market