Experience Madagascar s pristine beauty, in the true adventurous spirit. This 11-day journey takes you on an unforgettable kayak trip along the banks of lush mangrove forests, paddling the clear waters in St Luce Reserve s lakes and walks in the heart of the littoral forests. Allow the abundance of creature sightings, untouched flora of the rainforest, breathtaking blue waters and white beaches to wash your stress away while putting you back in touch with nature. On arrival at Manafiafy Beach you will be rewarded with barefoot luxury, in a private, picturesque bay, surrounded by the very best of Mother Nature, with unlimited activities to unwind, entertain and pamper yourself with. Madagascar Barefoot Luxury Kayak Adventure HIGHLIGHTS: Camping in absolute style with French-trained chefs catering all meals in St Luce and at Manafiafy, kayaking on the pristine river through the St Luce Reserve, wildlife viewing,
bird watching, enjoying the beach at Manafiafy, walks in the rainforest, exploring deserted beaches, whale viewing (June - December) and snorkelling. QUICK FACTS Tour type: Small group barefoot luxury Kayak Safari Meals: 10 x Breakfast 08 x Lunch Duration: 11 days 10 x Dinner Start: Antananarivo, Madagascar Vehicle: 12-seater 4x4 safari vehicle End: Antananarivo, Madagascar 2x4 vehicle for transfers in Antananarivo Countries visited: Madagascar Group Size: Min. 4* / Max. 12 DEPARTURE DATES Please note the following: There are no trips from mid-september to 19 November. Private departures can be arranged on request. Children under the age of 12 years are not allowed on this tour. Please contact our reservations team for advice. LOW SEASON Tour Start Tour End HIGH SEASON Tour Start Tour End March 15/03/2017 25/03/2017 June 21/06/2017 01/07/2017 April 26/04/2017 06/05/2017 July 19/07/2017 29/07/2017 May 17/05/2017 27/05/2017 August 09/08/2017 19/08/2017 November 22/11/2017 02/12/2017 September 01/09/2017 11/09/2017 December 26/12/2017 05/01/2018 Meal Key B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo D ITINERARY Upon arrival in Madagascar s capital city, Antananarivo, you will be met and welcomed by an English speaking guide, before transferring to your hotel in the city centre. Pavillion de l Emyrne, or similar (double room with en-suite bathroom)
Day 2: Antananarivo - Fort Dauphin After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred back to Ivato airport for your two hour scheduled flight to Fort Dauphin, on the south eastern coast of Madagascar. Upon arrival in Fort Dauphin, transfer by road with lunch at a beach restaurant, then settle into your hotel to spend the remaining day at leisure. Kaleta Hotel, or similar (room with en-suite bathroom, swimming pool, restaurant and bar) Day 3: Lokaro - St Luce Reserve Enjoy an early breakfast before we set off on an adventure! Sainte Luce Reserve offers us an experience of the spectacular beauty of south east Madagascar. Your first day of kayaking will be for 4 hours to Evatra, with lunch on the banks of the mangroves and a delightful walk to Lokaro (2, 5 hours). Experience beautiful coastal scenery and a gorgeous natural swimming pool nestled in the mountainous coastline. St Luce Reserve is situated on an island-like peninsula, cut off from the mainland by river mouths to the north and south. The reserve has been established to contribute to the conservation of this extraordinary habitat, as it is some of the very last true coastal forest left in the south east of Madagascar and one of the most critically endangered in the country. This conservation area is bounded to the east by the Indian Ocean and white sand beaches, to the west by winding fresh water rivers, and to the north & south by more protected forests. There is no village, there are no neighbours, and as the reserve has a fresh water habitat, marine habitat, littoral forest, mangrove, wetland and open grasslands, you will find lemurs, birds, reptiles, mammals, sea turtles, crocodiles... it's all here. Bush Camping at Lokaro (stunning palm-fringed beach with great swimming) Day 4: Belaveno - St Luce Reserve After breakfast we head north through the mangroves and forest. The river is adjacent to the protected forest and wetland, which also incorporates many kilometres of stunning white beaches. At 9.30 am we head off for a 2 hour paddle, followed by a 20 minute walk to a secluded beach where we will enjoy lunch. Relax after lunch, enjoying this idyllic setting, before we set off at 3 pm for the 2 hours kayaking to Belaveno. Bush Camping Day 5: Ocean Camp - St Luce Reserve This morning sees us with a 2, 5 hour paddle and an 8.30 am start. Enjoy another idyllic day of paddling on the river, following the littoral forest through the wetlands and soaking up the sights and sounds of nature and letting the stress and cares of modern living, dissolve away
In the afternoon after lunch, we have a 2 hour paddle to a large lake. Wander in the forest to see the fruit bats, before your night walk to spot Mouse, Dwarf and Wooly Lemurs in the forest. Bush Camping Day 6: Manafiafy Beach After our last day of paddling on the river (2, 5 hours), we end at Manafiafy Beach & Rainforest Lodge at approximately 11 am. Situated on a beautiful, private, white sandy bay, fringed with forest covered mountains, your lodge offers barefoot luxury with wildlife and water on your doorstep. A welcome barbeque on the beach will await you and a most well deserved 30 minute complimentary back massage for those tired muscles Enjoy the location of your lodge in the afternoon, as the sun sets over the bay. Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge (private bungalow with en-suite bathroom, sundeck and separate access to the magnificent unspoilt beach) Days 7, 8 & 9: Manafiafy morning and afternoon activities After breakfast you will embark on your choice of a wide range of wildlife and sporting activities which are included in your stay. Some of the options include: Kayaking in the mangroves, early morning boat trips for wetland birding, day and night walks in the rainforest to see five species of lemur, snorkelling in the bay and nearby cove, whale watching from the 15 ft. observation tower (June to December). Boat trips to the nearby islands for a secluded picnic lunch, walks along long empty beaches, visits to the local village and school. Optional activities, payable locally at the lodge include: massage treatments, whale watching boat trips (June to December), deep see fishing trips. Forest walks are the main reason for visiting this part of the island and those accessible from Manafiafy are Littoral rain forests shady dense vegetation with a high degree of humidity and home to several Lemurs (collared brown, woolly, brown mouse, dwarf and sportive) as well as reptiles, spiders, birds, insects and orchids. Walks can be done at any time of the day and early evening, and are always accompanied by a Manafiafy guide. The rocks, islands and bays surrounding Manafiafy provide endless opportunities for exploring and within a short boat ride it is possible to find deserted beaches, scout for whales, or snorkel in the crystal clear water viewing corals and tropical aquarium fish. There is always something to do at Manafiafy and each excursion provides its own reward of new experiences most of them unique to the island of Madagascar. Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge (private bungalow with en-suite bathroom, sundeck and separate access to the magnificent unspoilt beach)
Day 10: Return to Antananarivo (via Fort Dauphin) BD You will drive back to Fort Dauphin and continue to the airport for your scheduled flight to Antananarivo, for your last night in Madagascar. Upon arrival in Antananarivo, you will be met and welcomed by an English speaking guide, before transferring to your hotel in the city centre and a farewell dinner! Pavillion de l Emyrne, or similar (double room with en-suite bathroom) Day 11: End of Tour Our tour ends today. You will be transferred to the airport for your return flight. B PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Contents : Departure Transport Accommodation Manafiafy Lodge Kayaking Equipment Visas Gratuities Travel Insurance Departure: When arriving in Antananarivo in the morning of day 1 of the tour you will be picked up from the airport and embark on your tour. Should you arrive prior to day 1, pre-tour accommodation can be arranged and you will be picked up from your hotel on the morning of day 1 (Pick up time will be confirmed on arrival). Transport: In Antananarivo we use an air-conditioned vehicle, and for the rest of the tour, we use 4x4 vehicles.
The city accommodation will be in up-market, boutique-style hotels, while the bush camping nights are spent in spacious 3 man tents that will include stretcher beds and mattresses with bedding. Bush style showers and toilets are provided, as well as all soft drinks and beers. Meals are a major highlight and prepared by French-trained chefs, both on the river and at Manafiafy, where the accommodation style has been selected for its barefoot luxury offering, quite unique to Madagascar. The Pavillion de L Emyrne has just twelve rooms and is situated in the heart of the old town of Antananarivo. It was originally built as a private residence in the 1930s and is a delightful city guest house with its own garden. Rooms are air-conditioned and have satellite television. Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge contains only five private bungalows and offers an intriguing combination of rain forest lodge and barefoot luxury beach property all rolled into one. Each spacious en-suite bungalow is constructed out of local stone and mangrove poles under a palm thatched roof having its own sundeck and separate access to the magnificent unspoilt beach and ocean. Kayaking equipment: We provide Synergy Fluid Double Kayaks, which also have a centre seat and so can be paddled by one person if needed. They are stable and durable, being made from Polyethylene and they weigh only 33 kg. The kayaks are 3.8 m long and 0.86 m wide, with a carrying capacity of 190 kg. Each kayak has 2 hatches and contains one 15 L Dry Bag. There is also a tank well with bungee cord if needed. Each kayak comes standard with a backrest on each seat, which are removable if so desired. Your PDF (personal flotation device) or life jacket is a handy one size fits all and is a quality make and design. Cobra paddles with aluminium shaft and hard, durable plastic blades, complete the outfit. Visas: A visa is required to enter the territory of Madagascar and can easily be obtained upon arrival at the airport of Antananarivo with a validity of up to 90 days. Tourists staying for less than one month, can purchase a visa for 80 000 Ariary (around 23-27 ). Paying with the exact amounts or small currency is advised. No photographs are required, however please ensure that passports are valid for at least 6 months after return date. In addition to the entry visa, the Malagasy government is proposing the introduction of a frontier levy of 10 in the near future, still to be confirmed and variable at short notice. Gratuities: If you feel you have been looked after well by your crew or guides, and you wish to show your appreciation for their services, a monetary tip is very welcomed by those in Madagascar. Some suggested guidelines: - Around EUR 4 per person, per day (10,000 Ariary) for a guide or a guide/driver. - Around EUR 2 (5,000 Ariary) for a park guide, depending on your satisfaction. - Around 5 % of the bill at a restaurant. - 200 Ariary per bag for a porter.
As Euro coins cannot be changed into local money in Madagascar, it is advisable to tip in Ariary. We would ask that you please reserve your generosity for tipping for services only, and not providing free hand-outs to children or adults, as this encourages begging. Travel Insurance: Please note that travel and cancellation insurance is mandatory for every guest travelling with Real Madagascar Travel. All insurance is solely the responsibility of our guests. Please ensure you arrange your own insurance with protection for the full duration of your journey to cover personal injury, damage and loss of personal items including but not limited to camera equipment and other electronic items, medical expenses, repatriation expenses and loss of luggage, etc. Please speak to your travel agent if you require assistance. For more information regarding the attractions, accommodations and areas visited on this tour, we invite you to click through to the tour listing on our website www.real Madagascar.com. You will also find information regarding availability and possible extensions to our scheduled tours. Our reservations office is at your service and we look forward to welcoming you to Real Madagascar Travel online!