strongholds of the Malagasy
We start in the capital, Antananarivo, known as 'Tana' for short. The name means ?The City of the Thousand? after the thousand warriors that supposedly protected it. In times gone by, Tana and the nearby hill fortress of Ambohimanga have been the centres of control for the Merina dynasties that stretch back to the 14th century. Tana was home to Queen Ranavalona I, whose palace dominates the sky-line, built on a rock cliff over-looking the city. While we are in Tana, we visit Tsimbazaza botanical gardens and zoo and make an excursion to the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga where Madagascars' first effective administration was created under King Andrianampoinmerina.

Calls in the RainForest
Turning East, we drive to our forest lodge in the tropical reserves at Andasibe. Here we search for the largest living lemur, the Indri Indri. Living in family units of up to five individuals, Indri look more like teddy bears than lemurs and their eerie, wailing call can be heard far across the forest. We should also see brightly-coloured chameleons and many bird species during our time here and maybe tree frogs and the elusive mouse lemur during a nocturnal walk.

Northern Reserves & Beaches
From Tana we fly north to Antsiranana and visit Amber Mountain with a view back down over the town and huge bay. Here we visit the National Park, a forest full of ferns and epiphytes and hope to find the crowned lemur. We then continue west to the beach at Ankify with a stop en route to visit the caves and limestone pinnacles known as 'tsingy' in the Ankarana Reserve. Taking a boat from Ankify, we arrive at the largest of Madagascar's offshore islands - Nosy Be. With golden sandy beaches, a warm climate and calm seas, Nosy Be is justifiably Madagascar's most popular beach destination. You may like to visit Nosy Tanikely, where there is easy snorkelling over a protected coral garden, or Nosy Komba where curious

Itinerary:

1 Join Antananarivo. 2 Drive to Andasibe; nocturnal walks. 3 & 4 In Andasibe; birdwatching and lemur walks. 5 Drive to Antananarivo; visit Ambohimanga. 6 Fly to Antsiranana. 7 Visit Amber Mountain National Park. 8 Drive Ankify via Ankarana Reserve. 9 Transfer via ferry to Nosy Be. 10 to 12 In Nosy Be; optional activities. 13 Morning in Nosy Be; fly Antananarivo where tour ends.

Accommodation: 8nts hotel, 3nts forest lodges, 1nt bungalow; 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 6 dinners included.
Transport: Bus/4WDs/Various walks/ Flights as itinerary/Boat.
Comment: Unique scenery and wildlife in this exciting tour covering the island's most accessible and interesting reserves. Lemur tracking is on foot on well-maintained trails, with walks of around 2-3 hours each. All walks are non-compulsory.
Group: Approx. 12 to 16.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader, driver(s), local guides and N. Park ranger(s).
Trip Reference: FMD