PANORAMA MADAGASCAR – PANGALANES NATIONAL PARK – 14 DAYS – OCTOBER 2025

Flight from Athens or Thessaloniki to Antananarivo, the capital of mysterious Madagascar and the largest urban center on the island of 22 million inhabitants. Arrival in the afternoon and transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Our morning tour today will reveal the different faces of the metropolis, which is built amphitheatrically on different levels and surrounded by lush green hills. The famous Royal Palace that dominates the city, Lake Anosy, the church of Amboninabamarinara built on the site where the island's faithful were sacrificed in the early Christian years and of course the palace of Ambohimanga are the main stops of our tour.

After breakfast we depart for Antasibe, as the Perine National Park is now called. The place is the "home" of the famous Lemur, Indri, which is the largest in Madagascar. The afternoon is dedicated to getting to know the Lemurs, the arboreal animals that are distant relatives of monkeys and to which the isolation of Madagascar imposed their special characteristics.

Today we descend to the tropical beaches of Madagascar, following the road through verdant landscapes with orgiastic vegetation. Taosina is the second largest city in the country, built on the Indian Ocean. The locals call it the most erotic city in the country! What is certain, however, is that in our afternoon tour we will enjoy the colonial buildings, the tree-lined streets and the fresh air of the Indian Ocean!

If the stereotype of exoticism is dreamy landscapes, waterways and dense vegetation overflowing from everywhere, then today you will be in the dream! A boat trip through the canals of the Pagalanes National Park will reveal the magical landscapes of one of the most beautiful areas of the island!

Breakfast at our hotel. Leaving the shores of the Indian Ocean behind us, we climb back up to the plateau, and crossing the amphitheatrical rice fields, we return in the afternoon to the familiar Antananarivo.

Morning departure for the island's interior. The route between lush green rice fields and imposing mountains is enchanting. The first stop of our journey is Antsirabe, at an altitude of 1,500 meters, famous for its healthy climate, which in combination with the thermal springs became a resort during the colonial era. Our afternoon tour will reveal the colonial character of the city with its luxurious villas and magnificent gardens and will conclude with our visit to a workshop producing miniatures from recycled paper, something for which the area is famous.

We depart by road for Fianaratsoa, ​​crossing the famous highlands of Madagascar with the impressive formations of the mountain masses, which are "drowned" in tropical vegetation. First we stop at the picturesque Ambositra, which is known for its elaborate wood carvings. Then in the afternoon we approach Fianaratsoa or "Fiana", as its inhabitants call it for convenience. Our tour will reveal to us a city with a strong spiritual life and artistic character, which rightly makes it the cultural capital of the island.

Our route today is full of changes and surprises. First, we meet the polygamous Bara tribe, who still maintain strange burial customs today. Then, the picturesque town of Abavalao awaits us, where the famous handmade Andemoro paper is made. After visiting some of the papermaking factories, we continue to the world-famous Isalo National Park, where we will arrive late in the afternoon.

A visit to Isalo National Park is a rare experience. Unique rock formations carved by the elements over millions of years of geological evolution, impressive canyons, small but rapid waterfalls, and the famous Baobab trees with their branches resembling roots, are elements that compose a unique landscape found only in Madagascar.

Morning departure for the metropolis of the southwest coast of Madagascar, the bustling port of Tulear. The route is wonderful, dotted with imposing baobab trees and beautiful villages of hospitable Malagasy residents, while Tulear itself is a lively city with intense activity in its port and with a strong authentic African color. However, we will continue to the sandy beaches on the coast of the Indian Ocean in Ifaty. An opportunity to enjoy the Indian Ocean breeze!

A last dip in the sea is the best way to say goodbye to a country so "rich" in people and natural beauty! With a short flight we return to the capital.

After breakfast we will enjoy a walk in the city center for the necessary last souvenirs. In the afternoon we fly to Athens where we will arrive on the morning of the 14th day.

Arrival in Athens/Thessaloniki at dawn.