Description
Arriving on Ile Ste Marie you’ll feel you have instantly stepped back in time. At the airport, your zebu chariot awaits. A charming ten minute meander brings you to Princesse Bora Lodge, the most luxurious of the island’s accommodations. Beyond the hotel, the tarmac road mysteriously disappears and it’s a dirt track from thereon in.
It’s easy to simply relax on the white sand beach, fringed by palms, but there is so much to do on Ile Ste Marie that it would be a shame not to explore. From July to November you have the chance of great humpback whale sightings on the east coast while year-round you can take boat trips to secluded coves, cycle to the island’s ’capital’ and visit the nearby Ile aux Nattes.
Fully rested, you then head south, first by plane to Tamatave then by boat down the Canal des Pangalanes. Passing assorted local vessels laden with logs, vegetables and fish, the two hour journey will eventually bring you to Bush House, a back-to-basics eco-retreat set on the shore just off the main canal. The main attraction here is the Palmarium, an island reserve populated by a variety of lemur species including the fabled indri-indri, the largest lemur. Hopefully, you will hear them before you see them as their eerie whooping song rings through the forest.
Another boat trip and a two-hour drive will bring you to Parc National d’Andasibe-Mantadia where you will stay at Vakona Forest Lodge. From here you can access the park and hire a local English-speaking guide to help you explore the varied flora and fauna found here. Again, you should have some excellent lemur sightings.
Please see our itinerary below. It is a suggested itinerary and can be tailored to suit your individual needs.
Guide price
£2,675 per person
£2,675 prices are person based on two people sharing on a half board basis and including economy class international and domestic flights and transfers.
Itinerary
| Stay | Location / Route | Overnight |
|---|
| 1 night
| Fly to Antananarivo (via Paris) | Overnight flight |
| 5 nights
| Ile St Marie, Eastern Madagascar | Princesse Bora Lodge |
| 2 nights
| Canal des Pangalanes, Eastern Madagascar | Bush House |
| 2 nights
| Parc National d’Andasibe-Mantadia, Eastern Madagascar | Vakona Forest Lodge |
| 1 night
| Fly to London (via Paris) | Overnight flight |
When to travel
Any time of year is fine for a visit except from January to March, when heavy rainfall in many areas can make some roads all but impassable, and when there’s a high risk of cyclones in the east and northeast. In general, the best time to travel in most areas is April and October/November. The coolest time to travel anywhere is during the dry season (May to October).
Average maximum temperatures vary from about 30°C in coastal areas (higher in summer) to around 25°C on the hauts plateaux. In Antananarivo and other highland areas, temperatures during winter can drop to 10°C and even lower during the night.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Madagascar
Princesse Bora Lodge is situated in a grove of palm trees on the south-west side of Ile St Marie island, overlooking a lagoon which is home to a small reef, Eastern Madagascar. Bushhouse is situated in Ankany Ny Nofy (the Nest of Dreams), within the Canal des Pangalanes lake district. Vakona Forest Lodge is located in the heart of the Perinet Forest, a few kilometres from the village and on the doorstep of the Andasibe National Park.
How to get there
13-hour international flight (via Paris) to Antananarivo Airport, with AirFrance. From there is a 1-hour domestic flight to Ile Sainte-Marie. Transfers to the Princesse Bora Lodge are done by zebu-cart and take a couple of minutes.
