9-Nights Northern Madagascar Exploration: Diego Suarez, Ankarana, Nosy Komba & More

9 nights from: $7,547

This 10-day vacation takes you to remote Madagascar, exploring this tropical island off the east coast of Africa.

Your Madagascar vacation begins in the capital of Antananarivo, commonly known as Tana. Tana is smoggy, traffic-clogged, and hectic, and might be a daunting welcome to the island of Madagascar. But don’t let the culture clash scare you off; Tana is a culturally-rich city with the best Malagasy food you’ll find anywhere in the world. As well, Haute-Ville, with its colonial buildings, narrow streets, and high elevation, is well-worth exploring.

From Tana, head to Diego Suarez on the far north of the island. Diego Suarez thrived as a port city for most of its history, exporting tinned fish and bottled drinks. Now, it acts as a port for cruise ships during the summer, but don’t expect a beach city. In fact, there are no beaches to speak of in Diego Suarez. Instead, this isolated centre is a great place to adjust to the slow rhythms of the island and jump off to other island locations.

From Diego Suarez, head down to Montage d’Ambre National Park, a volcanic park created in 1958 that has since become an ecotourism hub. Take advantage of the park’s incredible climate and thousands of hectares of rainforest to search for incredible birds like the ibis and paradise flycatcher. Perhaps most appealing is that Montage d’Ambre is home to lemurs, the small, bright-eyed primates that are endemic to the island. After Montage d’Ambre National Park, you’ll head to the volcanic landscapes of Ankarana Reserve, where you can explore turret-shaped rock formations, collapsed caves, and canyons caused by years of geological activity. Ankarana is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, so pack some binoculars to make sure you can spot all the colourful birds that live in the reserve.

Close out your Madagascar vacation with a stay at an eco-lodge on Nosy Komba Island, a small island between Nosy Be and the Mozambique Chanel. Home to white-sand beaches, small craft markets, and virtually no modern infrastructure, Nosy Komba is an opportunity to engage with nature and enjoy the island’s tropical climate. Snorkel off the beaches or traverse the mainland in search of black lemurs. At night, retire to your solar-powered eco-lodge, enjoying a well-deserved rest after a full day of adventure.

Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital city, sits at 4,500 ft/1,370 m in a twisting valley near the center of the island. Tana, as the city is often called, has unusual French- and Asian-inspired architecture, and winding cobblestoned streets and staircases that create a medieval impression. Attractions include the Rova of Antananarivo, The Law Court of Ambatondrafandrana, the Prime Minister's Palace, the colorful daily flower market on the edge of Lake Anosy, and the botanical and zoological gardens, where you can see the egg and 10-ft-/3-m-tall skeleton of the extinct elephant bird. Free Antananarivo Travel
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Antananarivo Travel Travel Agents

Alisa Clark

Independent Travel Consultant

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Chali Francis

Disney Specialist

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Lori Robertson

Travel by Lori

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Whitney Jackson

Let's travel! Mexico, Caribbean, Hawaii, USA, Europe!

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Miranda McCormick

Travel Agent

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Lauren Bujanski

✨ Magic with Laur ✨

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Florida

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Antananarivo's original name was Analamanga (the blue forest). In 1610, the revered King Andrianjaka stationed 1,000 soldiers on the blue hill to defend it and renamed the city Antananarivo, meaning "City of a Thousand Warriors." The king also built a royal palace there. Sadly, the Rova (Queen's Palace) burned to the ground in 1996. Though virtually nothing remains at the site, there are nice views of the city from the hill where the palace once stood.

From Antananarivo, it's possible to make a one- or two-night excursion to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Day trips can also be made to the "Blue Hill" of Ambohimanga (14 mi/23 km away), where you can see an 18th-century royal palace and enjoy beautiful views overlooking terraced rice paddies; to Ambatolampy (a small, attractive town southwest of the capital—get a visitor's permit in Tana); and to Antsirabe. Plan about three nights in Antananarivo.