Tour Fosa

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN NOSY BE

Welcome at Fascène Airport.
Departure and transfer to your hotel in a spacious, air-conditioned vehicle accompanied by a guide. Check-in and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel in Nosy Be.

DAY 2: TRANSFER NOSY BE – AMBANJA – ANJAVIMILAY

Highlights: Hiking: Landscape, cocoa plantation, baobab, Sambirano River, meeting with farmers

Departure from your hotel around 8:00 a.m. and head to the port of Nosy Be, for a 45-minute boat transfer to Ankify. From the second port to the town of Ambanja, we continue by car. The town of Ambanja is a pivotal location at the crossroads of tourism and commerce between the high plateau and the Diana region.

The Sambirano River is a river in northwestern Madagascar raising from the Tsaratanana massif, this river is up to 124 km long and covers a basin of 2,980 km2. The fertility of the soils drained by the Sambirano River has allowed the development of numerous crops: vanilla, cocoa, coffee, and pepper.

After a short break in the town of Ambanja, the adventure will begin. The vehicle will take us to the village of Ambolobozo, a small village where we will encounter the famous "ZA" baobabs in the immense cocoa plantation. This discovery will be followed by a walk to the embarkation point in a local pirogue for a 5-minute crossing of the Sambirano River to reach Manambaro. A 2-hour walk follows this crossing before reaching Anjavimilay.

Lunch at the roadside with sandwiches and natural drinks. Overnight stay in an eco-lodge built thanks to the community tourism project.

DAY 3: ANJAVIMILAY – ANDARANOMANDEVY – ANTANAMBAO

Highlights: Birdwatching, Hiking, Landscape, Cocoa plantation, Sambirano River, Meeting with farmers, Visit to a sacred site, Natural boiling springs, Homestay

The village of Anjavimilay is nestled in the heart of lush greenery with its sacred lake, whose history still fuels local beliefs and traditions. A morning visit to the boiling spring, hence its name "Andranomandevy," and the surrounding marshland where thousands of birds nest: herons, ibises, green pigeons, cormorants, sultan fowl, great egrets, rubucus, as well as other species: grass snakes, snakes, lizards, etc.

The sacred lake; a protected site, the wearing of "salovagna and kisaly," a traditional dress in the northern part of Madagascar, is obligatory, where the population comes to pray and ask for blessings from the ancestors.

After breakfast, we will stroll through the village, the cocoa plantation, and the different stages of cocoa fermentation, where associations do their best to obtain the best quality cocoa in the region.

A canoe crossing and a 3-hour walk will take you to the village of Antanambao. During the journey, you'll admire the rural landscape: rice fields, banana trees, and direct contact with its farmers. The village of Antanambao is a rural setting where the population focuses primarily on agriculture, while some devote themselves to crafts such as blacksmithing.

Settle in and have lunch at the community lodge. In the afternoon, swimming and water hiking along the Ambahatra River. Overnight stay at the lodge managed by the Antanambao community.

DAY 4: ANTANAMBAO – AMBOBAKA – AMBANJA

Highlights: Hiking: rural landscape, cocoa plantation, meeting with farmers, traditional treatment in a traditional pirogue, waterfall

After breakfast, hike for about 3 hours to reach the village of Ambobaka. With its prominent bridge spanning the Ramena River. Known throughout the region for the effectiveness of its traditional treatments, we will discover the ethnobotanical aspect of this site through a visit to a medicinal plant garden. A lineage of healers practices ancestral knowledge that allows them to treat fractures and other traumas using plants and different types of massage.

Ambobabaka is the starting point for canoe trips to a beautiful waterfall, "the waterfall of the good fathers," which can be reached by canoe for a 20-minute crossing. An association called "Vision Sambirano" brings together the village's canoeists and healers around a community tourism project. The waterfall of the good fathers is an ideal place first for swimming in the natural pools formed by a succession of waterfalls and for a picnic on a rocky area in the shade of the travelers' trees.

In the afternoon, enjoy a canoe ride while admiring the unforgettable sunset and the Ambobaka bridge.

From the bridge, a final walk to reach the vehicle for Ambanja. Overnight stay at a hotel in Ambanja.

DAY 5: AMBANJA – AMBILOBE-MAHAMASINA

Highlights: Landscape, Market visit, Tsingy Gris of Ankarana, Visit to the Royal Palace

Departure: After a hearty breakfast, head to Ambilobe around 8:00 a.m. to reach the town of Ambilobe. Ambilobe is a very active and very popular town. The town is a major crossroads in the north of Madagascar, located on national road 6, between Diégo-Suarez and Ambanja (towards Nosy Be), as well as on the track connecting to the coastal town of the Indian Ocean, Vohémar. The town is also located on the course of the river Mahavavy, a historic town of the Antakarana tribe, home to Prince Issa Tsimiaro III. A visit to the palace could be arranged (depending on availability).

At the entrance to the town, we will visit a workshop where pottery made from red earth and sand is made by village women.

Primarily focused on agriculture, the town is surrounded by sugarcane plantations and a sugarcane processing plant: SIRAMA Ambilobe. It also hosts a major market for the region. Today, a trend toward artisanal mining is due to the gold deposits of Andavakoera, sapphires from Amondromifehy, and diamondoids from Antetezambato Ambanja.

By visiting the market, we will discover the famous "Katy." Kath, qat, or kat, is a shrub or bush (a type of spindle tree) of the Celastraceae family, native to Ethiopia, whose cultivation spread to Arabia (especially Yemen) around the 15th century. It is consumed by men and women throughout almost all of Madagascar, who chew (graze) the leaves extensively for their stimulating and euphoric effect, comparable to that of amphetamine. Lunch at a restaurant in town. Transfer to Mahamasina, the main entrance to Ankarana Park, located 30 minutes from the town of Ambilobe. Overnight stay in a bungalow in Mahamasina.

DAY 6-7: MAHAMASINA- ANKARANA RESERVE

Highlights: 8 Tours to choose from in the reserve

After breakfast, we begin our visit to the Ankarana Reserve. It is the western extension of a Middle Jurassic limestone massif emerging from a basalt plain located 50 meters above sea level. The reserve is comprised of a Tsingy limestone pavement, home to several still little-known species that contribute to the park's rich biological diversity. The Ankarana Reserve also constitutes a natural sanctuary for the ancestral beliefs of the Antakarana people. Inventories have identified 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, 92 species of birds, 50 species of mollusks, 14 species of bats (half of Madagascar's bats) living in the Ankarana caves, and 11 species of lemurs inhabit its forests. Regarding flora, 330 plant species are known to occur in the reserve. Several species endemic to the Far North are found there: the Pachypodium baronia, the Andosonia perrieri, the Delonyx velutina, the Hildegardia eryrthosyphon, etc. The Ankarana Reserve is accessible through two main entrances: the East entrance and the West entrance. For each entrance, there are different trails that guests can choose from, some of which are inaccessible during the rainy season. During the two days in Mahamasina, guests can choose the trails they want to explore, depending on their ability and skill level. Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant, and overnight stay in a bungalow in Mahamasina.

DAY 8-9: MAHAMASINA - LAKE ANTANAVO - ANALAMERA RESERVE

Highlights: Visit to the sacred lake and village, meeting with the farmers, landscape

Departure from Mahamasina after breakfast around 7:00 a.m., taking the road to Diego Suarez with a stop at the sapphire villages, a chance to purchase precious stones. The "sacred lake" is a mysterious and legendary region in the northern part of Madagascar. According to legend, this region was once very dry. One day, a lost traveler, exhausted from walking and thirsty, arrived at a village where he asked for water. The inhabitants refused. Disappointed, the visitor, who possessed great secret powers, submerged the village and transformed its inhabitants into crocodiles. Another legend says that a large Sakalava village once existed on this site. A couple was living a peaceful life with their barely six-month-old infant. One night, the child began to cry for no reason. The mother then decided to take her child under a large tamarind tree, on the outskirts of the village, where the women usually pound rice. There, the baby suddenly calmed down and fell asleep. But as soon as the mother tried to return home, he began to scream even louder. So, exhausted, she decided to spend the night under the large tree. As soon as she sat down, the village suddenly collapsed, digging a gigantic hole that immediately filled with water. The woman and her child were the only survivors of this horrible catastrophe. The trail between the town of Anivorano and Lake Antanavo is very difficult and only passable during the dry season. After visiting this legendary lake, we continued our journey towards the Analamerana Reserve. Located a few kilometers from the village of Anivorano, it is a favorite destination for flora and fauna lovers. Dominated by limestone massifs, tsingy, and the Andrafiamena mountain range, the Analamerana Special Reserve ensures the preservation of the genetic resources of the western Madagascar ecoregion. Eleven species of local and regional endemic flora are found there. The reserve has recorded 140 plant species with an endemicity rate of 86%. Eleven species have restricted distribution: Cynanchum floriferum, Evonymopsis humbertii, Indigofera irodoensis, Eugenia lacerosepala, Pyrostria oleifolia, Peponidium humbertii, Aloe peyrierasii, Ptelidium scandens, Euphorbia analamerae, Helmiopsis glaberrima, and Schizenterospermum analamerense. Three of the seven baobab species identified in Madagascar are found in Analamerana: Adansonia suareziensis, Andansonia perrieri, and Adansonia madagascariensis. Nine species of lemurs, three carnivores, four insectivores, three rodents, 11 bats, 45 reptile and amphibian species, and 80 bird species have been identified, including five endemic to Analamerana, including the Xenopirostris damii, Van Dam's Vanga, in the Analamerana Reserve. During the two nights at the Analamerana Reserve, guests can choose the circuits they wish to explore, depending on their ability and skill level. Lunch at a local restaurant and camping on site.

DAY 10: ANALAMERA RESERVE - RED TSINGY – JOFFRE VILLE

Highlights: Visit the park with a few optional tours.

Departure from the Analamera Reserve after breakfast around 7 a.m. Take the trail to the red tsingy through lush landscapes... It is Mother Nature who has shaped and revealed these red tsingy, year after year for all to see. Their unique shape and shimmering color captivate the minds of those who have come to visit them. Sedimentary formations composed of sandstone, marl, laterite, and limestone, along with climate change and environmental deterioration and water infiltration, have created from the depths of the earth this supernatural landscape, unique in the world. This canyon reveals immense ochre-red formations formed by water flowing through these open-air soils. The mixture of different oxides gives these curiosities a range of warm colors ranging from bright white to intense red. Picnic lunch en route, then continue to Diego Suarez. Overnight stay at a hotel in Diego.

DAY 11: JOFFRE VILLE – AMBER MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – DIEGO SUAREZ

Highlights: Waterfall, rainforest, endemic Madagascar fauna and flora species, meeting with farmers.

After breakfast, we head to the park reception for a brief briefing with the guide, and we begin the tour shortly afterward around 7:30 a.m. The Amber Mountain National Park rises to an altitude of 1,470 meters above sea level, a home to endemic flora and fauna. This forest is a haven of freshness in the Diana region and is one of the most visited protected areas in Madagascar. Amber Mountain is a hotspot of endemicity, home to 77 bird species, 7 lemur species, and 24 amphibian species, including the world's smallest chameleon, the famous Brokesia, the camouflaged gecko, and amphibians. The forest is no exception, boasting 1,020 plant species, including rosewood, Canarium madagascariensis or Ramyu, chrysophyllum, Famelogna, ferns, orchids, pandanus, and various palm trees, making Amber Mountain a melting pot of biological diversity and the endemic plants found in this northern primary forest. A visit to its crater lakes and sacred waterfalls, which contain the history of the Antakarana royalty, makes this mountain a complete national park. Amber Mountain is accessible year-round, and guests can choose from a variety of trails. Guests can choose the trails they want to explore, depending on their ability and skill level. Lunch will be prepared on site at 1:00 p.m. We will leave Joffre Ville for Diego Suarez, 40 km away. DAY 12: FREE MORNING – FRENCH MOUNTAIN – RAMENA BEACH Highlights: Panoramic view of Ramena and Diego Suarez Bay, Sugarloaf Mountain, Tunnel and Military Ruins, and the beach. Breakfast and free time during the morning. Meet at the hotel around 2:30 p.m. for the French Mountain. East of Diego-Suarez, on the road to Ramena, the French Mountain, or Tendrombohitr'Antsingy, overlooks the immense bay. The mountain is a historic site that has now become a must-see in the region. Historic battles took place there during the colonial period, but today it is a favorite spot for local flora and fauna. The approximately 7km trail offers a 360° panoramic view from the platform: Sugar Loaf Mountain, Cap d'Ambre, and the Emerald Sea. Amber Mountain, the three bays, Nosy Hara, Windsor Castle, ... all within sight. The French Mountain is also a unique pilgrimage site. The Stations of the Cross are located there, and every year, practicing Christians come to reenact the ritual and pray. Continuing higher, the remains of the colonial era are revealed, leaving lasting and unforgettable traces, including the mines of the French Foreign Legion fort and its tunnels, the caves, and the telegraph building. We end the day on Ramena Beach. Overnight stay in Ramena.

DAY 13: RAMENA BEACH – EMERALD SEA – RAMENA BEACH

Highlights: crystal clear water, snorkeling, spearfishing, water sports: kitesurfing

Activity: visit to a fishing village, snorkeling, spearfishing, windsurfing, kitesurfing Departure from the hotel at 8:00 a.m. to board a traditional sailing dhow, very typical of the region.

The Emerald Sea is a one-hour sailing dhow ride from Ramena Beach. It is a site of supernatural beauty thanks to its crystal clear waters of a fascinating turquoise blue. The shallow water combined with a very clear sandy bottom, clumps of coral with multicolored fish, beach huts, seafood, and golden sand give it its unique color. This is what earned it its name "the Emerald Sea." It's a deserted beach for water sports, where windsurfers and kite surfers enjoy themselves to their heart's content. We land on a heavenly white sand beach, where a few trees and palm trees provide a little shade! A day of relaxation and unwinding, indulging in the pleasures of sunbathing and swimming. Spearfishing is also among the activities that make this destination unique. At noon, a picnic lunch featuring freshly caught seafood will be served on the beach. Return to Ramena Beach around 3:00 a.m.

DAY 14: DIEGO SUAREZ – AMBILOBE – NOSY BE

After breakfast, this is the last day of our tour. It will be dedicated to the transfer from Ramena to Nosy Be. A few stops or breaks along the way will allow us to stretch out a bit. We will likely have lunch in Ambilobe around 11:00 a.m., and then continue. Once we arrive at the port of Ankify, we will board a speedboat to reach the island of Nosy Be.

DAY 15: DEPARTURE DAY

Car transfer from your hotel to Fascène Airport with a guide. Airport assistance and HAVE A GREAT FLIGHT.

• Number of Passengers: Customers, Guide, Driver
• Vehicle Type: Spacious, comfortable, air-conditioned 4WD