Meva trip

DAY 1: NOSY BE – ANKIFY – ANKARANA SPECIAL RESERVE

Highlights: Landscape, meeting with farmers, Tsingy Gris of Ankarana (10 circuits to choose from in the park).

Departure: Around 7:00 a.m. from your hotel and head to the port of Nosy Be, for a 35-minute boat transfer to the port of Ankify.

From the port of Ankify, we continue north, passing through typical Antakarana tribal villages on the one hand and a vast mahogany field on the other, before reaching the urban commune of Ambilobe, crossing superb landscapes for panoramic views and, above all, the Ravinala forest, one of Madagascar's emblematic plants, in a 2-hour 30-minute drive. 30 minutes from the town of Ambilobe is Mahamasina, the main entrance to Ankarana National Park. After settling in for a delicious lunch, we begin our tour of the park with the Tsingy Gris, with its sharp and spectacular formations, fossilized animal tracks, the 11 species of lemurs, and the 92 species of birds that call its forests home. Overnight stay in a bungalow in Mahamasina.

DAY 2: MAHAMASINA – RED TSINGY – DIEGO SUAREZ (ANTSIRANANA)

Highlights: Visit the Grand Canyon in miniature, former military village
Visit: Grand Canyon in miniature.

Departure from the hotel around 7:30 a.m. from Mahamasina, taking the road to Diego Suarez with a stop at the sapphire villages, a chance to buy precious stones, then we take the turn off 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 this unique, supernatural landscape from the depths of the earth. 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. We enjoy a picnic lunch en route, and then head towards the city of Diego.

DAY 3: AMBER MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – THE 3 BAYS – RAMENA BEACH

Highlights: National park: waterfall, rainforest, endemic Madagascar flora and fauna species, meeting with farmers, Sakalava Bay, Dune Bay and Pigeon Bay, military ruins, beaches.

Visit A: Montagne d'Ambre National Park (Sacred Waterfall – Roussette Station – Forest of a Thousand Trees). Departure from the hotel at 7:00 a.m., head to the park reception for a brief briefing with the guide, and we begin the tour. The Montagne d'Ambre National Park rises to an altitude of 1,470 meters above sea level and is a forest rich in flora and fauna. Visit its crater lakes and sacred waterfalls, which contain the history of the Antakarana royalty, Sanford lemurs playing in their stronghold, the world's smallest chameleon, the famous Brokesia, the camouflage gecko, amphibians, and endemic plants found in this northern primary forest. Lunch will be served on site at 11:00 a.m. We will leave Joffre Ville to join Diego Suarez. This will be an afternoon. Relaxation, during which we will visit the three famous bays of the northern region of Madagascar. Visit B: Sugarloaf Mountain – the three bays: Dunes Bay, Sakalava Bay, and Pigeon Bay – Ramena Beach. We begin by observing Sugarloaf Mountain, a sacred site of the Antakarana people called Nosy Lonjo. It is a conical-shaped volcanic islet, 122 meters high and covering an area of ​​4.5 hectares. It is made up of nummulitic limestone banks detached from the mountain known as French Mountain. The islet is covered with vegetation consisting of typical Adansoniasuarezensis baobabs and mangroves. Nosy Lonjo is a picturesque natural site, preserved by its cultural vocation. Like all the islets off the northwest coast of Grande Terre (Madagascar), it serves as a burial site for the deceased Sakalava rulers, and is therefore sacred. It is also a place of ancestor worship through traditional "fijoroana" ceremonies still practiced by the population. We then explore the three bays, starting with Sakalava Bay, a favorite spot for windsurfers and kitesurfers, then Dune Bay, and ending with Pigeon Bay with its exceptionally beautiful deserted beaches and the Cap Mine with the remains of French military cannons and fortifications. We end the day on Ramena Beach and spend the night in one of its hotels.

DAY 4: RAMENA BEACH – EMERALD SEA – RAMENA VILLAGE

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

Activity

The Emerald Sea is a one-hour boat 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, coral reefs with multicolored fish, beach huts, seafood, and golden sand, gives 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 kitesurfers enjoy themselves to their heart's content. You'll 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 p.m. Overnight stay in Ramena.

DAY 5: RAMENA VILLAGE – AMBILOBE – AMBANJA /ANKIFY

Visit: Ambilobe Town and Surrounding Area

After breakfast, we hit the road out of the town of Diégo-Suarez towards the town of Ambilobe. We'll make a few stops and a brief stop in Mahamasina, a break along the way, so we can stretch out a bit. Ambilobe is a very active and popular town. The city is a major crossroads in the north of Madagascar, located on national road number 6, between Diégo-Suarez and Ambanja (towards Nosy Be), as well as on the road connecting to the coastal town of the the Indian Ocean, Vohémar. Furthermore, located on the course of the Mahavavy river. A historic town of the Antakarana tribe, home to the seat of Prince Issa Tsimiaro III. A visit to the palace could be arranged (depending on availability). Primarily focused on agriculture, the town is surrounded by sugarcane plantations and a sugarcane processing plant: SIRAMA Ambilobe. It also hosts an important market for the region. Today, a trend towards artisanal mining is emerging due to the gold deposits of Andavakoera, sapphires of Amondromifehy, and diamonds of Antetezambato Ambanja. While 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. We will have lunch in Mahamasina and spend the night at a hotel in Ambanja. DAY 6: MILLOT PLANTATION – NOSY BE Highlights: Visit Ambanja, the Sambirano River, cocoa plantation, and Madagascar spices. Departure from your hotel around 7:00 a.m. and head to the town of Ambanja. The visit to the spice plantation focuses on the cocoa cultivation of the Sambirano Valley, which has made this town famous, and spices such as peppers, lemongrass, coffee, 4 spices, etc. After the visit and lunch, a tour of the town of Ambanja will take you to discover the originality and charm of this town, as well as some of its infrastructure and public spaces. We will take the road to the port of Ankify and board a boat to Nosy Be.

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