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Continuing with our spotlight on our recent trip to Madagascar, here is Part IV of our itinerary, which focuses on the south of Madagascar:
Day 11:
Today we ventured inside of Isalo National Park for a half-day hike. Our guide, Roland, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife and culture of Isalo, which made for a fascinating hike!
Image above of our Isalo National Park guide, Roland.
After about an hour into our walk we came across ring-tailed lemurs. There were maybe a dozen of them, some still youngsters and some full-grown adults. They leaped from tree to tree, ate leaves, groomed themselves, they even praised the sun when it came out behind the clouds. We couldn’t get enough of these adorable primates, which is why we spent about an hour with them!
We soon ventured up to the natural swimming pool, which looked like an enchanted grotto (pictures below). During our hike to the natural swimming pool, we saw stick bugs (picture below), beautiful birds, and elephant foot (a plant that is endemic to Isalo and looks like a mini-baobab tree—see picture below). Also during our walk, Roland told us about the locals’ burial customs. Whenever someone dies, their body is brought to a temporary gravesite in Isalo and is covered by rocks. After a year or two, the bones are removed from the site and there is a ceremony for building the permanent gravesite where the body will remain.
After the fairly rigorous hike we visited a handful of accommodations found throughout Isalo, followed by a delightful dinner at Isalo Rock Lodge where we spent the night.
Day 12:
Today, we drove to Ifaty, a town located on the southwest coast of Madagascar. Once we reached the town center we had to switch vehicles (exit the bus and board 4X4s) because the roads to our accommodations were dirt and not paved. During our ride to the hotel, we saw traditional fisherman villages (huts were made up of wood—completely different from the brick houses we saw earlier in the trip), children playing, zebu pulling goods, and beautiful wildlife (most of which were birds, including the bee eater).
Upon arrival to our hotel, Le Paradisier, we were all escorted to our private bungalows overlooking the ocean. We all had time to relax on the beach and enjoy some light reading before meeting for a night safari.
Our night safari actually took place on the hotel grounds! We were in search of the elusive mouse lemur (the smallest, and arguably most precious, primate in the world!). Sure enough, our trusted guide found one (see picture below).
After our nighttime safari, we enjoyed a traditional dance and musical performance from locals—soon we were all joining in and dancing—before sitting down for a relaxing dinner in the hotel’s dining room.
Day 12:
Today was our last day in the south of Madagascar before flying back up to Antananarivo.
We had an absolute blast during our trip, and know that our clients going on a Madagascar honeymoon or family vacation will have a great time, as well!
(Side Note: The last week of our trip consisted of a large amount of driving. If you enjoy road trips and soaking in the scenery, then this is a great option for you, but it is not for everyone. If you would rather visit the northern region of Madagascar and then fly down to the southern region—eliminating the bus ride—then that can certainly be arranged.)
What did you think of our trip to Madagascar? We would LOVE to hear from you in our comments section or on our Facebook page!