September 24 You’ll arrive in the capital city of Antananarivo (or, “Tana”) to begin your Madagascar pre-trip adventure! (Overnight in Antananarivo)

September 25  Today we’ll fly south to Fort Dauphin and continue on to Berenty Reserve, a private reserve that was created in 1936 and was the home base for primatologist Alison Jolly  (Overnight in Berenty Reserve)

September 26 & 27  We’ll enjoy the unique flora and fauna of Madagascar’s far south, including the ring-tailed lemur, along with 5 other species of lemurs that make their home there). We’ll take nature walks through the woodlands, baobabs, and spiny forest of Berenty. (Overnight in Berenty Reserve)

September 28  We’ll drive back to Fort Dauphin today and then fly back to the capital to get ready for the next part of our adventure! (Overnight in Antananarivo)

October 13   Have you ever dreamed of visiting a remote, tropical beach paradise, filled with exotic wildlife right outside your door? Lemurs, black parrots, even humpback whales? Let’s go to Eden Lodge! We’ll fly to Nosy Be from Tana and take a boat to our upscale eco-hotel (Overnight at Eden Lodge, with villa upgrade option)

October 14, 15 & 16 Eden Lodge has been listed in the Top 10 ecolodges in the world many times and was voted the Best Sustainable Hotel in the World in 2014. From your beachfront rooms, you can choose to explore the forest and see a black lemur in the wild. Perhaps you want to whale watch from shore or get closer to the reef by kayaking, snorkeling, or even scuba diving. This is the absolute height of off-the-beaten-path adventure and luxury.  (Overnight at Eden Lodge)

October 17  Say goodbye to your new lemur, humpback whale, and sea turtle friends–it’s time to head back to Tana. What an impossibly sweet cherry on top of an already amazing journey! (A day room is reserved for you in Tana before your flight home)

This box is solely for the base trip in central Madagascar from September 29 to October 12, 2023. Please see the boxes below for pricing information for the Berenty pre-trip and the Eden Lodge post-trip. 

There is a minimum of 4 guests required for this journey and a maximum of 12. When we have reached our minimum, we will let you know, at which time you can buy airfare and your travel insurance.

• This journey is $6499 USD.
• The non-refundable deposit is $1000 and holds your space
• The 2nd installment of $2800 is due on May 1, 2023.
• The balance is due July 1, 2023. 
• The private room supplement is $999. (Please note: if you request a roommate but we do not have one for you, you are responsible for the private room supplement)

Price Includes: 

• Hotel accommodation, beginning on the night of September 29th and ending the morning of October 13th
• All ground transportation starting with airport pickup
• 3 domestic flights (Tana to Toamasina; Tana to Morondava; Morondava to Tana)
• All meals starting with dinner on September 29th
• All entrance fees
• All tips to guides
• All tips at hotels and restaurants
• Online photo album after the trip
• Triple carbon offsetting for the entire journey

Price does not include:

• International airfare (although we will be more than happy to help you decide on arrangements)
• Travel insurance (required)
• Alcohol
• Laundry services
• Any meals before dinner on September 29th if you arrive early

This box is solely for the pre-trip option in Berenty Reserve from September 24-29, 2023.  

There is a minimum of 3 guests required for this journey. When we have reached that number, we will let you know and then you can proceed to buy airfare and your travel insurance.

• This journey is $1999 USD.
• The non-refundable deposit is $500
• The 2nd installment of $750 is due May 1, 2023.
• The balance is due July 1, 2023. 
• The private room supplement is $340. (Please note: if you request a roommate but we do not have one for you, you are responsible for the private room supplement)

Price Includes: 

• Hotel accommodation, beginning on the night of September 24th through the 28th. Your hotel night on September 29th is included in the price of the base trip.
• All ground transportation starting with airport pickup
• 2 domestic flights (Tana to Fort Dauphin and return)
• All meals starting with breakfast on September 25th
• All entrance fees
• All tips to guides
• All tips at hotels and restaurants
• Online photo album after the trip
• Triple carbon offsetting for the entire journey

Price does not include:

• International airfare (although we will be more than happy to help you decide on arrangements)
• Travel insurance (required)
• Alcohol
• Laundry services
• Any meals before breakfast on September 25th

This box is solely for the post-trip option at Eden Lodge from October 13–17, 2023.  

There is a minimum of 3 guests required for this journey. When we have reached that number, we will let you know and then you can proceed to buy airfare and your travel insurance.

• This journey is $2899 USD
• The non-refundable deposit is $500
• The 2nd installment of $1200 is due May 1, 2023
• The balance is due July 1, 2023
• The private room supplement is $340. (Please note: if you request a roommate but we do not have one for you, you are responsible for the private room supplement)
• UPGRADE OPTION: There is an optional upgrade to be in the villa (shared with 2 other rooms) for $250 USD. The villa has a shared living area and kitchen and a pool.

Price Includes: 

• Hotel accommodation, beginning on the night of October 13th through the 16th.
• Day room use in Tana on October 17th
• 2 flights (Tana to Nosy Be and return)
• All meals starting with breakfast on October 13th and ending with breakfast on October 17th
• All tips to guides
• All tips at hotels and restaurants
• Online photo album after the trip
• Triple carbon offsetting for the entire journey

Price does not include:

• International airfare (although we will be more than happy to help you decide on arrangements)
• Any meals after breakfast on October 17th
• Travel insurance (required)
• Alcohol
• Laundry services
• Extra excursions at Eden Lodge. You’ll have options for massages and extra excursions during your time at Eden Lodge, such as:

• • Massage therapy, 25 Euros for 50 minutes
  • Diving, 90 Euros for 2 dives
  • Boat Excursion to Nosy Mamoko and Waterfall, 60 Euros
  • Boat Excursion to Nosy Komba and Tanikely, 90 Euros
  • Boat Excursion to to Nosy Iranja and Antsoha, 110 Euros
  • Bemanevika River, 70 Euros
  • Cacao planation in Ambanja, 120 Euros

Please refer to the Price tabs for specific information about price & what is included in your journey.

The deposit guarantees your space. The 2nd installment is due on May 1st and the balance on July 1st, 2023.

For our American guests, we accept payments via check, credit, or debit card (via PayPal), Zelle, or Venmo.

For our guests outside the U.S., please write Lauren@RetreaTours.com for the best transfer details.

• Paying by Zelle: use L.S.Rathvon@gmail.com
• Paying by Venmo for Business: @Retreatours (we can send you a QR code or request)
• Paying by Check: Checks can be made out to RetreaTours and sent to 8821 NW 14 Street, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024.
• Paying by Credit Card, Debit Card, or PayPal balance: You can pay the balance with a credit card, debit card, or PayPal balance through the button below. Note that you do not have to pay with your PayPal balance; please click here if you’d like further instructions.

We will email you an invoice (via PayPal) 1-2 weeks before each due date.

We do everything in our power to do right by our guests. We are proud to say that in the wake of our COVID-related trip cancellations through 2020 and 2021, we were able to offer each of our guests the choice of a 100% credit, if not a full refund.

We’ve re-examined each trip and done our best to reduce the deposit amounts as much as possible. Upon your registration, your deposit immediately goes toward reserving your space for flights, hotels, and excursions that must be booked months in advance and are often non-refundable.

Cancellation by our guests

The cancellation charges are as follows unless otherwise indicated on the detailed itinerary for each trip. All cancellations must be received via e-mail or US mail.

• Cancellations prior to 120 days to departure, money will be refunded minus the non-refundable deposit. Please note that deposits for any pre-trip or post-trip extensions are not transferable to another portion of the trip should you decide to cancel that module of the journey.
• Cancellations received 61 to 119 days prior to departure are subject to a penalty of 50% of the total cost of the trip.
• Cancellations received 60 days or less prior to trip departure will forfeit the entire cost of the trip.

If a trip is cancelled by RetreaTours

When a tour is cancelled in the case of force majeure, the Tour Participant will receive a refund minus any funds that we are unable to recover from any supplier.

You can see the full cancellation policy in our contract here. 

Your passport must have at least 3 blank pages and be valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the trip (that is April 25, 2024).

You can get a Madagascar visa upon arrival at the airport in Antananarivo for $37 USD, valid for 30 days.

Vaccines

RetreaTours requires proof of a COVID-19 vaccine and booster for this journey.

No vaccines are required to enter Madagascar, but we highly encourage you to work with your local travel clinic or the travel department of your local health department (often a much cheaper option).

• Please see the CDC’s general advice for Madagascar here. 
• Please see the NHS’s general advice for Madagascar here. 

Malaria

Malaria is present in Madagascar; you can see the NHS malaria map of Madagascar here.  If you choose to take malaria preventatives, please work with your travel physician for the right medication for you.

Staying Healthy on Tour

Please visit our comprehensive article, “How to Stay Healthy While Traveling…Naturally,” which addresses all of the most common travel ailments.

We’ll provide a suggested packing list several months before this journey.

Temperature by location

These conditions are based on historical averages, thanks to WeatherSpark.com. The range as a whole is 55-85°F (13-29°C)

• Antananarivo: 55-75°F, 15% chance of light rain
• Palmarium (Toamasina): 65-80°F, 14% chance of light rain
• Andasibe:  55-75°F, 25% chance of rain (not bad for a rainforest!)
• Morondava & Kirindy: 70-85°F, 8% chance of light rain
• Pre-trip option, Berenty: 65-85°F, 15% chance of light rain
• Post-trip option at Eden Lodge: 72-88°F, 5% chance of light rain

Each of these hotels was carefully chosen for its comfort, location, and character. They each have their own private bathroom and shower. 

It is important to note that some of these hotels are quite remote (such as Palmarium and Relais du Kirindy) so that they can provide the most authentic, engaged experience. For that reason, there may hours throughout the day or night when there is no electricity. We will always let you know when these planned hours are so you can properly charge your phone and cameras.

The hotels vary from 4-star beachfront resorts in Morondava to rustic cabins in Kirindy, but they have each been carefully chosen based on their location and access to wildlife. The rooms at Palmarium and Kirindy do not have air conditioning.

Here is a list of all of our reserved hotels:

• Relais des Plateaux
• Palmarium Hotel
• Manjanaro Lodge & Spa
• Relais du Kirindy
• Palissandre Cote Ouest Resort & Spa
• Berenty Private Reserve Lodge (pre-trip option only)
• La Croix du Sud (pre-trip option only)
• Eden Lodge (post-trip option only)

One of the more surprising things about traveling in Madagascar is the food–the superb quality, the stunning presentation, and the sheer quantity! The vast majority of our meals will be French-influenced and have three courses. Everything is, of course, optional!

Most any dietary requirements can be met on this journey with enough notice. Please indicate any special requests/allergies on the registration form and we’ll reach out to you with any advice or information necessary before taking your deposit.

Bringing Snacks

If you are a “snack-y” person, you may wish to bring some snacks from home as it won’t always be easy to get snacks (especially ones you are familiar with) on the road. This might mean nuts, protein bars, or other sealed, portable goodies.

Can I drink the tap water?

Please stick to bottled or filtered water on this journey.

The internet outside the capital city can be very, very slow. We recommend staying connected with your loved ones via WhatsApp (which we will also use on the tour to communicate the schedule and updates). WhatsApp seems to work with the slightest wisp of wifi.

Electrical Outlets and Adaptors

You’ll need a 2-pin European prong Type C adaptor for Madagascar.  We highly recommend a Universal Adaptor such as this, which also has USB and USB-C outlets so you can charge multiple devices at once.

There are no strict fitness requirements required for this trip because all activities are optional. However, in order to get the most out of your experience, here are our suggested fitness requirements.

We recommend being comfortable driving for up to 2-3 hours at a time, often on a dirt road (some drives are 4 hours, but we’ll always stop to stretch or use restroom facilities during that time).

We recommend being comfortable walking 2 miles at a moderate pace. Many of our walks will be on flat dirt paths (Berenty and Palmarium); some on level ground with tree roots and branches to step over (Kirindy); and some of the Andasibe rainforest walks have some elevation changes (including stairs) where you may find a hiking pole/walking stick useful. Some hikes in Andasibe will be several miles, but with frequent stops to look for and at wildlife.

If you have any questions about your fitness for this trip, please reach out to us and we’ll answer any questions you have!

If you’ve researched travel in Madagascar, you might not be surprised to hear that road conditions can be challenging. For that reason, we have designed this journey to maximize your experience while minimizing drive times. When we are driving, our expert drivers go slow and know how to minimize jostling as much as possible. 

Here are descriptions of our travel times:

• Tana to Toamasina flight: 50 minutes
• Toamsina to Palmarium: ~3-hour boat ride in a calm Intracoastal canal system in a covered boat
• Palmarium to Andasibe: ~90-minute boat ride in the same canal but this time headed south. Then we’ll take a ~30-45 minute drive (only 4.5 miles) on a bouncy road to meet the main road.  From the main road, it is ~3 hours (80 miles) to Andasibe on a main national highway that is improving but still will be slow going.
• Andasibe to Tana: We’ll travel to 88 miles back to the capital on a road that has received the most improvement, but we should still bank on it taking 3.5 to 4 hours.
• Tana to Morondava: 75-minute flight
• Morondava to Kirindy: This is a main national highway but primarily a dirt road. The potholes don’t start in earnest until north of Kirindy, so we will be avoiding them for the most part. Thirty miles will take us 90-120 minutes, with an additional stop at Baobab Alley.
• Kirindy to Morondava: Reverse the above, plus 30 minutes on a good road from the airport to our beachfront accommodation.

Pre-trip extension in Berenty Reserve

• Tana to Fort Dauphin: 2 hour flight
• Fort Dauphin to Berenty Reserve:  This 51 miles drive will take between 2.5 -3 hours on dirt roads.

Post-Trip extension to Eden Lodge

• Tana to Nosy Be: 90-minute flight
• Nosy Be to Eden Lodge: ~45-minute boat ride
• Eden Lodge: No driving!

Required Coverage

RetreaTours requires that each guest carries travel insurance that covers emergency medical treatment and emergency evacuation and repatriation. Please send Lauren your policy information as soon as you have it.

Suggested Coverage

We suggest trip cancellation insurance, as well, as you never know what obstacles life can toss at you leading up to a trip. However, we do not require this coverage, we only suggest it highly.

Please familiarize yourself with RetreaTours’ guest cancellation policy in your journey’s contract. Please read this article to understand a bit more about trip cancellation insurance and what it may or may not cover. “Cancel For Any Reason” policies do exist, as well, although do check to see what percentage of the trip cost they actually reimburse.

When to purchase your policy

Please purchase this insurance as soon as we tell you the trip has reached its minimum. Please do not wait until the last minute, should you need to use your (optional) cancellation coverage before then.

Where to search for policies

Below you will find some options to start your search for trip insurance. However, we ask that you carefully consider your choice in travel insurance. What works for some people may not work for others, particularly if you have any pre-existing conditions. Please do take the time to consider the best policy for your individual needs.

Squaremouth.com and InsureMyTrip.com are two sites where you can see and compare many policies at once, and you can refine the options by what coverage you would like. Squaremouth’s interface is very easy and intuitive to use, and you can easily opt out of trip cancellation coverage.

World Nomads provides policies for guests under 70 that includes trip cancellation options. Use the link above and pop in your info to get an immediate quote.

It may also be a good idea to check with your credit card companies, especially American Express, to see if they offer any medical coverage for travel.

We are more than happy to recommend international flights, but ultimately you will make the purchase yourself. We recommend purchasing them directly through the airline when you can, as this makes any potential changes a bit easier than going through sites like Expedia or Kayak.

Depending on which portions of the journey you are registering for, we’ll make personalized recommendations for your arrival and departure dates.

The airports with connections to Madagascar currently include:

• Paris (CDG)
• Istanbul (IST)
• Addis Ababa (ADD)
• Nairobi (NBO)
• Johannesburg (JNB)
• Reunion (often as a stop, sometimes without getting off the plane)
• Mauritius (often as a stop, sometimes without getting off the plane)

RetreaTours is Climate Positive!

We purchase triple carbon offsets for your travels with us—that’s from your home, through the entire tour, and back to your home again, times three! 

RetreaTours is officially a Carbonfree® Partner with Carbonfund.org, as well as a partner with Cool Effect.

You may have heard the term “carbon neutral,” which means that a company offsets as much carbon as it produces. With this 300% offset, RetreaTours is actually offsetting more carbon than we produce each year, making us “carbon negative” (or “climate positive,” which has a nicer ring to it!)

Since 2012 we’ve focused on making travel safe and easy for our guests; with our triple carbon offset tours, we’re pleased to make our trips as sustainable as they are memorable.

Please see more at RetreaTours.com/CarbonNegative

It is with great honor that we say we have the BEST guide in all of Madagascar–so much so that he is the one teaching other guides!

Native Malagasy guide Alain Rakotonoely has been leading tours for over two decades, specializing in birdwatching, primatology, and plant identification and classification.

Alain Rakotonoely is a mentor for Malagasy naturalist students and guides. Since 2016 he has taught Biodiversity Courses at the National Institute of Tourism of Madagascar. He is also a founding member of the English-speaking Guides Association in Madagascar.

Alain is delighted to share his culture with our guests and truly believes that guiding is a combination of art and inspiration. 

You’ll be joined on this journey by Lauren & BJ, owners of RetreaTours–and we are so excited to show you the wonders of Madagascar!

(That’s us at Palmarium in 2022 with a very curious Indri, the largest living lemur and critically endangered. He hopped over to us and we are so lucky that our guide was able to grab this photo!)

Husband-and-wife team BJ Graf and Lauren Rathvon have traveled the globe year-round since January 2013, researching, designing, and leading impactful journeys. We are deeply grateful for the trust that our guests place in us to save them time and resources while they enjoy a memorable journey.

We are committed not only to our guests but to our host destinations and the planet at large. We engage with local businesses and guides to keep money within the community, and we triple-carbon offset each of our tours.

We invite you to visit our Testimonials page to see what other people have to say about us!  You can head to our About Us page to learn more about our story.

Please write Lauren@RetreaTours.com for any questions you may have about this journey.  If you have not received a reply within 48 hours, please do check your spam folder.