Trekking and rafting expedition in Madagascar
This adventure-packed tour takes you on foot and by raft through some of Madagascar’s most remote landscapes, with animal encounters along the way and optional surfing at the end.
Perinet Rainforest Reserve Analamazaotra park rainforest trekking Sahatandra river Satronima river rafting grade II/III/IV rapids Mahambo surf school
Price
US $2495 excluding flights
More info
Price includes accommodation, most meals (see itinerary), entrance fees, guiding and logistics.
Maximum group size 10 Beach Extension: $795pp
Maximum group size 10 Beach Extension: $795pp
Description of Trekking and rafting expedition in Madagascar
Map
Price information
US $2495 excluding flights
Price includes accommodation, most meals (see itinerary), entrance fees, guiding and logistics.
Maximum group size 10 Beach Extension: $795pp
Maximum group size 10 Beach Extension: $795pp
Check dates
2023: 1 Sep, 6 Oct
Vacation information
Small group tour:
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, traveling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. Those with a two-week vacation, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Trekking and rafting expedition in Madagascar
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 24 Nov 2015 by Catherine Nursaw
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
There were too many wonderful experiences to pick out just one as the most memorable or exciting! Some of the many highlights for me included: seeing so many different kinds of lemurs and chameleons; the extraordinary limestone Tsingy; staying in the tree-huts in the Montagne des Francais; eating delicious fruit of all kinds fresh from the tree; the amazing friendliness of the locals and the huge smiles on the faces of the children who would run out to wave at us as we went by!
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
If you decide, like me, to add on some extra time in Madagascar, allow PLENTY of time (24 hours plus!) between any domestic flight and your international flight home. Air Madagascar, the only domestic airline, has a whimsical and unpredictable approach to timetables and will delay, cancel or (almost more frustratingly) bring flights forward by many hours without notice. I ended up missing my international flight as a result of Air Madagascar moving my domestic flight forward by about 8 hours without informing me. Laurenne at the operator was a complete star and very helpful, as were their local agents in Madagascar, but it still made for a very long, difficult and expensive journey home. I should stress that this was a flight I'd booked as an add-on to my vacation - the travel arrangements for that portion of my vacation all went very smoothly.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
To a great extent, yes. I loved the fact that we were off the beaten track - we saw no other tourists after we left Tana for the first 8 days or so, and we were buying provisions from local people and often eating in small local restaurants. Hopefully a lot of the money we spent did go straight into the local economy. I did have some concerns about the lack of environmentally-friendly toilet facilities eg when camping on the river bank. This is not something that a vacation company can fix by itself - the locals just use the river bank - but you don't want to feel like you're contributing to the problem rather than being part of the solution!
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I had a fantastic time and would definitely recommend going to Madagascar with this vacation provider! There's still so much there to explore, I'm hoping to make it back there myself to see other parts of the country. I'm giving it 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much, though I've been lucky enough to be on some other amazing vacations so I can't honestly say it's the "best vacation I've ever been on". Still, I do think it deserves a 5 star review!
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) vacation so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
Our local agent on this trip, Gilles will give you a personal and knowledgeable insight of the region, where he has lived for many years. He is very active in reforestation and in 2008 raised funds for 230,000 trees to be planted. Giles works with local NGO Wood En Stock (which is actively replanting trees in Madagascar). For every client booked on any Madagascar trips, we finance one tree per day per client with Wood En Stock. We have just received our certificate that in 2010 our trips (many of these through rt.com) funded the planting of 400 trees.It is principally wildlife tourism that brings people to Madagascar and by using local businesses and services we can inject much needed capital into the local economy. On this expedition we are following a responsible camping procedure which leaves no negative evidence of our presence. We stay in small towns and villages interacting with the locals. By supporting the conservation of the rainforest, we can encourage the authorities to recognise the potential of wildlife tourism and photographic safaris, ensuring the protection of this unique environment.
You will be issued with instructions as to how you can help to preserve the environment and we hope that you will follow our advice to help make a difference.
People
Our local staff accompanying this expedition will give you a real sense of Madagascan culture. We pay all staff fair wages and treat everybody on the trip, including staff, with equal respect and we expect you to do the same.It is principally wildlife tourism that brings people to Madagascar and by using local businesses and services we can inject much needed capital into the local economy. On this expedition we are following a responsible camping procedure which leaves no negative evidence of our presence.
Popular similar vacations
Madagascar vacations, The lost continent
From US $2610 - US $3340 15 days excluding flights
Experience the culture and wildlife of Madagascar
Madagascar trekking and rafting expedition
From US $3695 13 days excluding flights
Explore a remote area of Madagascar on this unique trip
Madagascar in depth, small group tour
From £3299 - £3449 21 days excluding flights
Madagascar's unique wildlife and off the beaten track gems
