Iconic Islands of Madagascar

Let your cleints be charmed by Nosy Faly, a sacred island that houses the graves of local dynasties. Bordered by sublime beaches, it reveals amazing landscapes between the discovery of the great mangrove and traditional fishing village.

Tsara Komba’s eight thatched bungalows are tucked into the lodge’s tropical gardens, where bougainvillea, papaya, and flame trees blanket the steep hillside, and frangipani, jasmine, and lemongrass perfume the air. Traditional building materials such as teak, rosewood and local sohihy wood help Tsara Komba’s airy lodges and suites blend into their surroundings, and high roofs made from the leaves of ravinala trees (also known as the “traveler’s tree”) provide natural ventilation that helps keep rooms cool. The surrounding tree canopy gives shade as well as privacy.

Private terraces and outdoor living rooms look out over the ocean, providing sensational views from sunrise to sunset. Inside, Madagascan antiques, furniture, and objects d’art by Malagasy artists and craftsmen add authenticity and character. Bath products incorporate Madagascan essential oils, and fine linens were crafted in country as well.

The absence of televisions, Wi-fi, and in-room telephones protect the sense of tranquillity. All accommodations also include mosquito nets and coils, fans, safe, and fresh flowers.

Overnight: Tsara Komba

Owner run Tsara Komba is simply wonderful.  Situated on the eastern side of Nosy Komba, this 8 roomed, luxury lodge is an ideal getaway for the discerning visitor. Built above its own private beach amongst stunning gardens and with wonderful views, the hotel is an ideal base from which to explore the island, dive, fish, snorkel or simply relax.
All four rooms and two suites are beautifully spacious (90 to 120 m2), boasting en-suite facilities and private verandas overlooking the ocean. The main area consists of a stylish sitting area, bar and restaurant. The chef produces such delicious French cuisine that guests find themselves returning back year after year.
Excursions to the markets and plantations on the mainland are easily arranged, as are trips to visit the Lemur Park on the other side of the island.

Food and Drink

At the main lodge at the top of the hill, Divine House Restaurant takes the crown as one of Madagascar’s finest restaurants. Adopting the slow food ethos, chef Tina Harry relies on wild and organic local ingredients to superb dishes that draw together Malagasy and French flavours. The menu changes daily, depending on what he picks up at the markets, what’s ripe in the kitchen garden, and what the fishermen bring in on their pirogues. Guests choose between three-course and nine-course à la carte menus; specialties range from barracuda pancakes and swordfish steak to lacquered duck and decadent desserts laced with Madagascan vanilla and cocoa. Vegan and vegetarian meals can be arranged. The refined dishes served here are rivalled only by the views across the bay, with mainland Madagascar and the Tsaratanana Mountains in the distance. The rich cuisine is paired with a fine selection of French and South African wine, and the bar whips up a legendary coconut rum punch—an ideal way to toast the sunset over the bay from the lodge terrace.

Today your clients will have A double getaway to the island of Nosy Mamoko (waterfall, giant turtles, lemurs), visit the village of the baobabs on the main land, then a stop on the island of Nosy Kisimany to enjoy the beach, Picnic of the chef, with fresh fish chased and prepared by their guide.

For all the inhabitants of the part of the Big Island, Nosy Mamoko represents a very important cultural heritage, because the king of the Sakalava came to seek refuge there during the times of civil-war between the ethnic groups. It is for this reason that a part of the island remains, years later, “fady” (taboo) for tourists and Malagasy.

Discover the island of Tanikely with a guide, the Marine Reserve, real natural aquarium and its spectacular snorkelling.

Nosy Tanikely is a marine national park, which means almost the whole biodiversity of the island lives in the sea. The island itself is home to some reptiles like plated lizards and panther chameleons, a lot of hermit crabs and some introduced black lemurs. A colony of flying foxes has settled on Nosy Tanikely, too.

But the real action starts underwater: The colourful, completely healthy coral gardens begin few metres in front of the beach, and inhabit an unbelievable wealth of fishes, starfishes, urchins, sea cucumbers and other creatures of the sea. Between huge corals, they can find acanthurids, blowfishes and groupers. Schools of fishes pass by iridescently, and they will not know where to take pictures first with their underwater camera, for sure.

A special highlight of Nosy Tanikely is swimming with the sea turtles (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas), which they can find in high numbers around the island. Especially older individuals are often not afraid of snorkelers, and they can amazingly watch the peaceful giants at closest range. From time to time, dolphins cross the sea, and even whale sharks are occasionally seen visitors of the sea between Nosy Be and Nosy Tanikely.

Today your clients will have a more relaxed day. Go trekking with a guide through the forest of Nosy Komba and discover the Endemic Fauna and Flora that surround the property. Follow the lodge’s naturalist guide on trek through Nosy Komba’s forest. As they ascend rain forest trails to the island’s volcanic peak, discover endemic flora and fauna—including the island’s famous black lemurs, chameleons, and butterflies—and learn about medicinal plants that grow in the wild here. Stop for a guided visit to Ampangorina village, then return to the lodge via pirogue canoe.

Nosy Komba

Nosy Komba, in English lemur island, is the nickname of a small, dreamy island in the canal of Mozambique at the north western coast of Madagascar. With a diameter of eight kilometres, Nosy Komba is the second largest volcanic island of Madagascar – after Nosy Be. Its original name is Nosy Ambariovato, which means as much as “surrounded by many stones”. Viewed from above, Nosy Komba has a completely spherical shape, which is caused by actually being an old volcano. Since it has been inactive for centuries, a lot of small villages with about 4000 inhabitants have settled on the island. People here are Sakalava and mainly live from fishing, plantations and tourism. The largest village is called Ampangorina and pivotal point for visitors, who come mainly from Nosy Be. Your clients can see from afar table cloths and doilies waving in the sea breeze of the village – those are made by hand in endless designs by local women. Numerous huts and booths offer handcrafted art and stuff – along some streets of Nosy Komba, they may think they have gone lost in some kind of supersized souvenir shop.

Nosy Komba is famous for its name giving black lemurs, which have become very tame by steadily being fed by people. If your clients have fruits in their hand, they will even jump on their shoulder. Unfortunately, the population is very small and isolated, which led to many of the black lemurs showing inbreeding signs such as blindness.

Today your clients will set out on an expedition to Nosy Iranja. Nosy Iranja, the turtle island, its crystal-clear waters and its long white tongue unveiled only at low tide is an enchantment to discover. The famous chef’s picnic will be served on the beach, before a visit to the neighbouring island Nosy Antsoha.

Today your clients will have a chance to test their hand during an introductory skills course on how to handle a local pirogue in what is sure to be a  fun couple of hours and involve a capsize or two!

Step onboard a helicopter and fly over the main island of Madagascar. Tour the Millot cocoa plantation and enjoy a tasty lunch before going to see the stunning Tsingy of the Ankarana National Park.

Millot Cocoa Plantation Visit

This beautiful plantation, established in 1904, is a leading producer of organic cocoa, spices and essential oils, and a visit to this little slice of paradise is not only highly informative but a true festival of the senses. The tour can be topped off with lunch in the beautiful old farmhouse.

Against a backdrop of stunning scenery, the formidable Mado, your clients guide, will invite them to taste or smell every plant on the farm, from the lychee-like raw cocoa beans straight out of their husk, to potent green peppercorns soaking in brine and vinegar. They’ll also poke their nose in the distillery, where ylang-ylang essential oils or freshly picked vetiver roots will fight for their olfactory attention. During their visit, they’ll see how each plant is grown, picked and processed (the distillery for perfume plants, and preparation areas for cocoa and spices). Millot employs more than 800 people, the majority of them women. The plantation also supports the village school, which most of the employees’ children attend.

Lunch includes dishes prepared with products from the plantation, including a wondrous chocolate cake with vanilla cream. Make sure your clients try Mado’s exquisite chocolate-flavoured rum (made with the plantation’s cocoa, of course).

Ankarana National Park

Ankarana National Park was created in 1956 and lies about 90 km south of Antsiranana covering an area of 182,5 km². It is a spectacularly eroded limestone fortress of sharp ridges, patches of dense tropical jungle, deciduous forest, deep caves and canyons (the biggest underground network of Africa) and rushing rivers. With an annual rainfall of almost 2000 mm, the underlying rocks undergo a heavy erosion producing an amazing karst topography, being its most known result the fantastically eroded limestone spires, known as “tsingy”. The Park is in fact one of the most visited specially among hikers: it offers incredible trails, unique and terrific landscapes and a lot of animals! This reserve contains one of the highest density of primates of any forest in the world. Its dense forests support one of the largest and least disturbed populations of crowned lemurs. Sanford’s brown lemur, perrier’s black lemur, northern sportive lemur and dwarf lemurs, ring-tailed mongoose, fossa, tenrecs and Madagascar striped civet are also a common sight. Almost 100 bird species, 50 reptiles (including some endemic and threatened snakes and geckos) and 10 frogs cohabit in the Park. Inside the spectacular and huge labyrinth of caves 14 bat species, local endemic blind shrimps and the world’s only known cave-living crocodiles are waiting for their visit. At night swarms of bats and flying foxes swoop in the darkness.

Today they can enjoy more snorkelling and diving  excursions and in the late afternoon  head out by boat to a mangrove forest – the only type of tree that grows with its roots in  water.

Here they will watch the sunset while sipping on a refreshing selection of cocktails.

This evening enjoy a succulent candlelight “Seafood & Champagne” dinner, served on the Lover’s Deck or on the terrace of their Lodge, accompanied by a Malagasy music & dance show only for them.

This is your clients last morning on the island and depending on the time of their onward flight they will travel by boat to Nosy Be where they will be transferred to Fascene International Airport.