The Far North: Diego bays, Tsingy de l'Ankarana and Nosy Komba, with simple charming accommodations
Twelve days in northern Madagascar: Diego Bay, Amber Mountain forest, Ankarana tsingy, then three nights on the volcanic island of Nosy Komba.
Duration
12 days
From
€1,560/pers.
The spirit of travel
This trip covers northern Madagascar, from Diego Suarez Bay to the islands of the Mozambique Channel. Over twelve days, it connects very different landscapes: a vast bay opening onto the Indian Ocean, a volcanic massif covered in rainforest, a limestone plateau carved into needles, then a small volcanic island where life follows the rhythm of the sea.
The journey begins with two nights in Antananarivo. Flights to Diego depart early in the morning, and this day in the capital allows you to recover from the international flight while discovering the city on foot, from the royal hill to the markets of the lower town and its artisan workshops.
In the North, we walk a lot, always at an accessible pace. The 3 Bays are discovered on foot, on the sand, as far as the village of Ramena. Montagne des Français offers views over the entire Diego Bay. Montagne d'Ambre, an ancient volcanic massif, is home to a rainforest where lemurs and chameleons live. Further south, the Ankarana massif is a limestone plateau carved with caves and canyons: we sleep two nights to the east of the massif, at the entrance to the national park, to dedicate an entire day to it. The volcanic rocks of Ambre and the limestone of Ankarana tell two episodes of the island's history, and it is their complementarity that makes the richness of the route.
The final part of the journey takes place at sea. From Ankify, a boat takes us to Nosy Komba, a volcanic island covered in forest, without roads or cars. We spend three nights there, traveling across the island on foot from hamlet to hamlet, then reaching the marine reserve of Nosy Tanikely for a day of snorkeling.
In the North, we travel by 4x4 with our drivers, who know the region. In the parks and on the islands, local guides accompany us. For travelers who do not speak English, a guide speaking their language can accompany us from day 3 to day 9, as an option. The accommodations are simple and comfortable: a lodge by the sea, a guesthouse in the Joffreville countryside, a lodge at the entrance to the Ankarana park and a guesthouse on Nosy Komba. The journey runs from April to the end of Christmas holidays.
Détours Madagascar is committed to the Travelife certification process. On this trip, this translates concretely: we work with local guides in each park and on each island, our lunches are taken in villages and with local inhabitants, and we observe wildlife without feeding or touching it. On Nosy Komba, this rule is particularly important, as lemurs there have long been fed by visitors.
The stages of your journey
Highlights
Day-by-day itinerary
Arrival in Antananarivo
Upon arrival at Ivato International Airport, a member of the Détours Madagascar team welcomes us and takes us to our hotel in downtown Antananarivo.
On the way, we discover the first faces of the capital. The city is built on a dozen hills, surrounded by rice fields in the Betsimitatatra plain. Brick houses with wooden balconies are crowded on the slopes, and long staircases connect the upper neighborhoods to the markets of the lower city.
Depending on the time of our arrival, the rest of the day is free for us to rest, or for a first discovery of the capital's craftspeople. Antananarivo indeed brings together many artists and craftsmen from the country: ironworkers, leather workers who work with zebu leather, embroiderers, basket weavers, marquetry makers. Their workshops and galleries are scattered throughout the city, and our guide takes us to those who work on site, in front of their clients. It's an opportunity to understand the gestures and materials, and to bring back an object made here.
At the end of the day, our team gives us useful documents and answers our final questions about the trip's itinerary. Dinner is free, and it's an opportunity to taste the cuisine of the Highlands, based on rice, greens and zebu meat, in one of the city's best restaurants.
Airport transfer: approximately 45 minutes.
Walking through Antananarivo, from the upper city to the markets
This day in the capital is for a simple reason: flights to the north depart early in the morning. It gives us time to recover from the journey, while discovering Antananarivo on foot, accompanied by a guide from our team.
We start from the Independence Square district, then climb up to the upper city via the stairs. Andohalo Square was the place where Merina sovereigns addressed the people and announced their decisions. Higher up, we pass by the house of Jean Laborde, a French craftsman and industrialist in the service of Queen Ranavalona I, then the Prime Minister's palace and the courthouse, before reaching the Rova, the royal enclosure that overlooks the Analamanga hill, the city's first name.
From the Ambohitsimbina viewpoint, the view opens onto the entire city, its hills and the rice paddy plains. We then descend through a maze of alleys and stairs, through neighborhoods where life largely takes place outdoors, until we reach Mahamasina stadium and Anosy lake, bordered by jacarandas.
After lunch, we head to the Analakely district and Independence Avenue, the commercial heart of the capital, very lively at all hours. The rest of the afternoon is free. We pack our bags early in the evening, as we depart for the airport early the next morning.
City walk: approximately 4 hours, with stair climbs.
Flight to Diego Suarez and Sakalava Bay
Antananarivo → Diego Suarez I Antsiranana
Early in the morning, we head to Ivato Airport for the flight to Diego Suarez, at the northern tip of the island. Seen from the plane, the landscape gradually changes: the Highlands and their rice fields give way to drier terrain, then to the sea.
At Antsiranana Airport, the Malagasy name for Diego Suarez, our drivers await us. They will accompany us throughout the land portion of the trip, until we embark for Nosy Komba.
We first discover the city. Diego has developed around its bay, one of the world's largest natural harbors, which made it a coveted military and commercial port. The city retains beautiful colonnaded and arcaded houses, often somewhat weathered, a lively Colbert Street, a colorful market, and a port where dhows, fishermen and cargo ships cross paths. The population is very mixed: Antakarana, Sakalava, families from all over Madagascar, the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Lunch is free in the city. In the afternoon, we take the road eastward, through dry countryside, to Sakalava Bay, open to the Indian Ocean. The wind blows strongly there much of the year, making it a renowned site for kitesurfing and windsurfing. We settle by the beach for two nights, with dinner at the hotel.
Flight Antananarivo to Diego Suarez: approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Road to Sakalava Bay: approximately 40 minutes.
Diego Suarez I Antsiranana → Baie de Sakalava
The 3 Bays Hike to Ramena
This day is spent on foot, by the sea. From our hotel, we head north, along the coast from bay to bay, on white and fine sand.
We leave behind us Sakalava Bay to reach Pigeons Bay, more sheltered, where swimming is possible, then Dunes Bay, bordered by large dunes of light sand. The coast alternates between beaches, small limestone cliffs and dry vegetation, where euphorbias and small baobabs grow. The landscape is very open, and the ocean breeze makes the walk pleasant, even under the sun.
We then arrive at the lighthouse and the old military batteries that guarded the entrance to Diego Bay. The site overlooks the narrow passage through which ships enter the bay, and offers a striking view of the ocean on one side and the bay on the other.
The walk ends at the village of Ramena, a fishing village set on a long beach, facing the sugarloaf of Nosy Lonjo. Outrigger canoes are pulled up on the sand, and fishermen often return late in the morning. We have lunch there with a picnic by the water, before enjoying the beach.
In the afternoon, our vehicle picks us up in Ramena to take us back to Sakalava Bay. Dinner at the hotel.
Easy walk on sand: approximately 3 hours, with no significant elevation gain. Return by vehicle from Ramena: approximately 20 minutes.
Baie de Sakalava → 3 Baies
Ramena → Baie de Sakalava
French Mountain, in the middle of the baobabs
We leave Sakalava Bay to reach the Mountain of the French, a limestone massif that overlooks Diego Bay. Today it is a protected area managed with neighboring communities, and a local guide accompanies us there.
The trail climbs through a dry forest, very different from the humid forests we will see tomorrow. Baobabs are numerous there, with their massive trunks, alongside pachypodiums and euphorbias adapted to aridity. We cross small limestone tsingy, and we come across military remains from the colonial era: tunnels, small forts and staircases carved into the rock. The name of the massif comes from there. With luck and the guide's eye, we observe chameleons, and sometimes lemurs in the trees.
A long staircase leads us to the summit. The view then opens onto the entire region: Diego Bay and its sugarloaf of Nosy Lonjo, Sakalava Bay which we have just left, the city of Diego and, to the south, the dark mass of Amber Mountain, where we will walk tomorrow.
After a picnic, we take the road south to Joffre Ville, a small highland town built in the early twentieth century at the foot of Amber Mountain. The climate there is cooler, and the evenings pleasant. Installation for two nights and dinner at the hotel.
Road to the Mountain of the French: approximately 1 hour. Hiking: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, 2.5 km with a stair climb. Road to Joffre Ville: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
Baie de Sakalava → Montagne des français
Montagne des français → Joffre ville
The humid forest of Amber Mountain
Joffre ville → Montagne d'Ambre
We spend the day in Amber Mountain National Park, very close to Joffre Ville. This volcanic massif rises in the middle of a dry region. It stops clouds coming from the ocean, and this humidity nourishes a dense forest, very different from yesterday's dry forest. A local guide accompanies us throughout the hike.
The trail crosses a forest of tall trees covered with moss, lichens, tree ferns and orchids. The guide shows us strangler figs, which gradually encase another tree, or the ramy, whose resin gives off a strong turpentine smell. The waterfalls and crater lakes recall the volcanic origin of the massif.
The fauna is rich there. Several species of lemurs live in the park, including the crowned lemur and Sanford's lemur. Amber Mountain is also the domain of chameleons, from the largest to the most discreet, such as the Brookesia, one of the smallest known chameleons, which fits on a fingernail. It takes the trained eye of the guide to spot it in the leaf litter. We can also come across the flatnose, a gecko with a flat body that blends in with the bark. No sighting is guaranteed: the forest is discovered in silence and with patience.
We have lunch with a picnic in the park, then return to Joffre Ville in the late afternoon. Dinner at the hotel.
Drive to the park entrance: approximately 30 minutes. Hike: approximately 4 hours, on trails that are sometimes wet and slippery.
Montagne d'Ambre → Montagne d'Ambre
Montagne d'Ambre → Joffre ville
The Red Tsingy, then the Ankarana
We leave Joffre Ville heading south on National Road 6. Near the village of Sadjoavato, we take a detour on a track towards the Red Tsingy.
This site is unlike any other. Erosion has carved a ravine into layers of sandstone, marl and laterite rich in iron oxide, which gives it its colour. What remains are columns and needles of red, ochre and pink, which change shade with the light. This landscape is recent on a geological timescale: it formed when slopes were laid bare by deforestation, then carved out by rains. We explore it on foot, following the edge of the ravine and its viewpoints.
We then continue on National Road 6 heading south, through savannah and cultivated lands. Gradually, a long grey barrier appears to the west: it is the limestone massif of Ankarana, a plateau about thirty kilometres long, carved with caves, underground rivers and canyons. It is the land of the Antakarana, "those of the rocks", whose ancestors found refuge in its caves.
We arrive in the mid-afternoon at Mahamasina, to the east of the massif, on the edge of National Road 6. This is where the main entrance to the national park is located, and we spend two nights here. Lunch is taken en route. The end of the day is free for us to rest, and in the evening, the sounds of the dry forest rise as darkness falls. Dinner at the hotel.
Road to the Red Tsingy: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. Visit on foot: approximately 1 hour. Road to Mahamasina: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
A day in the Ankarana tsingy
We dedicate this entire day to Ankarana National Park, accompanied by a local park guide. From Mahamasina, we enter on foot from the east of the massif. Ankarana is an ancient coral reef, which became limestone, then was uplifted and carved by rainfall over millions of years. Water has dissolved the rock and cut it into blades and sharp needles: these are the tsingy, a word that evokes walking on tiptoes.
The trail first crosses dry forest, at the foot of cliffs, where lemurs, birds and chameleons live. We reach Tsingy Rary, fields of fine and tightly packed needles, then the great tsingy, which we traverse via walkways and a suspension bridge over a canyon. Viewpoints open onto a mineral landscape, grey and sharp, where forest clings to every crevice.
We then descend towards the sinking of the rivers, a chasm where rainwater disappears beneath the rock, then towards the bat cave, where large colonies live. The caves have particular significance for the Antakarana, who found shelter there and honor their ancestors, and the guide explains the rules to be observed.
Lunch is taken along the way, and we return to the hotel in the afternoon. The second night at the same location allows us to rest, without repacking our bags. Dinner at the hotel.
Hiking in the park: approximately 6 hours, with passages over rocks. Good hiking shoes are necessary.
Ankify Road, then crossing to Nosy Komba
Departure is early in the morning, as boat crossings from Ankify are only possible before noon. In the afternoon, the wind picks up and the sea becomes rougher.
National road 6 crosses the Sakalava country towards the southwest. After Ambilobe, the landscapes become greener, and the road approaches the Sambirano valley, one of the island's richest agricultural regions. Along the fields, we discover cocoa plantations, from which the region produces a fine, renowned cocoa, as well as coffee, pepper and ylang-ylang, a small tree with yellow and fragrant flowers whose essence is used by perfumers. We sometimes catch sight of distillation workshops along the roadside.
At Ankify, a small port by the sea, we say goodbye to our drivers. A speedboat then takes us across the bay to Nosy Komba. The island is an ancient volcano covered in forest, which rises between mainland and Nosy Be. It has neither roads nor cars: the villages live from fishing, farming and craftsmanship.
We settle in for three nights in a guesthouse on the island. The rest of the day is free for swimming, rest or a first walk along the shore. Dinner on site.
Road to Ankify: approximately 3 hours 30 minutes, 150 km. Speedboat crossing: approximately 30 minutes.
Crossing Nosy Komba on foot
We leave this morning to cross the island on foot, accompanied by a local guide from Nosy Komba. The trail first climbs through cultivated land and forest, on the slopes of the former volcano.
Gradually, the view opens up over the entire bay: Nosy Be to the north, the coast of the mainland to the east, and small islands scattered across turquoise waters. Along the way, we cross vanilla, coffee and pepper plantations, and our guide explains vanilla cultivation, which requires hand pollination, flower by flower. We pass through small mountain hamlets, where inhabitants live from their crops and crafts. The women of Nosy Komba are known for their embroidery and tablecloths, worked by hand.
The walk takes us to the village of Ampangorina, the main village on the island, and its black lemur reserve. In this species, only the male is black, the female being reddish-brown with white tufts on its ears. The lemurs have long been fed by visitors: we observe them without feeding or touching them.
Lunch is served in the village, by the water's edge. We then return by canoe along the coast, with a stop in a small village whose inhabitants specialize in making canoes, carved from a single trunk. Free time at the end of the day and dinner on site.
Hiking: approximately 4 hours, with a climb on the slopes of the island. Return by canoe: approximately 45 minutes.
Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve
This morning, a boat takes us from Nosy Komba to Nosy Tanikely, a small islet surrounded by coral reefs. It is the heart of a marine reserve that has been protected for many years, and its waters are among the richest in the region.
The island, small in size, can be explored quickly on foot: a white sand beach, a path through the vegetation and a lighthouse at the summit, from where the view extends over Nosy Be and the neighbouring islands. But the main attraction is underwater. With a mask and snorkel, we discover coral gardens just a few metres from the shore, parrotfish, butterflyfish and schools of fish in all colours. Sea turtles often come to feed in the reserve, and it is not uncommon to swim alongside them. For those who wish, scuba diving can be arranged for an additional fee.
In the reserve, the rules are simple and strict: we do not touch the corals, we do not step on them, and we keep our distance from the turtles. The reserve keepers and our guide remind us of these rules upon arrival.
Lunch is served on site, under the trees. In the early afternoon, we take the boat back to Nosy Komba, before the wind picks up. Free evening to enjoy the beach one last time, and dinner on site.
Boat crossing to Nosy Tanikely: approximately 30 minutes.
Nosy Be, then return flight
After breakfast, we leave Nosy Komba by boat. The crossing takes place in the morning, before the wind picks up, and takes us to the port of Hell-Ville, the main city of Nosy Be.
Depending on our flight time, we have time to discover a bit of Hell-Ville, with its colonial houses, its covered market, where spices, fruits and fish are traded, and its lively waterfront. The name of the city recalls Admiral de Hell, governor of Réunion, who took possession of the island on behalf of France in the 19th century. Nosy Be is nicknamed the island of perfumes, for its plantations of ylang-ylang, vanilla and pepper.
A member of our team then takes us to Fascène airport, from where our international flight departs. This departure from Nosy Be avoids a return via Antananarivo and allows us to enjoy the North until the end of the trip.
This is the end of a journey that has taken us from the capital to the islands, through very different landscapes: the great bay of Diego and its beaches, the humid forest of Amber Mountain, the limestone needles of Ankarana, then the calm of Nosy Komba and the coral reefs of Tanikely. Veloma, goodbye, and see you soon in Madagascar.
Crossing to Hell-Ville: approximately 30 minutes. Transfer to Nosy Be airport: approximately 30 minutes.
To Nosy Be
Nosy Be → Paris Roissy CDG
Price per person
Indicative price per person, based on double room. Each trip is customized according to your preferences.
This trip can be tailored to your preferences
This itinerary provides an excellent foundation for discovery, but it can be fully customized. Our local advisors build each trip tailored to your budget, dates and preferences.
Not included
- International flights (arrival in Antananarivo, departure from Nosy Be)
- Domestic flight Antananarivo to Diego Suarez (fluctuating rate, booked separately)
- Visa fees
- Meals not mentioned in the program and beverages
- Snorkeling and scuba diving equipment
- Single room supplement: €590 per person
- Insurance assistance, repatriation and cancellation
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Included
- Airport welcome and transfers in Antananarivo and Diego Suarez
- Visits to Antananarivo with a guide from our team (days 1 and 2)
- 4x4 transport with driver, fuel included, from day 3 to day 9 (maximum 4 travelers per vehicle)
- Boat crossings (Ankify to Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Komba to Nosy Be) and transfer to Nosy Be airport
- Double or twin room accommodation for 11 nights, in simple and comfortable hotels and lodges
- Breakfasts and meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Entrance fees and local guides for parks and reserves (Montagne des Français, Montagne d'Ambre, Tsingy rouges, Ankarana, Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely)
- The assistance of our team in Antananarivo throughout the trip
Practical Information
Registration is considered firm and final after payment of a deposit of 30% of the total price and acceptance of the specific terms of sale.
The balance must be paid no later than 45 days before the departure date.
See our specific terms of sale for full details.
In the event of cancellation by the traveller, the following fees apply:
More than 60 days before departure: 30% of the total price (deposit retained)
Between 60 and 30 days before departure: 50% of the total price
Less than 30 days before departure: 100% of the total price
We strongly recommend taking out cancellation insurance. See our specific terms of sale for full details.
Your Passport:
Important: your passport must be valid. It must be mandatory and obligatorily valid for 6 months after the end of your stay in Madagascar.
Your travel documents
Your valid passport,
Your international and/or domestic flight tickets,
Your repatriation insurance/first aid expenses contract, -
Your vaccination record, not mandatory,
Your blood group card if possible.
Obtaining a visa to enter Malagasy territory
Upon arrival in the territory:
The visa cost is €35 for a stay of less than 30 days.
It is easily obtained upon your arrival in Malagasy territory.
This applies to all airports in Madagascar that receive international flights.
Upon arrival in the terminal, upon exiting the plane, a corridor for passengers is dedicated to issuing tourist visas.
This procedure is the simplest. We recommend it to you.
From the embassies and consulates of your countries of origin:
For information, download the document explaining the procedure and the constitution of the file for obtaining a visa from the Madagascar embassy.
To participate in our trips, it is strongly recommended to be insured for repatriation assistance and medical expenses abroad.
Your local agency encourages you to familiarize yourself with the specific contract developed with our partner CHAPKA ASSURANCES and AXA ASSISTANCE.
To subscribe to insurance, learn about coverage and rates, follow the link below.
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Choose the plan that best suits you:
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Specific to our trips, we strongly recommend subscribing to them.
If you choose to subscribe to one of these plans, the policy detailing all coverage and procedures for claiming any loss are available on the insurer's website.
Your local agency will be aware of it, but only the participant is responsible for complying with the procedures for declaring any loss. The participant must therefore keep this policy with them throughout their trip.
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Travel with peace of mind — I'll handle the insuranceFrequently asked questions
A tourist visa is required, issued upon arrival at Ivato Airport (Antananarivo) or online (e-visa). Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry. Before booking your trip, check with Madagascar's consular authorities for the conditions applicable to your nationality, including visa fees and authorized lengths of stay.
Go to the My Trips section to find all your projects.
You can send a message to your host directly from the Tea Lounge.
For a tailor-made quality trip, expect between 160 and 270 euros per day and per person, including accommodation, meals, internal transfers and English-speaking guide. International flights (900-1400 euros return) are additional. Long transfers and domestic flights represent a significant portion of the budget.
Your documents are accessible in the Documents tab of your trip.
Absolutely. We adapt each itinerary to suit your travel profile. For families, we prioritize relaxed pacing, family-friendly accommodations, fun and educational activities, and comfortable private transfers. Our local English-speaking guides know how to captivate children with age-appropriate anecdotes.
It's simple. You exchange with our local team to define your wishes, budget and dates. You receive a detailed itinerary proposal within 48 hours. You adjust every detail together until it's perfect. You confirm and travel with peace of mind. Your local agency remains available 7 days a week throughout your trip.
In case of emergency, contact your local agency immediately.
Payment is generally made in two installments.
Our agency is part of the Nomadays network, registered in France. You benefit from APST (Association Professionnelle de Solidarité du Tourisme) protection, which covers 100% of your funds. Secure payment, repatriation insurance included, and English-speaking assistance 24/7 on the ground throughout your stay.
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Ambassador of Malagasy fihavanana, based in Antananarivo
For me, traveling to Madagascar is stepping into the spirit of fihavanana: sharing, helping one another, meeting people, and taking time to understand what connects them to their land.
— Noro
