Vanilla Triangle

The Vanilla Triangle Tour is an 11-day adventure itinerary in the north and north-east of Madagascar, in the land of scents. This off the beaten track program has exceptionally been designed for nature lovers and hikers, including several overnights camping in the forest. Awake your senses to the perfume of spices, vanilla, ylang ylang and many essential oils. Learn about the great culinary and medical traditions of the island. Discover and explore virgin rainforest with unique animals and plants. You will forever remember the time spend in the middle of green landscapes and joyful rivers. Start the trip in Sambava, the capital of vanilla, visit the remote and wonderful reserves of Marojejy and Daraina, as well as the more accessible Ankarana. Finish off on the tropical beaches of Nosy Be and the nearby islets. A good level of fitness is desirable. You can also make this trip the other way around, and we will adjust the trip depending where you arrive. We can tailor this itinerary to suit your plans by changing the length of the trip or the order of activities.

11 Days – From £3,210 per person

*equivalent in USD, EUR accepted

Itinerary: Antananarivo, Sambava, Marojejy, Vohemar, Daraina Reserve, Ankarana, Ankify, Nosy Be

Included

Price is per person, based on two people sharing in a double room
Accommodation with Breakfast
All the excursions mentioned in the itinerary on a private basis
All transfers on a private basis
Entrance & guiding fees to all the mentioned National Parks
Professional English speaking naturalist guide
All local taxes

Excluded

Visa, where applicable
International Flights (See Flights to Madagascar)
Domestic Flights
Personal Expenses
Insurance
Tips & Gratuities
Meals not mentioned in the description

Flights

International flights are not included in the package price. We give you the freedom to book the flights yourself, use miles and choose your preferred airline, and if you are stuck we can help you find the right connections. Return flights to Madagascar start from £700 per person, depending on the connections and time of the year.

For families and groups (starting with 5 pax), we can book domestic flights in Madagascar, during the high season, and if the trip is part of a more complex itinerary. This is to ensure a seamless travel and no complications.

How to Book

Send us an email to check availability, discuss your preferences and get a quote.

This is a sample itinerary and prices are correct at the time of writing. We can tailor it to suit your plans by changing the length of the trip or the order of activities. More days can be added. Other hotels can be chosen, according to your liking. For more travel inspiration check these itineraries.

To avoid unpleasant weather surprises, we recommend to check our Madagascar Weather Guide to plan your trip in the right season. Click on the month you want to travel in and see the tours which are best for each month of the year.

Day 1 - Sambava

In the morning, fly to Sambava (SVB), one the most prosperous cities in the north of Madagascar, and the capital of the vanilla triangle. You will be met at the airfield and driven to Sambava along a beautiful coastal road. Sambava is nestled in a small bay, sheltered by luxuriant vegetation, in the heart of vanilla fields and coconut plantations, palm trees, banana trees and bamboo. On arrival, visit a vanilla house and factory to learn about the vanilla processing from the field to the pod. This is a epicurean fascinating experience. Spend the evening at leisure. Overnight at Domaine d’Ambohimanitra.

Day 2 - Sambava to Marojejy

Today leave early to Marojejy with the special park guide coming from Sambava. You will ride up to Manantenina reaching there by 8.30am, and then continue along a dirt track to Mandena. From there, walk up for 1 hour to the entrance of Marojejy National Park. This is one of the most beautiful and wildest areas of Madagascar, a place of dense jungle and sheer cliffs. Past the entrance, walk another 2,5h to reach Camp Mantella. On the way, stop to admire the forest. You will arrive at the camp by 2pm, take a rest and enjoy the enchanting surroundings. Later on take a walk to the Humbert Waterfall (1 hour walk each way). Overnight at the camping.

Day 3 - Marojejy National Park

In the morning, hike up to Camp Marojejya (2-3h), mostly uphill. The walk is challenging at times, but the pace is slow with lots of stops to enjoy the forest. Marojejya camp is located at the transition between the lowland and the mountainous rainforest, on a mountainside. When the clouds clear up, there are breathtaking views over the park. On arrival at the camp get some rest. Further exploring with the special park guide is also possible. There are many endemic species of flora and fauna here, found nowhere else in the world. Among other forest dwellers, you will have an opportunity to spot Silky Sifaka, a lemur’s species only found in Marojejy. Overnight at the camping.

Day 4 - Marojejy to Daraina

After breakfast (6.30am), trek back down to camp Mantella. The descent is quite easy, taking about 3h. Drive back to Sambava and turn northwards to Vohemar (1+2h). Pass by beautiful green scenery, small villages of wooden huts, rivers and streams. In Antalaha, the world vanilla capital, take a traditional canoe trip on the Ankavia and Ankavanana rivers. Arrive in Vohemar at noon and explore the attractive bay with a natural harbour. Then take a dirt track to Daraina, a challenging part of the journey. The trip can take between 2 and 5 hours, depending on the rain and weather. Upon arrival, check-in and have an evening hike inside Daraina Reserve. Overnight at the camping.

Day 5 - Daraina Reserve

Today spend the full day in the Daraina Reserve. Nature lovers and trekking enthusiasts will be rewarded since Daraina is the starting point of fantastic hikes in the forest. The forest also has a sacred waterfall and many species of rare lemurs. The reserve is a mosaic of rolling hills covered with patches of forests – one of the richest and ecologically sensitive areas in Madagascar. Daraina has been transformed and fragmented by human activities. Currently, the reserve consists of forest fragments, interwoven by anthropogenic grasslands and croplands. Despite fragmentation, the flora and fauna is rich and diverse. Overnight at the camping.

Day 6 - Daraina to Ankarana

Drive 100 km of dirt road to Ambilobe. From there take the tar road to reach Ankarana. The park is a spectacular fortress of sharp ridges (tsingy), patches of dense tropical jungle, deep caves and canyons (actually the biggest underground river network in Africa). With an annual rainfall of almost 2000mm, the rocks undergo heavy erosion producing an amazing karst topography. There are incredible trails, unique and terrific landscapes and a lot of animals. Coming from the eastern side, overnight in Mahamasina East. Overnight at Iharana Bush Camp.

Day 7 - Ankarana Reserve

Today take the 6-7h circuit from Mahamasina. It includes the visit of Perte de Riviere, Chauves Souris Cavl, Petit Tsingy, Ambahibe Cave, panoramic point Ambohimalaza, Lac Vert and Grand Tsingy. The trekking is challenging at times, but extraordinarily rewarding. In Amboandriky, the cave of the crocodiles and Lac Mangily are the main interesting points. The trails lead to awesome viewpoints on ridges above hundreds of limestone needles. Getting into the centre of the park requires a guide and coping with high temperatures. The best time of year to visit is during the dry season, from April to November. Overnight at Iharana Bush Camp.

Day 8 - Ankarana to Nosy Be

After breakfast, drive towards Ankify. The first stop will be in the town of Ambilobe, a Muslim city with a picturesque market. Continue driving across the volcanic fertile land of the north with coffee, cacao and ylang ylang plantations. The mountain chain of Tsaratanana, with the highest peak of the island will show up at the horizon. The second stop will be in Ambanja to visit Cyrille cacao and vanilla plantation. Upon arrival in Ankify, take a speedboat transfer to Hell Ville on the island of Nosy Be (1h). Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at l’Heure Bleue.

Day 9 - Vanilla Plantation Tour

Today explore Nosy Be. Visit the botanical garden Lemuria Land, located in the middle of an ylang ylang plantation. There is a museum and a distillery of essential oils and rum. Continue to Nosy Be fragrant vanilla plantations. A visit here is more than just an excursion, it’s a true immersion in the history, culture and flavors of Nosy Be. With an expert local guide at your side, you’ll learn all the particularities of the local vanilla. The fertile soil, warm, humid climate and ancestral know-how of Madagascan growers make this island an ideal cradle for vanilla. Finish with a splendid sunset at Mont Passot and the views over the sacred lakes. Overnight at l’Heure Bleue.

Day 10 - Nosy Komba

Today visit a small lush island, Nosy Komba (Nosy Ambariovato). It is a very exotic beautiful island with picturesque villages. You will see exotic trees like jackfruit, vanilla, mango, pineapple and so many other unique trees and plants. Black lemurs, namely the Macaco lemurs or black lemurs, live only in the north-west of Madagascar. On the island of Nosy Komba they are considered sacred and are protected. They live in groups of 20 and the female are dominant. Nosy Komba shelters around 5000 lemurs in a dense tropical forest. Visit the small lemur park and the local community who are the masters of embroidery. Overnight at Tsara Komba Lodge.

Day 11 - Departure

According to your flight’s schedule, you will be transferred to the Fascene Airport (NOS) to take your flight home. If you have to pass via Antananarivo in order to connect to your international flight, we can add additional nights at the beginning and end of the trip in order to tailor the trip up to your needs, making sure your flight connections fit well into the schedule. Time permitting, on your request we can also organize a cooking class focused on preparing dishes based on vanilla recipes. You can also try many desserts and drinks with authentic high quality vanilla ingredients.

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