Madagascar dhow sailing holiday
| country: | Madagascar |
| departures: | Departs every Saturday subject to flight schedules, between April and December (minimum of 6 passengers) |
| price: | From US $770 (8 days) excluding flights. Single supplement US $17. Child prices (8-11 years) from US $695 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Madagascar dhow sailing holiday
An Island-hopping dhow camping trip around Nosy Be.
Nosy Be, Whale Sharks (In Season), Nosy Iranja, Russian Bay, Mahalina, Lokobe, snorkeling at Nosy Tanikely and/or Ankazbiravina, Nosy Komba. Enjoy the island-hopping lifestyle in our own exclusive-use Dhow. Camp out on a peaceful island where you won't find a soul, snorkel with whale sharks, fish for game fish and relax on unspoilt beaches - this is the ultimate paradise.
Includes: Use of bungalows and full camping equipment, all sea transport in a fully kitted motorized Dhow, use of sea kayaks on Dhow, all meals on the boat or at camp, one bottle of mineral water per person per day, transfers to and from Nosy Be airport (if clients do not stay on in Nosy Be).
Excludes: International and domestic flights and their taxes, all optional excursions mentioned in the program, all personal expenses, travel and medical insurance, tips, drinks, visas, diving, snorkelling and fishing equipment, any meals not mentioned in the itinerary, transfer from Nosy Be to the airport (if clients stay on after the Dhow trip has ended).
Nosy Be, Whale Sharks (In Season), Nosy Iranja, Russian Bay, Mahalina, Lokobe, snorkeling at Nosy Tanikely and/or Ankazbiravina, Nosy Komba. Enjoy the island-hopping lifestyle in our own exclusive-use Dhow. Camp out on a peaceful island where you won't find a soul, snorkel with whale sharks, fish for game fish and relax on unspoilt beaches - this is the ultimate paradise.
Includes: Use of bungalows and full camping equipment, all sea transport in a fully kitted motorized Dhow, use of sea kayaks on Dhow, all meals on the boat or at camp, one bottle of mineral water per person per day, transfers to and from Nosy Be airport (if clients do not stay on in Nosy Be).
Excludes: International and domestic flights and their taxes, all optional excursions mentioned in the program, all personal expenses, travel and medical insurance, tips, drinks, visas, diving, snorkelling and fishing equipment, any meals not mentioned in the itinerary, transfer from Nosy Be to the airport (if clients stay on after the Dhow trip has ended).
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Nosy Be. If you arrive into Nosy Be airport in the afternoon or evening, you will be met by the Skipper, tour guide and captain of the dhow, and transferred to the Bed & Breakfast in Hell-ville, set high up on a hill, with great views. Restaurants and nightlife for you to explore at your own leisure and own expense. If your flights dictate a 1 night stay in Antananarivo on the first evening, you will spend the night in a small guest house in Antananarivo, arriving to Nosy be on the morning of day 2. |
| Day 2-7: | Various islands. We board the dhow and set sail for the islands! During the next 7 days (6 nights) we will sail to some of the following islands. Please note these are dependant on weather and tide conditions: Russian Bay (also known as Ambavatory Bay), is a beautiful and remote place opposite the Nosy Be archipelago. Enjoy the fantastic marine life for snorkelling and fishing and maybe you might spot a whale (in season from October to December) or a rare Whale shark. The tropical woods harbour abundant birdlife, reptiles and lemurs. Nosy Iranja (Island ofTurtles) the larger and inhabited of the two islands, Nosy Iranja and Nosy Iranja Kely are connected by a 1.5 km long sand bar, negotiable on foot at low tide. Nosy Iranja is a peaceful and remote island with crystal clear waters, wonderful walks and fantastic opportunities to sea kayak and explore on foot. Iranja is a breeding reserve for hawksbill turtles. Mahalina - we spend time here relaxing in the beautiful surroundings, or kayaking up the mangrove swamps. The area is great for snorkelling. We may use A-frame bungalows on Mahalina, instead of camping. Lokobie reserve a protected reserve, Lokobe offers wildlife galore with the likelihood of you spotting several lemur species, colourful chameleons and maybe a snake or two amid the forest! Nosy Tanikely a marine reserve teeming with underwater flora and fauna, allowing us the chance for some superb snorkeling in warm waters with great visibility. You are likely to spot an amazing variety of marine life; from coral, starfish and anemones to every colour and shape of fish - and perhaps a turtle if you are lucky! With a bit of luck, we may be able to spot the ring-tailed Lemurs while stepping on to Terre Firma. Nosy Komba a island with quaint villages, craft markets and famed for its habituated Lemurs, who may take a jump onto your shoulders! (B,L,D) |
| Day 8: |
Hell-Ville and end of Dhow experience. Sail back to Hell-Ville port where our dhow adventure comes to an end. Catch your return flight to Antananarivo where you will need to overnight before returning to Johannesburg the following day. (B) B,L,D = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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On arrival in Madagascar, the clients are picked up and transferred to the boat making use of local taxi drivers. 100% of the employees on the dhow are from Madagascar/Nosy Be, thereby supporting local business. In off season, from January to March when the cyclones make it impossible to arrange a dhow trip, all the staff are sent to a school to learn English and French. We have also encouraged the skipper, Mohammed, to build a second boat and to expand his business. This means that more employees are needed for the 2nd boat, providing more employment opportunities for local people.
100% of the products to prepare meals for our clients are purchased locally and all recipes are Malagasy. All the furniture used on both dhows is also sourced from local craftspeople. We ensure our clients visit local villages, restaurants and local markets, especially the markets of Nosy Komba and Nosy Be.  We treat the cultural heritage with respect and inform our clients about local customs, fady (taboos) and traditions as well as appropriate behaviour before and while travelling. We also ensure that tourists ask permission to take photographs or to videotape people. To minimize impact on the environment, we make sure that any rubbish produced comes back onto the dhow and is not left behind on the islands. For cooking purposes we make use of gas instead of wood. We dont put up harsh lights on the campsite as it may impact on local people and wildlife. We also minimise the use of water and energy, making sure to stay in accommodation making use of solar power.
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Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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