Madagascar trekking and rafting expedition
Maximum group size 10
Description of Madagascar trekking and rafting expedition
Go where roads cannot: exploring Madagascar by kayak is a great way to get into its heart. On this stupendous adventure you’ll explore two rivers, camping on the bank, white-water rafting down their lengths – and getting out to walk in the forests.
On the first leg of this trip you’ll follow the isolated Benahy river – a river small enough that it doesn’t get marked on maps! Go where no roads go, deep in the Isalo canyons and through narrow high-cliff passes. This part of the trip focuses on the lesser-visited area south of Isalo National Park – you’re unlikely to meet many other travellers here.
On the second half of your trip you’ll take to the wider Onilahy river, for a downstream paddle that includes three days of white-water rafting on Class III-IV rapids. Things calm down once the wide Onilahy river opens out into a delta. Now that the whitewater has simmered down, you can keep a look out for lazing crocodiles.
Madagascar is the most biodiverse island on the planet, and among its many endemic delights are over 100 lemur species. Keep keen eyes peeled for one of Madagascar’s 62 chameleon species, plus birds, bats, turtles and tortoise and – of course – lemurs, if you’re lucky.
There are five species of lemur found in the Bezaha-Mahafaly reserve. You’ll stop here at the end of your rafting adventure. Many visitors love to see Sifaka lemurs, who move in an idiosyncratic sidestepping motion that gives them the nickname ‘dancing’ lemurs.
Your adventure finishes on the coast. Here you can relax on a sandy beach in southwest Madagascar, at Anakao, a small fishing village, where zebu-drawn carts remind you that you’re not at your average resort.
This trip keeps its environmental impact as low as possible – kayaking leaves little trace, and nor does
camping. Sometimes, though, it’s good to leave an impression, which is why after the rafting, you’ll stay locally run accommodation in villages, where you can meet Madagascan people.
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Price information
Maximum group size 10
Departure information
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Reviews
1 Reviews of Madagascar trekking and rafting expedition
Reviewed on 16 Nov 2022 by Tim Futter
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing Lemurs in Ambisebe national park.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring a mosquito net just in case the hotels do not have these as standard.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic.
Responsible Travel
Planet
Our local agent on this trip will give you a personal and knowledgeable insight of the region. We are very active in reforestation and in 2008 raised funds for 230,000 trees to be planted. For every client booked on any Madagascar trips, we finance one tree per day per client. 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.Popular similar holidays
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