1 independent reviews for Northern Madagascar private tour
Reviews for Northern Madagascar private tour
Diane Beavis review 22 Oct 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were so many highlights on our holiday, that it is difficult to identify the most memorable/exciting ones. However, a close encounter with an Indri lemur with her young baby was really special. On another occasion, some common brown lemurs shared our picnic lunch, which was entertaining! The rain forests were amazing for the diversity of flora and fauna and the Red Tsingy were quite incredible and so unusual. Visiting a bat cave was also quite an experience. Nosy Komba was beautiful and we particularly enjoyed where we were staying at 293 as it was more like being a house quest. With only four bedrooms and communal dinners, it was very sociable and we met some great people. Eden Lodge and its location were stunning in an unspoilt, rustic way.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Although we enjoyed seeing the lemurs who shared our picnic, we suffered numerous flea bites as a result, so perhaps don't get too close to them! Take Euros as that seems to be the preferred currency and many of our hotel bills were quoted in Euros. Also take plenty of cash as a couple of the places we stayed in did not take credit or debit cards. As the distances between places are quite far and the roads are slow, we were pleased that we concentrated mainly on exploring the north of Madagascar. Our journey home from door to door was 23 hours, so it's an idea to break your journey on mainland Africa. As our luggage did not arrive with us at Antananarivo (we changed planes at Nairobi), it's an idea to take a few essentials in your hand luggage, as I gather this is quite a common problem.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely. One of the aspects of the trip that we particularly enjoyed was meeting the Malagasy people, who are lovely and very friendly. Unlike other countries we've visited, we were not segregated from the local people, who shared the same beaches and lived alongside our accommodation in many cases. All of the places we stayed at employed local people and Eden Lodge had funded a school for local children. The materials used in the construction of many of the places we stayed were all locally sources, as was the food we ate. The national parks we visited were well-maintained and entry was strictly controlled. Local guides were employed to ensure that the environment and conservation projects were respected. Our guide took us to local restaurants run by Malagasy people, which meant that they benefited from tourism financially. There were also many opportunities to buy handmade good produced by locals.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. All of the complex arrangements worked like clockwork and the standard of accommodation was very high, although in an authentic and rustic way, rather than being overly showy and luxurious. The itinerary was great in terms of giving us such a diversity of experiences and a flavour of the real Madagascar and the fascinating culture of its people.Holiday Reviews
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