Nosy Be: things to do, when to go and how to get there
Lokobe, Nosy Komba, Tanikely and Iranja, when the rains and the whales come, flights and the Ankify boat, and how many nights to give Nosy Be.
Northern Madagascar in 12 Days: Forests, Tsingy and Islands
Twelve private days starting and ending in Antananarivo, with eleven hotel nights. Visit Amber Mountain and Ankarana, snorkel at Nosy Sakatia, watch sunset from Mont Passot and spend a day on Nosy Iranja. Domestic and international flights are extra.
Tour overview
The best of the north, land and sea
This route combines the northern mainland with four nights on Nosy Be. It includes one Three Bays day, Sakatia and Mont Passot, then an Iranja day trip. The eleven-day route gives different time at the bays and Iranja; compare the full calendar, not just one extra day. If whales are a priority, request a separately confirmed seasonal departure, provider and written price: the Iranja day does not establish a whale excursion.
Highlights of the tourWhat you'll see
- Nosy Iranja beach and sandbar day trip, with return to your Nosy Be hotel
- Snorkelling at Nosy Sakatia, with a chance of swimming alongside sea turtles
- The Three Bays at Diego Suarez: quiet beaches, turquoise water and steady wind
- Montagne d'Ambre National Park, with crowned lemurs, crater lakes and waterfalls
- The red sandstone formations of Tsingy Rouge
- A full day in Ankarana's limestone Tsingy, with caves, underground rivers and suspension bridges
- Lokobe National Park by traditional canoe, to look for black lemurs and chameleons
- Sunset from Mont Passot, Nosy Be's favourite viewpoint
Day by day
Day 1
International flight to Antananarivo
Your Madagascar adventure begins with the flight to the capital. On arrival in Antananarivo you are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, there is either a short city tour or simply time to settle in and rest.
Overnight: Antananarivo
Day 2
Antananarivo to Diego Suarez
Morning flight north to Diego Suarez, then a transfer to your hotel in town. Lunch at a carefully chosen local restaurant, followed by a relaxed afternoon at leisure. Depending on where you are staying, spend the time on the beach or simply unwind after the flight.
Overnight: Diego Suarez
Day 3
The Three Bays
A full day at Diego Suarez's famous Three Bays, with quiet beaches, turquoise water and steady wind. Optional activities include kitesurfing, windsurfing and snorkelling, or light walks along the shore. Or you can do nothing at all by the sea.
Overnight: Diego Suarez
Day 4
Montagne d'Ambre National Park
After breakfast, drive to Montagne d'Ambre National Park for a full day of exploration. Look for crowned lemurs, Sanford's brown lemurs, chameleons, geckos, frogs and birds, and walk to the waterfalls and crater lakes in the cooler forest climate. Picnic lunch inside the park, then return to Diego Suarez in the afternoon.
Overnight: Diego Suarez
Day 5
Diego Suarez to Ankarana, via the Tsingy Rouge
Morning departure by road to the spectacular Tsingy Rouge, known for the striking red sandstone formations erosion has sculpted out of the plateau. A gentle walk through the site takes in the best viewpoints and photography. Continue to Ankarana National Park, arriving in time for lunch; the afternoon is free to relax at the lodge or take a short walk in the surrounding area.
Overnight: Ankarana
Day 6
Ankarana National Park
A full day exploring Ankarana's remarkable formations. The reserve is famous for its limestone pinnacles, the Tsingy, and for its network of caves, underground rivers and suspension bridges. With your local guide you'll learn how the rock formed and what the massif means culturally and ecologically to the people around it.
The park is also home to varied wildlife: watch for crowned lemurs moving through the dry forest canopy, endemic birds, and plants adapted to this rugged terrain. Trails may include narrow passages through the limestone, small suspension bridges and viewpoints looking out over the Tsingy. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Ankarana
Day 7
Ankarana to Nosy Be
After breakfast, drive from Ankarana to Ankify through cacao plantations and rural landscapes that show off the agricultural richness of the north. At Ankify you board a boat for the scenic crossing to Nosy Be and transfer to your hotel. The afternoon is free to relax, swim or enjoy the beach at your own pace.
Overnight: Nosy Be
Day 8
Lokobe National Park
Visit Lokobe National Park, one of the last areas of primary forest left on the island. You reach it by traditional canoe, gliding along calm waterways fringed with mangroves before arriving at the forest entrance.
With a local guide, walk through dense tropical forest in search of black lemurs, colourful chameleons and a range of endemic plants, while your guide explains the ecosystem and why its conservation matters. Lunch is served near the park and you return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Overnight: Nosy Be
Day 9
Nosy Sakatia and Mont Passot
A full-day excursion from Nosy Be to the island of Nosy Sakatia. Known for clear water and a relaxed atmosphere, Sakatia offers excellent snorkelling, and with a bit of luck you may find yourself swimming alongside sea turtles in the warm Indian Ocean.
Lunch is served on the beach. In the late afternoon you return to Nosy Be and continue up to Mont Passot, Nosy Be's favourite viewpoint, for panoramic views over the coastline that are at their best at sunset.
Overnight: Nosy Be
Day 10
Nosy Iranja: beach and sandbar
A day trip to Nosy Iranja for white sand, clear water and time on the beach, returning to your Nosy Be hotel. The sandbar linking the islets is exposed at low tide: confirm timing, the boat, meal arrangements and sea conditions before departure.
If humpback whales are a priority, ask us to check a suitable seasonal excursion, its departure point, provider, price and inclusions in writing. Do not assume the Iranja visit confirms a whale-watching departure. Sightings and suitable sea conditions cannot be guaranteed.
Overnight: Nosy Be
Day 11
Nosy Be to Antananarivo
Transfer to the airport for the flight from Nosy Be back to Antananarivo, then on to your hotel. Time permitting, visit some of the city's historical sites for a glimpse of Madagascar's culture and heritage before you go.
Overnight: Antananarivo
Day 12
Flight back home
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, concluding your Madagascar journey.
Included
- Private comfortable vehicle
- Accommodation as mentioned (bed & breakfast)
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Local guides and park entrance fees
- Airport and boat transfers
- Food and excursions on the three Nosy Be excursion days
Not included
- International flights
- Domestic flights (Antananarivo to Diego Suarez, Nosy Be to Antananarivo)
- Other meals outside Nosy Be
- Optional watersports at the Three Bays
- Tips, drinks and personal expenses
Questions
Questions about the Northern Madagascar Adventure
Does the Nosy Iranja day confirm a whale excursion?
No: an Iranja beach and sandbar day is not confirmation of a whale-watching departure. Humpback whales occur in the wider Nosy Be region, but a specific seasonal excursion requires its departure point, provider, availability and price/inclusions to be confirmed in writing. Tell us if whales are your main reason for travelling before you choose dates or pay. Wildlife sightings and sea conditions cannot be guaranteed. Our Nosy Iranja guide explains the island visit.
Are flights included in the Northern Madagascar Adventure?
No. International flights and the domestic flights from Antananarivo to Diego Suarez and from Nosy Be back to Antananarivo are not included, but we can book the domestic flights for you. Airport and boat transfers are included, with your private vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide, bed and breakfast accommodation, park entrance fees and local guides, and food and excursions on the three Nosy Be excursion days.
How much does the Northern Madagascar Adventure cost?
Indicative price per adult: On request. Send exact dates, group size and child ages, total calendar days, hotel preferences, budget with or without flights, and comfortable walking duration. We respond with a written itinerary and group price, usually within 24 hours. Both domestic flights, international flights and any separately confirmed whale excursion need explicit price boundaries. There is no payment to enquire.
How active is the Northern Madagascar Adventure?
Moderately. The longest walks are a full day in Montagne d'Ambre National Park, to waterfalls and crater lakes, and a full day in Ankarana, where trails can include narrow passages through the limestone, small suspension bridges and viewpoints. The Tsingy Rouge is a gentle walk. The Nosy Be days are spent mostly on the water and the beach, and watersports at the Three Bays are optional and not included.
Where do you stay on the Northern Madagascar Adventure?
A night in Antananarivo at each end, three nights in Diego Suarez, two at Ankarana and four on Nosy Be, all on a bed and breakfast basis. From Nosy Be you head out by boat on the excursion days and return to your hotel each evening.
Should I choose the 12-day or the 11-day northern trip?
Choose this twelve-day route for arrival and departure days in Antananarivo, one Three Bays day, Sakatia snorkelling, Mont Passot and one Iranja day trip. It has two capital nights, three in Diego, two at Ankarana and four on Nosy Be. The eleven-day route is priced from Diego Suarez and ends on Nosy Be, with four Diego nights and two days each at the Three Bays and Iranja. Both include ten or eleven hotel nights as listed, not the same programme compressed. All access/departure flights are extra. Compare the written calendar and meals/boats, and confirm any whale excursion separately.
Before you go
Guides for this trip
The best time to visit Madagascar, month by month
Month by month and region by region: dry roads, cyclones, the Tsingy's short season, whales, lemur babies, birds and chameleons.
How much does a trip to Madagascar cost?
What a private Madagascar trip costs, what our prices include, and what goes on top: flights, the visa, meals and tips, plus park fees if you travel on your own.
Diego Suarez: the Three Bays, Amber Mountain and Ankarana
Diego Suarez and the far north: the Three Bays, the Emerald Sea, Montagne d'Ambre, the Tsingy Rouge and Ankarana, the dry windy months, and how many nights to give it.
Nosy Komba: the lemur island off Nosy Be
The black lemurs that come close and why not to feed them, the boat from Hell-Ville, crafts, snorkelling at Nosy Tanikely, half a day or a night, and Nosy Komba against Lokobe.
Nosy Iranja: the sandbar island and how to visit
Two islets joined by a sandbar at low tide: the boat from Nosy Be, timing the tide, turtles, the lighthouse walk, and whether to stay the night.
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