Great Adventure Trips

Madagascar

1000 Views of Madagascar / Dhow Camping Trip / Madagascar North
Madagascar South / Madagascar East / Island Hopping

Madagascar Dhow Camping Trip : 8 day

An 8-Day Island-hopping Dhow Camping Trip Around Nosy Be. Enjoy the island-hopping lifestyle in an 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.

With years of experience in offering excellent value travel to Madagascar, we have really enjoyed taking our clients on our Madagascar Dhow camping safaris. Over the course of 7 nights / 8 days, we take our Dhow groups from the main island of Nosy Be, to some of the most beautiful islands around the Archipelago: Nosy Tanikely (a marine reserve - famed for it's snorkelling and abundant turtles), Nosy Komba (where you will find habituated black lemurs wanting to come say hello), Mahalina (where you can kayak up the mangrove swamps & visit a school we sponsor)... Each destination is as interesting & fun as the next...

Some of the comments from returning clients have mentioned the incredible family time and bonding experience on the tour, the wonderful snorkelling experienced all over the archipelago, the fun camp setups, the wonder of sleeping on deserted beaches under the stars, first time fishing catches, and not to mention the unforgettable food cooked by our chef Saffie. The banana crepes are always a winner!

So we can continue to delight our clients, we are THRILLED to advise we have upgraded the tour to bring you a little more comfort, whilst keeping to our philosophy of offering you a great value experience. On the islands of Mahalina and Russian Bay, we now have 5 A-Frame bungalows, with thick, comfortable mattresses, ablutions with bucket showers and a flush toilet and we are currently working on a tented camp on the island of Lokobie - again with ablutions!

Upgrading our facilities means you can spend longer snorkelling & exploring during the day and you can then flop into a bungalow straight away on arrival to your island, without having to wait for our staff to set up camp. As you can see, our Dhow trips are going from strength to strength, with continued great feedback and camping upgrades, we look forward to welcoming you on board in 2009!

Highlights Nosy Be, Whale Sharks (In Season), Nosy Iranja, Russian Bay, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Komba

Day 1 Arrive Nosy Be. You will be met by the Skipper, tour guide and captain of the dhow, and transferred to the Bed & Breakfast in the tiny fishing village of Ambatoloaka, set on a long beach with spectacular views, overlooking the sea. Restaurants and nightlife for you to explore at your own leisure and own expense.

Day 2 Ankazoberevina and Russian Bay. An early start prepares us for the crossing to Russian Bay (also known as Ambavatory Bay). We leave the port of Hell-Ville stopping off for lunch on the island of Ankazoberevina. Snorkeling over the soft corals with their vivid colours, proves to be an awe-inspiring experience around this little island. With a bit of luck, we may be able to spot the ring-tailed Lemurs while stepping on to Terre Firma. Moving on to Russian Bay, a fine shelter for boats in the cyclone season, we overnight in our bungalows. [BLD]

Day 3-4 Nosy Iranja. Sail 14 miles to Nosy Iranja (Island of Turtles) which lies south west of Nosy Be consisting of two islands, the larger and inhabited Nosy Iranja Be and the smaller Nosy Iranja Kely. The islands are connected by a 1.5 km long sand bar, negotiable on foot at low tide. We set up camp and enjoy the last of dusk from pristine white sands for the next two evenings after 2 enjoyable days of sailing, snorkeling and fishing. [BLD, BLD]

Day 5 Russian Bay/ Nosy Tanikely. We head for Tanikely (The Small Island). Depending upon the prevailing winds and tide, our aim is to camp on this tiny island, alternatively anchoring off Russian Bay, should conditions not allow. Nature's call. [BLD]

Day 6 Nosy Tanikely, Lokobe. We set sail to Nosy Tanikely (located only a few miles south of Nosy Be), a marine reserve teeming with underwater flora and fauna, allowing us the chance for some superb snorkeling in warm waters with great visibility. After lunch, we leisurely make our way to a deserted beach encompassed by the Lokobe reserve where we set camp for the next 2 nights. [BLD]

Day 7 Lokobe, Nosy Komba. After an easy morning and a hearty breakfast, we set sail for a day excursion to Nosy Komba. Boots on, laces up, it's time to explore some of the numerous tracks connecting the villages in the interior of the island in the pursuit of the semi-tame black Lemurs. The afternoon is spent snorkeling around the islets off Nosy Komba such as Nosy Verona where you may encounter turtles, pipefish, angelfish, grouper or parrotfish amongst others. We return to our camp on Lokobe. [BLD]

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 home or we suggest spending a few days leisure on the island. Hire a motorbike or bicycle and explore the intoxicating island of Nosy Be with its exotic spices, sunny cafes and quaint boutiques, before heading back home a few days later. [B]

Meal Key B: Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner

Group Size: Minimum 6, Maximum 10

2009 Price: US$ 805. Single supplement = US$18per person

Included in the price
Use of 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).

Not included in the price
International and domestic flights, airport taxes, all optional excursions mentioned in the program, all personal expenses, travel and medical insurance, tips, drinks, visas, diving, snorkeling 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).

Departure Dates Departs every Saturday from May to December.
Departing on a Saturday, ending the following Saturday.

Spending money:
Clients are advised to bring enough money to cover their beverages (an honesty bar is provided on the boat), the purchase of curios and additional entertainment. BLD is provided whilst on the dhow, however clients may wish to purchase their own snacks prior to departure. Ariary (AR) is now the local money being used in Madagascar, in the place of "Franc Malgache" (FMG). Many local people may still trade in Franc Malagasy (FMG) when selling or buying, however, all payment can be done in Ariary (1 AR = 5 FMG). To check the updated rates, please have a look at the official website of the Central Bank of Madagascar: http://www.banque-centrale.mg/sommaire_cours_s.htm Upon arrival, it is recommended to change money at airport banks. They are always open at each international flight arrival and their rates are similar to the rates of the banks in town. Credit cards (almost only VISA CARD) are only accepted in big hotels, restaurants and some shops mainly in Antananarivo. In the other big cities, you can draw cash from Automatic Teller Machines (ATM), accepting only VISA CARDS. An ATM is also available at the airport in Antananarivo. Don't rely on ATM machines, they are often out of order, keep some cash in Euro for emergency. Advice would be better to carry Euro rather than US$. Traveller's cheques (TC) such as Thomas Cook, American Express etc. are not recommended, as there have been false Traveller's cheques in circulation and many banks refuse to take them. Should you insist on bringing Traveller's cheques, ensure TC's are in denominations of Euro 50 or US $ 50 face value. The invoice or receipt of point of purchase may be requested. In some provinces, it may take you up to a few hours to change Travellers Cheques and the rate is generally worse than changing cash. Some banks charge you commission.
First Aid:
Our guides are trained in basic first aid and the dhow is equipped with a comprehensive medical first aid kit for emergencies. Please bring your own medical supplies for minor ailments (small cuts, bites etc). Preventative Malaria medication should be taken before and during the trip - we advise you consult a doctor prior to departure.
Luggage:
Maximum baggage allowance on the plane will be 20 kg. Please bring a backpack or soft barrel bag, preferably not a suitcase. Please adhere to the allowance specified as space for luggage is limited. We recommend you placing important items such as medical supplies, and also a change of clothes in your hand luggage. This is in case luggage gets delayed into Madagascar.
Insurance:
It is compulsory for all travelers to have insurance covering their personal requirements, medical expenses and personal possessions. This is to be arranged before leaving your home country. Jenman Safaris has comprehensive public liability insurance.
Visas:
NO ENTRY VISA IS REQUIRED for a stay of maximum 30 days, until 31st December 2009.

Madagascar
Its teeming fertile forests and geographical isolation, have served to preserve and propagate 'nature's design laboratory' in a mix found nowhere else on earth. Madagascar's forests are a shimmering, seething mass of a trillion stems and dripping leaves.

Nosy Be
15 km away from the northwestern coast of Madagascar lies the 321 km² large island Nosy Be. Here you can still discover a little paradise, which has been spared of mass-tourism. Climb on Mount Lokone (450m) or Mount Passot (350m) and you will be able to see Nosy Be in all its beauty: its jagged coasts, the numerous bays and lovely coves, the deserted beaches and the crystal clear water.
Furthermore you should experience the amazing underwater world of Nosy Be which offers excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities or do a day trip to the nearby islands, for example Nosy Komba where you can watch the 5,000 black lemurs that roam this island and eat delicious fruits from wild growing lemon, orange, bananas, papayas and mango trees.

Nosy Iranja
Beautiful Nosy Iranja (Island of Turtles) lies south west of Nosy Be, just beyond the entrance to Russian Bay (also known as Baie d' Ambavatoby). Nosy Iranja is actually made up of two islands, the larger and inhabited Nosy Iranja Be (covering about 200 hectares), and the smaller Nosy Iranja Kely (13 hectares). The islands are connected by a 2.5km long sand bank. This bank can be crossed at low tide to visit either of the islands.

Nosy Tanikely
Nosy Tanikely (Little Land Island) is 10km west of Nosy Komba, an island south-east of Nosy Be. It is a protected marine reserve and therefore one of the better sites for diving and snorkeling. Expect stunning hard and soft corals, lobsters, eels, reef fish and occasional turtles. Other attractions include beaches, tide pools and a variety of tropical bird species.