Madagascar (6-Week Sample Itinerary)
The following is a sample itinerary based on past courses; actual itineraries may vary.
| Week 1 | We begin our journey in the capital city of Antananarivo (fondly called "Tana") and spend our first night in a local guesthouse to recover from the long international flight. From Tana, we travel about five hours to Andasibe for orientation. This small town is located outside of Andasibe National Park which is a rainforest that provides a home for multiple lemur species, including the largest (indri), one of the smallest (the mouse lemur), and a variety of chameleons. During orientation, we start Malagasy language lessons, identify goals for the course, and spend a few days getting to know each other. We also have the chance to visit the nearby national park. |
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| Week 2 | Traveling southwest, we wind through the plateau to the small town of Ambatomanga, located about 45 minutes south of the capital of Tana. Here, the group settles into homestays. We learn local cooking, visit rice paddies, buy fruits and vegetables at the local market, practice Malagasy in town, and go on day hikes. We also may spend a few days in the capital, Antananarivo, volunteering at a senior citizens’ home in Tana, working with a project that trains young Malagasy street kids to write and perform their own theatre projects, meeting with local NGOs to hear about their work, and/or exploring the city on foot. |
| Week 3 | Saying goodbye to our homestay families, we embark on the long travel south west to Isalo National Park - one of Madagascar’s renowned wild areas. We break up the long journey from the by taking a day to stay overnight in a town renowned for local crafts. Here we join local artisans making paper pressed with local flowers, renowned metalworkers and woodcrafters shaping toys, utensils, and furniture, and weavers spinning raw silk, sisal, and raffia. Once in Isalo, we spend several days trekking and camping in the sandstone canyons with our packs, sleeping in tents, taking advantage of the opportunity to take a swim in a natural pool and discover many endemic species of plants and animals. |
| Week 4 | Traveling from Isalo, we head back north and spend the night in Antsirabe before heading west towards the coastal town of Morondava. We arrive on the coast after a long, slow drive to this medium-sized, but quiet city on the Mozambique channel. In Morandava, we enter into our second homestay experience. While settling into the slower pace of life of our families, we also spend time exploring the town, markets, and some local NGO’s. Morandava also serves as a jumping-off point for trips to the Avenue of the Baobabs. Towards the end of the week, students are given the task of arranging logistics, activities and accommodations as we travel south again. |
| Week 5 | After saying goodbye to our homestay families we head south towards Ranomafana National Park, where we get an additional taste of Madagascar’s wildlife in the park’s dense rainforest on day and night hikes. During this time, students take on greater responsibilities during the Expedition Phase of the program. |
| Week 6 | Wrapping up our time in Ranomafana National Park, the group now settles into a quiet space in for the Transference Phase. Here we present our independent projects and spend a few days preparing for the transition home, reflecting on our journey on the “red island.” We pack our bags and leave for Tana. We have the opportunity to enjoy a final afternoon and meal in the capital before boarding our flights home. |