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Suggested tailor-made tour · Madagascar
North Madagascar overland adventure + Luxury Resort
5★ on Google — 190+ reviews
Tailored to your dates, level & budget
ATOL & TTA — 100% protected
Tour highlights
Dive, and the Madagascar you'd hate to miss
This tour combines the best of the northern Madagascar nature parks with the best dive resort on the East Side, close to Nosy Be. If you want to get the most out of your North Madagascar experience, this will tick all the boxes.
Google ★★★★★ 5/5
Around £4500 per person
Price includes
Private 4x4 transfers with driver and guide
All tours with a private guide
All-inclusive accommodation on the luxury dive resort
Based on
Minimum of 2 people travelling (or single supplement will apply. Excluding flights (please call for flight inclusive tour)
This is a suggested itinerary — your Madagascar specialist will tailor every stop to your dates, level and budget.
Or call +44 1273 921 001 — Mon–Fri
9am–6pm
Your route
3 stops through Madagascar
Follow the numbers — each pin is a stop on this tour, in order. Click a pin for the details, or jump straight to that part of the itinerary.
Day by day
The itinerary
1
Days 1–3
Amber Mountains National Park
Meet and assist at Diego Suarez airport (in the Northwest) and then travel by 4x4 to Joffreville (around 90 minutes), the gateway to exploring the Amber Mountains. After checking into your hotel, your private guide will take you to the Amber Mountains National Park for an afternoon guided tour, then overnight at The Litchi Tree Hotel. The following morning, a 2nd tour of Amber Mountains National Park followed by a relaxing afternoon and overnight.
About Amber Mountains National Park +
Amber Mountain National Park, or Montagne d'Ambre, is one of Madagascar’s most enchanting natural reserves, located in the northern part of the island near Diego Suarez. This lush, tropical paradise is a stark contrast to the surrounding dry landscapes, offering visitors a cool and verdant escape filled with diverse flora and fauna.
The park is renowned for its dense rainforests, cascading waterfalls, and crater lakes, all set against a backdrop of volcanic mountains. The lush vegetation is home to an extraordinary variety of plant species, including ferns, orchids, and endemic trees. Wildlife enthusiasts will delight in spotting the park’s unique inhabitants, such as crowned lemurs, Sanford's brown lemurs, and a variety of brightly colored chameleons, including the smallest chameleon species in the world, Brookesia minima.
Amber Mountain National Park offers well-maintained hiking trails suitable for various fitness levels. Along these trails, you can visit stunning natural landmarks like the Sacred Waterfall and the emerald Lac Mahery. Birdwatchers will enjoy the park’s vibrant birdlife, while others might marvel at the strange leaf-tailed geckos camouflaged among the trees.
The park’s cool, misty climate is a refreshing break from the heat of the surrounding areas, making it an ideal spot for exploration. It is easily accessible from Diego Suarez, with guided tours available to help visitors navigate its trails and learn about its unique ecosystems.
Amber Mountain National Park is a magical destination that showcases Madagascar’s unparalleled natural diversity and offers a serene retreat into the heart of the island’s wilderness.
2
Days 3–5
Ankarana National Park
Today, you will travel from Joffreville to Ankarana (around 4 hours of very bumpy roads, with a stop en route at the Red Tsingy). On arrival in Ankarana, your private guide will take you on an afternoon guided tour of the Ankarana Nature Reserve. Overnight at Ankarana Lodge, followed by a morning tour of the Ankarana Nature Reserve.
About Ankarana National Park +
Ankarana is one of the best places in Madagascar to see the famous limestone tsingy (a geological oddity sculpted by erosion). The limestone massif rises up from the forest, and though a few tiny succulent plants cling to the rocks, the tsingy is largely bare and spikey limestone. A few paths wind through the rocks, and hiking is challenging, but rewarding with some spectacular views out over the reserve. Among the forests and rivers of the lower levels of the park lie several caves, stretching for thousands back into the limestone. Colonies of hundreds of bats live within, and twisted limestone formations glint in the torchlight.
The lower levels of the park are deciduous forest, where crowned lemurs, and Sanford's brown lemurs can be seen among the trees. Two nocturnal lemurs are also present in Ankarana Special Reserve, including the gray mouse lemur and the northern sporting lemur. Even during the day, sleepy-eyed sporting lemurs can be found snoozing in the fork of a tree, although they are most often heard at night-time.
Ankarana is spared the heavy rains that fall on the east coast of Madagascar from December through until April, but this remains the wettest time of year, and the lower reaches of the park are off-limits. In particular, it is not possible to visit the caves during this period, as sudden rainfall and rising waters make this rather dangerous. On the plus side, the plants thrive in the rain, and orchids bloom in the early months of the year. From April onward, the weather becomes drier. June and July are the coolest months of the year and are good times for some of the most challenging hiking activities. The warmer months of October, November, and December are excellent for wildlife: snakes come out to bask in the sunshine, migratory birds arrive from the north, and lemurs are at their most energetic and easily spotted.
3
Days 5–12
North Madagascar
After a relaxing breakfast this morning, we will drive to the small port of Ankify (around 3 hours). From here, you will catch a boat across to Nosy Komba. On arrival at the stunning Constance Tsarabanjina small luxury resort, you can rest your walking boots and put on your flip-flops, ready for some well-earned beach relaxation plus epic diving and Whaleshark watching.
About North Madagascar +
Why Northern Madagascar is one of the Indian Ocean’s most compelling luxury dive destinations? Northern Madagascar offers something increasingly rare: world-class diving in a setting that still feels genuinely remote and exclusive. Around the Nosy Be archipelago, Nosy Mitsio, Nosy Sakatia and the surrounding private-island resorts, you find pristine coral gardens, consistently warm clear water, and two of the ocean’s most memorable megafauna seasons — all without the density of boats or the polished, high-volume feel of more established destinations.
Where the Maldives delivers refined underwater architecture and a polished resort experience, Northern Madagascar adds a sense of discovery. The reefs remain lightly dived. The horizons stay empty. The encounters feel unscripted. It is the Indian Ocean at its most authentic — elegant, unhurried, and still capable of genuine wonder.
Best time to dive Northern Madagascar - The strongest conditions run from May through November.
- May–June – Waters clear dramatically after the wet season. Visibility is excellent, seas are calm, and the reefs feel almost private.
- July–September – Peak dry season. Outstanding clarity, settled conditions, and the arrival of humpback whales. Ideal for combining refined reef diving with surface whale watching.
- October–November – Warm water, strong visibility, and the height of the whale-shark season. A particularly special window for those seeking both classic diving and extraordinary surface encounters.
- Early December – Still rewarding, especially for whale sharks, before the monsoon builds.
- January–March – Wetter and less predictable. Best avoided for a pure dive-focused luxury itinerary.
Water temperatures remain comfortable year-round (typically 24–30 °C).
Healthy hard and soft coral gardens, turtles, rays, morays, octopus and a rich variety of tropical fish. Many of the finest sites sit within easy reach of the region’s best private-island and boutique resorts, allowing for unhurried, high-quality daily diving.
Humpback whales – July to October (peak August–September) - Humpbacks travel thousands of kilometres from Antarctic feeding grounds to breed and calve in these warm, protected waters. Boat-based watching around Nosy Be and the nearby islands delivers classic surface behaviour — breaches, tail slaps and mothers with calves — in a setting that still feels exclusive.
Whale sharks – September to December (best October–November) - One of the most reliable places in the world to snorkel with whale sharks. These gentle giants gather to feed on seasonal plankton, particularly around Nosy Be, Nosy Mitsio and the Four Brothers. Encounters are surface-based, carefully managed, and frequently described by guests as the highlight of their trip.
Mantas and other rays - Especially present from October to December, often overlapping with the whale-shark season. Eagle rays and smaller ray species appear throughout the year on reef and channel dives.
A refined alternative to the Maldives - The Maldives remains the benchmark for polished Indian Ocean diving and luxury island resorts. Northern Madagascar offers a compelling counterpoint for travellers who value:
- Fewer boats and a greater sense of space
- Genuine remoteness alongside five-star comfort
- Two distinct megafauna seasons in a single region
- The opportunity to combine exceptional diving with private-island tranquillity and soft-adventure experiences on land
It is not a replacement for the Maldives — it is a sophisticated alternative for those seeking something quieter, wilder, and still thoroughly luxurious.
Whether your priority is daily reef diving from a private island, a carefully timed whale-shark focus, or a seamless combination of both, Northern Madagascar rewards those who plan with the seasons. The result is a dive holiday that feels both exclusive and deeply memorable.
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