Madagascan Discoverer

Most Inspirational Moment

For me, I think watching the playful baby ring-tailed lemurs in Anja National Park, as well as the red-fronted brown lemurs in Kirindy Reserve were definite highlights, although sunset in the Avenue of the Baobabs and the epic scenery of the Tsingy both come a very close second.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Elodie was an absolute star, always making sure we were well looked after and going out of her way to get us the most out of our trip, whether it be an additional night walk squeezed in or a side trip to a local hot spring. She was so knowledgeable about the wildlife and was a brilliant spotter when we were out on the nature walks. She was very open and honest about the challenges that the Madagascan people face and just chatting to her was a real education. On top of that, she was always smiling and bubbly, even when she herself was not feeling 100%, helping us all to get through the occasional challenges that inevitably presented themselves on a trip like this (broken down vehicle, stomach issues, delayed ferry) and making this a truly memorable trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not underestimate the travel days. Read the trip notes in detail and pay attention to the fact that days 5,7,8,9 and 11 all include long drives on very poor roads. Madagascar is a poor country and if you go expecting western levels of comfort and road conditions, you are going to be sorely disappointed. If, however, you go with your eyes and mind open, you will get to experience a truly fantastic country full of genuinely happy and helpful people, with incredible scenery and wildlife experiences. Take plenty of Imodium or similar - I think everyone on the trip had an upset stomach at one point or another. Only around 20% of the population have electricity in their homes, so you need to accept that there are rolling blackouts and just get used to charging cameras / phones during periods of power. At the end of the day, Madagascar is a wonderful country to visit and I feel incredibly privileged that we were able to explore and experience so much in just 16 days. I would have happily stayed longer.

Most Inspirational Moment

Tsingy The harnesses were in good condition and were fitted on to people by the guide. The stepping rocks that you use to climb are securely bolted as were the ladders. The metal ropes that you clip onto looked new and again were securely fitted to the walls. The bridges did have a few larger spaces between the slats but were acceptable to walk across. The caves are not that large and you did need to bend or crawl through them. This is a strenuous walk but worth the effort.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sol was our guide. He was very knowledgeable about the country and the wildlife. He provided commentary whilst we were traveling, stopping the bus to show us various village activities. He joined us on our excursions providing us with information on the animals and was always happy to answer any questions.

Advice for Potential Travellers

To go or not to go This is a very interesting and tyring trip with basic amenities. The plumbing is very different to home, service station stops and ‘wild wees’ are the norm. It’s not a holiday but an adventure. However, it’s a beautiful country that needs to be seen before it changes. The wildlife makes it well worth the trip. Tips Take a torch Take Imodium Take walking type boots Take long trouser for forest type walks Take mozzie spray Take snacks Take tissues for toilet breaks. Take antibacterial hand gel

Most Inspirational Moment

- Tsingy National Park: this was an amazing hike. It was very hot during the day (38C) but with plenty of breaks and water it was very memorable - Wildlife: So abundant and incredible to see, from all the lemurs (ring-tails, sifaka, indri, red-fronted brown, fork masked, mouse, bamboo) geckos, chameleons (lots of chameleons!), fossa, plenty of birds and owls - Isalo and ranomafana National Parks - Alley of the Baobabs

Thoughts on Group Leader

Claudia was amazing and very accommodating of our group. She was always laughing and had a smile on her face, despite all of our questions and different requests. She had plenty different tricks and tips to keep us all happy, including early starts to get ahead of other tours, where best to stop and pick up different souvenirs, and plenty of stories and advice about our travels.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go with an open mind and take some time to slow down (Mura-Mura!) Madagascar goes on its own time, we never had to wait too long for anything but there was always something to watch or soak in the culture. I would definitely have packed more long sleeves and loose flowing clothing. While it was warm it was also very sunny and the longer clothing was better for the rainforest hikes, night walks and when there was no shade. Make sure to bring your regular travel medications (imodium, motilium, antihisamines, bite cream, electrolytes etc). I used a bit of everything at one point and you're better to have it than need it. Everyone's tummy was a little upset at some stage or another but nothing to cause too much concern. The food isn't too exciting but still tasty - most dishes come with boiled rice and vegetables. Make sure to bring a wide-brimmed hat, head torch and travel pillow. I used these 24/7 and were very appreciated. I also had a small fan to help keep me cool. I had a 70-200mm camera lens. The wildlife gets lovely and close so anything bigger isn't really needed. I stocked up on plenty of batteries and memory cards as power isn't always a given. We had short outages most nights (keep your headtorch handy!) I had a small power bank to keep my phone charged for videos during the days. Some of the hikes are a little tough with some high steps or climbing, so any preparation before with your fitness will help make it more enjoyable. There are plenty of stops for wildlife and water breaks so you never feel too pressured.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the lemurs up close and doing the Tsingy walk.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Claudia was great, quite inspirational and with a great personality. She too had some medical issues during the trip but she kept going and behaved very professionally. She also had a personal tragedy to deal with, but we never suffered because of the things that were going on in her personal life. She was wonderful, we loved her.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be very aware of the long journeys on such poor roads. For me this was a daily torture.. I hated the long bus journeys..! I think that the level of activity rating for this trip it not correct. The Tsingy walk was not for the faint hearted. I was well able for it, but it was tough for others. If I were to go again, I would take old clothes with me and donate them to the locals at the end of the trip. My clothes got really dirty on this trip! I would also take some goodies for the many children that we encountered along the way (Pens, pencils, note pads, yoyo's for hair, anything that would be light to carry!). I can't recommend this trip to any of my friends, because any of my friends wouldn't be able to cope with the long days and the long journeys. I appreciate that it is a big country and if you want to see it you have to travel. It was quite exhausting. One day we left our hotel at 05:30...!

Reply from Exodus

We’d like to thank you for your review, Mary, and we are heartened to receive your comments about your tour leader, Claudia, which have been passed on. On the other hand, we were sorry to hear that you were disappointed with several other aspects of your holiday, particularly the accommodation. Hotel standards in Madagascar are known to significantly contrast those in Europe and this, alongside our literature description of simple yet comfortable lodgings, usually sets our customers’ expectations accordingly. In order to keep the trip attractive, whilst still affordable, we use the best quality mid-range properties in the country, and, though they may not be everyone’s preference, we have not previously received feedback to suggest they are not meeting the mark. In fact, one of our staff members recently undertook this trip and relayed that even the most basic hotels featured clean rooms, reliable electricity and constant water, which is not always a given in this part of the world. We understand that the lack of toiletries is part of an effort to reduce plastic waste, which honours our commitment to travelling responsibly, but we are sorry if the soap you were provided was insufficient. Whilst paying a single supplement does not guarantee a superior room, rather one for sole occupancy, we were regretful to learn that yours were somewhat cramped. Our local manager has advised us that room types do not vary at any of the properties we use, other than between doubles and twins, and we’ve not received this type of feedback in the past, which we find reassuring. Nevertheless, we wouldn’t wish to downplay your disappointment and we’ll closely monitor the reviews we receive going forward to ensure that we are continuing to please our solo customers, who we greatly value. One of the selling points of this trip is that it covers many of Madagascar’s highlights such as the Alley of the Baobabs and Tsingy De Bemaraha National Park, although this does translate to some lengthy drives on underdeveloped roads, which we realise is not ideal. Tour leaders are encouraged to incorporate as many rest stops as possible, to break up the journeys, but it is not always safe to stop by the roadside, which means that long stretches are inevitable. Should your comments become more commonplace, we will certainly consider redesigning the itinerary to incorporate rest days, which we hope shows that we are willing to make changes to our tours to enhance our customers’ experiences. We sincerely hope that you retain some fond memories of Madagascar overall and that you continue choosing Exodus for your travel plans.

John Penge, Product Manager

Most Inspirational Moment

We had great wildlife spotting - lots of opportunities to see lemurs in the wild and hearing the call of the Indri in the morning in Andasibe is just magical. So many highlights! The night walk in Kirindy was my favourite of the night safaris, and getting to the top of the Tsingy, was an unexpected yet terrifying highlight! The most unique though has to be the ‘ferry’ crossings on the Tsiribihina River – only in Madagascar!

Thoughts on Group Leader

The whole trip ran smoothly thanks to Claudia, our fabulous guide, who spent most of the trip checking ahead to make sure that everything was organised for us. She always kept us informed of all aspects of our itinerary and managed everything so that we didn’t waste time, particularly when ordering meals, wearing the right clothes for each activity, finding us good shopping spots (and bush toilet stops). She is also very knowledgeable about the country’s history, wildlife, food and we all enjoyed her talks on the Malagasy culture - which is also quite unique! Also all the local guides were fantastic and very engaging, they gave great detail and interesting explanations especially of the endemic wildlife, only to be found here. We had some amazing trackers seeking out lemurs, chameleons, mongoose and the tiniest of geckos and frogs. I was travelling with my sister and we both felt we had a great group too, lots of fun, like-minded people, who really added to enjoyment of the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the trip notes thoroughly as they are full of really useful tips and information! My own top tips – definitely do laundry on two-night stopovers – everything gets very dusty! A travel pillow is doubly useful for both bus and flights! Make sure you take a head-torch for the night and cave walks. Stock up on snacks for long drives and I also recommend trying the local beers and infused rums! If you want five-star accommodation and amazing cuisine, this is not the trip for you. You’ll get a comfy bed and (generally) hot water, sometimes limited wi-fi and electricity, a limited (but cheap) menu of well-cooked meals of zebu/chicken/fish and rice.

Most Inspirational Moment

Our day at the Tsingy. We saw lemurs and other animals as we walked through the forest, we enjoyed the via ferrata climb and were rewarded by the view from the top of the Tsingy.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Claudia, our guide, was absolutely excellent, one of the best we've ever had. She was super organised, knowledgeable and great fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a spirit of adventure. As per the trip notes, there are some long drives, but the wildlife and other activities more than make up for it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Lima watching

Thoughts on Group Leader

Generally excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take extra care of hygiene

Most Inspirational Moment

See above.

Most Inspirational Moment

Each type of forest -rain, spin and dry offered something different but they don’t prepare you for the spectacular limestone forest at Tsingy. Simply stunning. .

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for delays on the internal flights !

Most Inspirational Moment

I admit to getting tearful at my first sighting of an Indri in the wild - these animals do not survive in captivity. And actually finally getting close enough to a mouse lemur for me to see it with my own eyes - I could have watched them all night ( as they didn’t pay any heed to us). And, of course, actually getting up ( and down) the Tsingy. And the photos of the Alley of the Baobabs at sunset still take my breath away.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rija is simply fantastic. She exudes passion and knowledge for her country and its peoples and nature, always seeking ways for us to understand more or have the answers to our questions. I particularly appreciated how she sought ways for us to interact with the locals so that we could all gain from the experience. She is very thoughtful, seeking to consider everyone’s particular preferences or circumstances and maintaining a sense of humour through out that is positively delightful. However, the test of a good guide is when things don’t go to plan and we had a little bit of an unscheduled extension to our trip. Rija was calm, clear and reassuring and, even when we had no idea when and how we would get home, we were happy to trust her judgment. I trust Exodus to treasure their relationship with Rija, she is an ambassador both for Exodus abs Madagascar.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a good torch and spare batteries. I hadnt realised just how many hotels do not have 24 hour electricity and I used my torch for pottering around inside my bungalows at night much more than for the night walks! The roads in Madagascar rival any I have seen anywhere else in the world for poor condition. But Dama, our main (modest) driver is capable of taking that bus anywhere. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised at the standard of hotel and food throughout the trip. There is an opportunity to do laundry after a week. All hotels we were in had WiFi at reception when they had electricity on and some had sufficient connection to support WhatsApp calls... how times have changed.. I suffer from vertigo and I managed the Tsingy ( with the help of my fellow travelers) - and I am glad I did. This trip ends with an internal flight back to the capital. When the trip notes say that internal flights can be unreliable, take that very seriously and don’t plan anything you really can’t miss for the days immediately after you get home just in case. Exodus did a brilliant job in getting us back as soon as they could, just like we knew they would.