NOSY VE
Land in Toliara, a stunning coastal town in Southern Madagascar. Blessed with pristine beaches, clear tidal pools, and shallow reefs it is the perfect place to begin your Madagascan adventure. You and your children will be met by your expert local guide who will be with you as you set off to explore the city and its surroundings in buggies or quads. Immerse yourself in the adventurous spirit that seems to ooze from the landscapes of southern Madagascar.
As you traverse the landscape, stop in with some Vezo fishermen for a traditional seafood lunch. Head from here to meet your vessel and cruise towards the islet of Nosy Ve. Spend your first night settling in or set out on an epic night diving adventure in a submarine. Witnessing the underwater world as the sun sets is a truly extraordinary experience and you will see a number of nocturnal marine species arising for their nighttime activities including the critically endangered Coelacanths.
ISALO NATIONAL PARK
Arise early and you will be picked up in a helicopter for a dive in the hidden caves surrounding Madagascar. Experienced guides will take you deep into the caves where you will get the chance to discover extremely rare fossils from animals that have long been extinct. After this exciting experience, you and your family will once again be picked up by a helicopter and flown to Isalo National Park.
The Isalo Massif has been eroded by wind and water for centuries and it has resulted in deep canyons, sandstone domes, and flat-topped mountains. Enjoy a wild and authentic Malagasy lunch in the heart of the Massif. Surrounded by stretching views of the park in every direction this is a lunch you are unlikely to forget. In the afternoon embark on a hike through the park stopping at some of the park’s many natural pools for a refreshing swim. Your hike will take you across the Jurassic landscape where you will traverse forests populated by lemurs and follow trickling streams that turn into crashing waterfalls. Helicopter back to your yacht which will have cruised from Nosy Ve to the Bay of Assassins.
Alternatively, make your way to Lake Tsimanampetsotsa. At this stunning lake witness vast numbers of flamingos and spoonbills that nest there. After lunch and bird watching on the shores of the lake make your way to the Bay of Assassins where you can climb aboard Vezo canoes alongside fishermen as they set out in a sunset procession.
MIKEA FOREST
After breakfast on board, helicopter inland to the thorny forest. Here you will have the chance to meet with the last nomadic ethnic group of Madagascar. The Mikea people are also known as guardians of the forest and they are shrouded in an air of mystery. These hunter gatherers live their lives at the whims of the forest as they forage and practice limited farming techniques. Getting to know these people and the harsh realities of their life is an extraordinary way to give your children a new perspective of the world and the societies within it.
Return to the shore where you can enjoy a wild lunch on a remote and deserted beach. Afterwards meet a real pirate. A former member of the Hubert Commandos a unit of the French Navy that included combat swimmers and divers. He now roams Madagascar in search of wrecks and treasures. Head below the surface with him, either scuba diving or in a submarine to explore one of the region’s secret wrecks. Return to your vessel in the evening for a well-earned dinner on deck.