SUMMARY
With its fragrant plantations, Réunion is the ultimate Vanilla Island. This island is the birthplace of Edmond Albius, the first person to hand-fertilise a vanilla pod, and is rich in human and natural diversity. A subtle mix of spices and flavours from Asia and Madagascar, Réunion, the “Intense Island,” is your next stop in the Vanilla Islands. But before that, throb to the heartbeat of the young Piton de la Fournaise. Réunion is a walkers’ paradise. With such natural riches, Réunion fits nicely with Madagascar’s Vanilla Coast.
In Madagascar, discover the traditional cuisine before plunging into the heart of the Andasibe forest, home to many species of lemur, including the indri-indri, the largest lemur in the world. Then continue your trip to the Vohimana Community Reserve and enjoy its native biodiversity. Meet aye-ayes (a mysterious kind of lemur) and enjoy the calm shores of Lake Ampitabe and the adjacent village of Akanin’ny Nofy (“dream nest” in Malagasy). Then, go to Sainte-Marie, Madagascar’s idyllic island, where you will find fine-sand beaches, historical heritage and natural riches (whales, signs of pirate activity, etc.).
21
DAYS
18
NIGHTS
From
€3,063
incl. VAT*
per person
(Based on 6 people)
| Getting in touch with nature | 5/5 |
|
| Meeting the locals | 4/5 |
|
| Eco-responsibility | 4/5 |
|
| Comfort | 4/5 |
|
| Accessibility | 2/5 |
A ECOTOURISTIC CIRCUIT CHARACTERIZED BY
Learning about biodiversity and the importance of protecting it
Nights at ecolodges, all of whose profits go to the local population
Hiking and outdoor activities
Interactions with local people and associations
Historical and cultural tours
COMBINED ITINERARY
The tours, meetings and transfers mentioned may vary depending on the availability of the speakers and local constraints.
Day 1 : Paris – La Réunion
Flight to Réunion. Dinner served on board.
Day 2 : Cirque de Salazie
After landing, you will go immediately to Cirque de Salazie. You will get a close look at the vanilla growing in the midst of the countryside. Next, you will have the opportunity to sample the local Creole cuisine at a traditional Hell-Bourg restaurant. A guide will take you to Maison Folio, a historic monument, before dinner at the four-star Diana Déa Lodge.
Day 3 : Piton de la Fournaise and the forest of Bélouve
After breakfast, go on an excursion to the heart of the legendary Piton de la Fournaise. A short stop at the Gite de Bélouve is a must for lunch. Head off with a specialist for a stroll in the primeval forest in the heart of the National Park. Then back to the Lodge for dinner.
Day 4 : The Wild South, the lava flows
You can enjoy a good breakfast before heading to L’Entre-Deux. On the way, you can admire the wild south and especially the lava stream of 2007, before a fixed-price lunch. Then, a guide will take you to the Garden of Scents and Spices before reaching Hotel Le Dimitile, which promises relaxation and comfort.
Day 5 : Cirque de Cilaos
Breakfast at the hotel before heading to Cilaos to meet a lentil planter. Lunch at a guest house on Cirque de Cilaos, before returning to the three-star Hotel Le Dimitile and its welcoming staff.
Day 6 : Entre-Deux
Kakouk, a herbal tea blender and heir to a long family tradition, will surprise you at lunch. See how coffee is produced using permaculture and agroforestry practices. Spend the night at the three-star Relais de l’Hermitage in Saint-Gilles, where you will also have dinner.
Day 7 : Piton Maido and Etang de St Paul
After breakfast, go on an excursion to Piton Maido. Meet at lunchtime for a demonstration of traditional culinary art and to taste the local specialities, Bonbons Lontan. An environment warden will take you to a geranium distillery and the Etang de St Paul Nature Reserve. Return to the hotel for dinner and rest.
Day 8 : L’Hermitage Lagoon
Breakfast served. Enjoy a trip in a transparent kayak with a professional guide on the Hermitage Lagoon. A family-owned restaurant will serve you a good, tasty lunch. Then, enjoy the underwater experience on the Hermitage Trail before returning to the hotel.
Day 9 : Réunion – Madagascar
Leave Réunion for Antananarivo. On arrival, our team will take you to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 10 : Antananarivo
After breakfast, explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site : the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga. You will have lunch at a restaurant at the foot of this icon of the Merina monarchy. In the evening, take part in a cooking class and make your own dinner before heading back to the hotel.
Day 11 : Antananarivo – Andasibe
Leave for Andasibe after your breakfast at Lapasoa. On arrival, you will be able to enjoy lunch prepared by women of the Kanto association. Then go hiking with the association to discover the village’s natural, cultural and historical heritage. Stop off at Moramanga or visit the historic gendarmerie museum before going to the Vakona Forest Lodge hotel, where you will be on full-board.
Day 12 : Andasibe
Visit the Andasibe National Park during the day and admire its native fauna and flora. Classic dinner and night at Vakona Forest Lodge
Day 13 : Andasibe – Vohimana
After breakfast, head to the Vohimana Community Reserve managed by the NGO Homme et l’Environment. When you arrive, you will be amazed by the beautiful orchids. Lunch, dinner and overnight in an ecolodge.
Day 14 : Vohimana – Akanin’ny Nofy
Leave the natural charms of Vohimana to travel to Akanin’ny Nofy and when night falls you will set off to see the aye-aye lemurs in the Palmarium Hotel’s private reserve. This is one of the most mysterious creatures on the island. You will stay on a full board package.
Day 15 : Pangalanes Canal
After a light and early breakfast, take a traditional pirogue trip on the Pangalanes Canal. You will return to the hotel after a long day for a night of relaxation.
Day 16 : Akanin’ny Nofy – Mahambo
Breakfast at the hotel before leaving for Tamatave and Mahambo. Fall under the spell of the hotel La Pirogue on your full board package.
Day 17 : Mahambo – Sainte-Marie
From Mahambo, cross over to Sainte-Marie by sea. You will stay on a full board package at Hotel Princess Bora.
Day 18 to 19 : Sainte-Marie
A busy day awaits you. From Sainte Marie, depending on the season, you may be able to go on a trip to watch the whales who are migrating to the island’s welcoming waters. Also visit the island’s historic sites, like the famous pirate cemeteries. Head to the hotel for dinner.
Day 20 : Sainte Marie – Rèunion – Paris
This is the end of your stay. After breakfast, you will head to the airport. You will stop off on Rèunion before continuing to Paris.
EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
REUNION
• Discovering local biodiversity and the importance of protecting it
• Discovering the local historical heritage : Hell-Bourg and Entre-Deux
• Showcasing Creole culture : craftsmanship and plantations
• Walks in the national park and around Piton de la Fournaise and Etang de Saint-Paul
• Accommodation in three and four-star hotels
• A trek taking in local botanical features in the middle of the Bélouve forest.
MADAGASCAR
• Meeting with the Kanto Association for the Conservation of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of Central-East Madagascar
• Nights in an ecolodge
• Lunch with the villagers of Anjiro
• Cooking workshop in the capital’s historic Hauteville quarter
• Traditional pirogue ride on the Pangalanes Canal
• See whales off Sainte-Marie
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Meals and drinks
Meals and drinks in both countries : As per the schedule (drinks extra)
Tips
Réunion and Madagascar : Tipping is at the customer’s discretion
Flights
• Paris – Réunion
• Réunion – Antananarivo
• Antananarivo – Réunion
• Réunion – Paris
Bank cards
Réunion and Madagascar : All cards (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) are accepted at ATMs in big cities and medium-sized towns.
Don’t forget to pack
Réunion : Suitable footwear, sunscreen and mosquito repellent, wind and rainproof jacket
Madagascar : Walking shoes ; suntan lotion and mosquito repellent ; raincoat, pack cool clothes between June and August.
Insurance
Réunion : Optional insurance can be provided for an additional charge
Madagascar : Don’t forget travel/health insurance which includes repatriation and medical care.
Time difference (from UK)
Réunion:
• Summer : UTC +4 (BST +3)
• Winter : UTC +4 (GMT +4)
Madagascar
• UTC +3 (BST +2) in summer) and (UTC +3 (GMT +3) in winter)
• Summer : one hour later than France
• Winter : UTC +3 (GMT +3)
Trip management
Réunion : A driver-guide will accompany you on the entire tour
Madagascar :
• A driver-guide will accompany you on the entire tour
• Local guides take over during trips
Practical information
Documentation
Réunion : For French or other European Union nationals : identity card or valid passport. For nationals of other countries : valid passport, visa if applicable, and return ticket or confirmation of continuation of travel.
Madagascar : French nationals travelling to Madagascar must have a passport which is valid for at least six months. A visa will be issued at the airport. You will need 2 ID photos. For a stay of less than 30 days, the cost is €35, payable in person and in cash, upon presentation of passport.
Health
Réunion : As Réunion is part of France, European tourists will be aware of the rescue and assistance services available. It has a healthcare infrastructure that meets the same standards as mainland France.
Madagascar : Vaccines against hepatitis A & B, and typhoid are recommended if you have recently (in the past 3 months) stayed in continental Africa.
Transports
Transport for the whole trip in Réunion : In air-conditioned cars with driver
Transport for the whole trip in Madagascar
• Antananarivo – Ambohimanga : two-hour drive
• Antananarivo – Moramanga : three-hour drive
• Moramanga – Anjiro : one-hour drive
• Moramanga – Andasibe : 30-minute drive
• Andasibe – Vohimana : 30-minute drive and 20-minute walk to reach the community reserve
• Vohimana – Akanin’ny Nofy : two to three hours’ drive then one-hour crossing from Manambato to Akanin’ny Nofy
• Akanin’ny Nofy – Tamatave : two to three hours on the Pangalanes Canal
• Tamatave – Mahambo : two hours’ drive
• Mahambo – Sainte-Marie : three-hour sea crossing
Accommodation
Réunion
• Half board at Diana Déa Lodge, a four-star hotel at a height of 650m, overlooking the Indian Ocean and the whole of the east coast of the island.
• Half board at the luxury Dimitile
• Half board at the three-star Relais de l’Hermitage, ideally located on the lagoon, with a nature reserve and one of the island’s most beautiful seaside locations.
Madagascar
• Antananarivo : hotel located in a historic part of the city
• Andasibe and Vohiman a : Ecolodge
• Akanin’ny Nofy, Mahambo and Sainte-Marie : hotels
TARIF
Price per person
€3,063*
(airfare not included)
Tarifs des vols à titre indicatif et soumis à modification
• CDG-RUN (aller-retour) : €550
• RUN-TANA aller simple : €335
• Sainte Marie-RUN : €330
This price includes
• Double rooms in hotels with half-board
• Stated meals
• The guided tours and excursions mentioned
• Airport-hotel-airport transfers
• Tourist taxes
This price does not include
• Insurance (can be provided at extra cost)
• International flights from Paris and inter-island flights
• Drinks and personal spending
• Bank charges
• Any other expenses not mentioned in this schedule
This price includes
• Transfers throughout the Madagascar trip
• Full-board hotel and ecolodge accommodation
• Entrances to national parks and sites to visit
• Anjiro excursions
• Antananarivo cooking workshop
This price does not include
• International plane tickets
• Deposits required for accommodation
• Tourist tax to be paid in situ (approximately €1 per day) per person
• All activities and optional tours
*Single room supplement : €340 for Madagascar.
*Single room supplement : €408 for Réunion
CONTACT
LA RÉUNION
Name : COMPAGNIE DES ILES VANILLE
Tel : +262 (0) 262 38 93 89
Email : contact@compagniedesilesvanille.com
MADAGASCAR
Name : MORA TRAVEL
Tel : +261 20 22 020 12
Email : info@moratravel.com
THE VANILLA ISLANDS
info@vanilla-islands.org
www.vanilla-islands.org
