Madagascar off the beaten track holiday

Planet

The environment and sustainability is high on our list of concerns. We take pride in the achievement of a healthy balance between environment, local people and YOU, the tourist.

We do not encourage or promote any unethical business or wildlife activities. As an example, Madagascar is a country where people may want to visit places where people can touch lemurs – we never include this in any of the tours we offer as we learned that these lemurs are not always treated well and that they will never be released into the wild. Moreover, their babies will also remain captive for their whole lives. We tell our clients that they should not touch animals as it is not ethical practice.

Our wildlife safaris or tours are run by experienced local guids who rely on the National Parks for their livelihoods, and operate in the respect of local and international wildlife standards. Visits to nature reserves and national parks are popular among holidaymakers to Madagascar. We give instructions to both our clients and guides on how to minimise impact on environment disturbance to the wildlife. During this tour you will visit Mantadia National Park and Ranomafana National Park. The income from entrance tickets helps to conserve the environment in these parks.

We ask people to travel light and not to take plastic material with them if possible. We also encourage them to eat at least once a day outside their hotel in order to support local businesses.

We ensure that the hotels that we choosing for our holidays are doing something good for the environment, from recycling through growing their own fruits and vegetables to using solar power.

To ensure environmental awareness of our clients we provide them with detailed environmental information about places they visit, and how they can help.

People

Responsible tourism satisfies the social needs through contact with local people, and takes us further up the ladder to self-actualisation and realisation through creative activities, knowledge and exploration.
Our mission is to bring tourists closer to local people, their traditions, customs and beliefs. We provide many opportunities for our clients to experience what is the ‘real’ Madagascar and the country can benefit from your tour.

We encourage and include many local projects in our itineraries. For example, in Madagascar we offer the chance to be part of a locally run project to stay in the village with locals and help them with their everyday activities.

As James Beard once said “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” Therefore, we encourage our clients to try to learn how to cook local dishes by interacting with local people. While touring, we suggest to them that they can visit local art museums, see local performances and respect local people and they beliefs.

Here are examples, where you will contribute during this tour:

Mitsinjo Reserve (Madagascar) belongs to the Andasibe - Analamazaotra National Park. It is a community-run conservation organisation work with the local communities to protect the nature and wildlife in sustainable way. Association Mitsinjo was formed in 1999 by residents of the village Andasibe in east-central Madagascar. Interested to work as guides for the growing number of tourists visiting the region, their project eventually grew into much more. In 2003 it gained management of Analamazaotra Forest Station and in 2005 the Torotorofotsy Ramsar Site, which are now their main focal areas for conservation, research and sustainable development initiatives. Today the organisation is composed of more than 50 members from the local community.
You will travel by boat for few days on Pangalanes Channel. On your way you will discover Mahanoro and its peaceful surroundings. You will visit lively markets and watch the daily lives in this remote corner of Madagascar. Along the way you will be able see “lalam-Pasika” lined with raw fish “bichika” or “pitchfork Olitra” (mini dried shrimp sun that you put in sauces). You can buy fresh seafood to be cooked for your dinner at the hotel for the dinner. Buying from locals villages and amazing impact on local economy of this less developed part of the world.

Visiting village of Zafimaniry UNESCO World Heritage of Humanity list : The Zafimaniry community is the sole remaining repository of a unique woodcraft culture previously widespread on the island. In the eighteenth century. Zafimaniry foresters, carpenters and craft workers have developed a body of practical knowledge and skills revolving around wood. This craft tradition bears witness to the central role of this material in all aspects of life and death. Zafimaniry proficiency in forestry and wood sculpting can be seen in constructions and everyday objects. Practically all wooden surfaces – walls, window frames, posts, beams, stools, chests, tools – display elaborate ornamentation. For several decades, the Zafimaniry have sold statuettes, decorative pieces and everyday objects in nearby towns to ensure their survival. However, this fragile community risks becoming relegated to the role of mere suppliers of handicrafts to the tourist industry. Moreover, the process of deforestation threatens the Zafimaniry’s principal source of income. We recommend that you purchase some craft from them to ensure their survival.