Highlights of Madagascar vacation

Planet

Activity:
Our tours are designed to entertain as well as inform about wildlife issues and promote animal welfare. When we visit National Parks such as Ranomafana , Perinet and Tsimanampetsotsa N.P, we pay park fees which contribute to the upkeep of these parks and the myriad of unique (and sometimes endangered) species which can be found there e.g. ring-tailed lemur, baoab trees, flamingos, sifaka. In Mandraka, we also visit the Peyeiras center, which houses a large and colourful selection of butterflies, chameleons and frogs. Local guides are employed when we enter these reserves. This creates employment and gives clients an altogether more informative, genuine experience.

UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

People

Accommodation and Meals:
We spend the duration of the trip in standard hotels. The vast majority of the staff is from nearby villages and they even offer accommodation for staff staying in villages further away. This industry is a great source of employment for local people, so by staying in these hotels we are providing a steady source of income for local communities. You will also find that some of the hotels have solar panels -meaning a smaller carbon footprint- whereas many work on their own electricity generators but switch them off from around 22:00 to 07:00. In terms of meals, hotels will source local produce as much as possible and clients are encouraged to explore local restaurants and markets if convenient. The cuisine has been strongly influenced by the French and the seafood is particularly fresh.

Local Craft and Culture:
Although this is a largely nature based trip, we incorporate as much benefit to local people as possible. One of the ways to support local people and boost the economy is to buy crafts along the roads in the smaller villages which we pass. There is some very creative Zafimaniry craftsmanship in Madagascar using recycled materials to create toys, decorate items and jewellery. For example, in Ambostria, they use recuperated wood to create souvenirs, ornaments and furniture. The Zafimaniry people are renowned for intricate woodcarvings and this can be observed even in the decoration of village houses. Guides are careful to explain that anything made from animal parts and shells should not be purchased as this trade is detrimental to many of the wonderful species we find here.

Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.