Madagascar and Seychelles Tour, 10 Days with Emirates

We meet at 20:30 at the International Terminal of Istanbul Airport. Our team completes check-in, baggage and passport formalities with the group. The Emirates flight lifts off for Antananarivo at 23:40. The routing connects through Dubai and continues overnight, so tonight is spent in the air. Flight details: IST 23:40, DXB 04:55 the following day, EK118. Then DXB 09:10, TNR 17:05, EK707.

We land at Antananarivo Ivato International Airport at 17:05 local time. After passport and baggage formalities our guide meets the group. A private vehicle takes us into the city centre, where we check in and settle into our rooms. The rest of the day is free, with time to recover from the long flight. Overnight in central Antananarivo, in a 4-star hotel. Sample hotel: Carlton Hotel or similar.

After breakfast we head out into the country around Antananarivo. The route covers natural and cultural stops that lie 2 to 3 hours from the city. The main stop is Ambohimanga Royal Hill. A UNESCO site and the historic capital of the Merina Kingdom, it brings traditional Madagascan architecture and wide highland views together. Along the way we pause at local markets and craft workshops for short shopping and photo breaks. Lunch is at a local restaurant, a first look at Madagascan cooking. We return to Antananarivo in the late afternoon. You can browse the small boutiques in the centre or rest at the hotel. Overnight in Antananarivo, in a 4-star city-centre hotel.

After breakfast we set off for Antsirabe by private vehicle. The distance is about 170 kilometres. Red clay hills, rice terraces and small villages line the road, the classic face of the Madagascan highlands. Antsirabe is an elegant town left over from the colonial period. We visit stonework and handicraft workshops, and the pousse-pousse cycle rickshaws give the streets their character. The local market areas are the best place to watch daily life up close. Lunch is in town. We check into the hotel in the late afternoon and rest. Overnight in Antsirabe, in a 3-star boutique hotel. Sample hotel: Plumeria Hotel or similar.

After breakfast at the hotel we drive towards Ampefy, a journey of around 4 hours. Volcanic valleys, lakes and village life accompany the route. This is where the scenery of the Madagascan interior really begins. On arrival we come down to the shore of Lake Itasy, then visit Lily Waterfall, one of the finest natural falls in the country. A short walk and photo stops follow. We check into our lakeside hotel. Dinner is served at the hotel. Overnight in Ampefy, at a lakeside lodge. Sample property: La Terrasse Ampefy or similar.

After breakfast we take a short nature walk around the volcanic crater lake. In the nearby villages we watch traditional crafts and farming life, an unhurried look at rural Madagascar. Around midday we begin the return journey. About 3 hours on the road brings us back to Antananarivo. On arrival there is a short panoramic drive through the city centre or a shopping break. Overnight in Antananarivo, in a 4-star city hotel. Sample hotel: Carlton Hotel or similar.

After breakfast we explore the historic and cultural side of Antananarivo. Ambohimanga Royal Hill is on the programme. A UNESCO site and the former capital of the Merina Kingdom, it is among the most sacred historic places in the country. At Analakely Market we walk among spices, crafts, local food and souvenirs. Lac Anosy and its surroundings give us the city panorama. In the afternoon we return to the hotel and pack for the Seychelles flight. After the airport transfer, Emirates flight EK708 leaves Antananarivo at 18:35 and lands on Mahe Island at 22:20. We are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight in Seychelles, at a 4-star beach hotel. Sample hotel: Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel or similar.

After a tropical breakfast at the hotel we set out on a half-day tour of Mahe Island. Victoria comes first. One of the smallest capitals in the world, it is best seen on foot around its colourful markets and clock tower. At the Botanical Garden we walk among giant tortoises and tropical plants. The Mission Lodge viewpoint offers the island's best known outlook over green valleys and the Indian Ocean. The tour closes with a photo and swimming stop at Beau Vallon or Anse Royale. We return to the hotel in the afternoon. The remaining time is free for swimming, resting by the ocean or watching the sunset from the beach. Dinner is at the hotel. Overnight in Seychelles, in a 4-star hotel.

The whole day is free. The tropical shoreline of the Indian Ocean is the entire programme. After breakfast you can swim from the beaches, snorkel over the coral reefs, rest in the shade of the palms or simply enjoy the hotel. In the evening a tropical dinner is laid on at the hotel for our group. Seychellois cooking, built on seafood and spices, gives the final night of the tour its character. Overnight in Seychelles, in a 4-star hotel. Sample hotel: Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel or similar.

We check out of the hotel early in the morning and transfer to Mahe Airport. Emirates flight EK706 leaves Seychelles at 08:35 and lands at the Dubai connection at 13:10. After a short wait, flight EK117 departs for Istanbul at 17:45. We arrive in Istanbul at 21:55, where the Madagascar and Seychelles route comes to an end.