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• Pure nature, few tourists, recommended.

  YVESLAURENT23,May 29, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Our journey through Madagascar was incredibly beautiful from start to finish — and above all, so well organized that we could simply focus on the experience throughout the entire trip. Even beforehand, Onja advised us very kindly and competently via email. On-site, everything really worked out: Transfers, hotels, domestic flights, ferries, excursions — there was always someone there, someone always knew what was going on, and we never felt "lost" anywhere. We started with a bike trip from Antananarivo towards the east coast. Along the way, we were accompanied by our guide Mick and our driver Bali — and the two of them were something very special for us. Mick told us so much about Madagascar, the people, and the culture, and together they simply ensured that we always felt well taken care of. Warm, attentive, humorous, and at the same time incredibly professional. When we had to say goodbye at the harbor, we were honestly sad. The bike trip was something very special for us because it brings you much closer to the people. You don't just ride past everything, but experience the country very directly: Villages, markets, children on their way to school, people at work, landscapes, sounds, smells. That touched us deeply. After that, we continued to Sainte-Marie and Ile-aux-Nattes and later to Nosy Be. And that is exactly what made this trip special for me: Every part of Madagascar feels completely different. Rainforest, small villages, tropical islands, turquoise sea, turtles, and an incredible wildlife — you feel like you are experiencing several trips at once. What also surprised me: the food. Really delicious, varied, and fresh. And even though we were on the move a lot, we never had any problems with food, stomach, or digestion throughout the entire trip. If one loves animals, enjoys nature, and does not just want to go on vacation but truly wants to experience something, then Madagascar is incredibly special. Thank you for this trip. That was incredible!

• Magnificent Madagascar

  curtissteinhoff,Jan 25, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  If you’re considering a visit to Madagascar, choosing Manitra (Nature & Culture Madagascar) is a smart first step. Your most important step, however, is to be very specific about your needs and expectations for your experience. Like many Americans, my only familiarity with Madagascar was the cartoon and its location off the coast of Africa. When I began planning an African safari, I thought I might as well add a trip to Madagascar since we were flying all that way. I anticipated a step down in services and infrastructure, but I was unprepared for the reality. I told Manitra I wanted to put our bags in the back of a four-wheel-drive vehicle and go, and that’s exactly the experience he created. My fantasy and reality, however, soon collided. Let’s start with the many wonderful things about Madagascar. The nature throughout the country is truly spectacular. We visited multiple rain forests and other amazing locations. Manitra and his team put together a very comprehensive private tour across the entire island, capturing the broad diversity of climates and scenery. We stopped to see several artists creating their crafts and experienced wonderful local food. Because of the French influence on the island, the baked goods throughout the country were a wonderful surprise. Everyone was very welcoming, and we felt safe everywhere we went. Our personal guide Ori and our driver took great care of us as we made our way across the country. I will never forget the awe-inspiring sights and sounds we experienced while trekking through one of the rain forests at night during a storm. Now the surprises. When we booked, the itinerary listed three- and four-star accommodation, which I thought would be fine. I didn’t realize that most hotels either don’t have air conditioning, or a limited number of rooms with air conditioning. We also had several hotels with no electrical outlets near the bed. One hotel had only one outlet, located in the bathroom above the sink mirror. At every hotel but one, we were able to upgrade to a room with air and other amenities for very little extra cost. When booking, be very specific about the amenities you require. There are nice hotels available, but you have to be specific. Phone service is also a challenge. The best cell service we experienced was 3G, with most coverage even worse. The good news is that many of the hotels and restaurants offer WiFi. We were also warned about the bad roads, but I thought they meant once we got off the main highway. Nope. All roads, including main roads between cities, are in very bad condition and will slow your travel tremendously. A drive that should take four hours on a good road can easily take more than twice that time. Again, just be prepared and you’ll have a great experience. Go with the flow. We arrived at the country’s main airport one day for a flight to another location, and it was literally on fire. Passengers, staff and police were all standing in the parking lot while firefighters dealt with an electrical fire. I panicked, but Manitra told us to be patient, and sure enough, about 45 minutes later they reopened and our flight went out on time. Don’t bother bringing US dollars. According to Manitra, US tourists represent less than 5% of their visitors. As a result, very few locals speak English, although most of the businesses and hotel staff could understand enough to help. Most locations accept Madagascar currency and Euros. Only the bigger restaurants and hotels accept credit cards, so have lots of currency on hand for expenses and tipping. Because of the high unemployment rate, there will be many locals trying to offer help for tips. I didn’t find it uncomfortable, but I definitely needed more cash at times. There are ATMs available at the airport and in the major cities. We used several that had low limits on the amount you can withdraw, so you may need to make several withdrawals. Insects are also a problem. Be sure and bring lots of bug repellant, preferably DEET. The mosquitos are everywhere, and several of the hotels only offer outdoor dining and bar options. Like in most developing countries, I wouldn’t recommend drinking the water or eating produce washed with local water. I got violently ill from eating ice cream at a high-end restaurant, so be very careful with what you eat and only drink bottled water. We also brushed our teeth with it. Perhaps the biggest surprise was electricity – or the lack of it. Power went out multiple times a day throughout our entire trip, including all hotels except for the one on solar power. I’d recommend you bring several power batteries with you for when you are in the vehicle and when the power goes out. Fast chargers worked the best. Overall, our vacation in Madagascar was spectacular. Manitra and his team put together a very comprehensive and thoughtful itinerary that gave us a real appreciation for the country and its people. I would definitely book with them again, especially now that I know what to ask for before I get there.

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Meet nature and respect it - with a good guide

  563judita,Jan 8, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We do not really want to repeat the words, thoughts, and opinions of the previous comments. In short we have to thank Manitra for the perfect organisation of our holiday trip which turned out to be a fantastic and unforgettable event. We do not like to use expressions like "good value for your money" and excellent service but these are also true. We would like to confirm the previous comments quoting some words and expressions only: - friendly, - excellent organisation, - competent, - humorous guides and drivers - unforgettable experience, - flexibility, - helpful, etc. We immediately wrote a detailed comment after our first adventure in Isalo, so we would not like to delete that, but we are not going to repeat our very similar experiences about the other tours (Morondava, Mantadia NP, Panganal Canal, Ile St. Marie). Our trip started at Isalo National Park which is an unique place and we were lucky to have a very professional guide we think that he is an educated biologist. He knew everything about the flora and the fauna. The job of the guide is not easy: always have to look down where to step and always have to look around for what to see, and he performed an excellent job, not mentioning his great talent to make photos. We were lucky to see lemurs in the morning and in the afternoon also, that was and unforgettable trip. Manitra organised our trip with great professionalism and patience. The planning lasted almost 8 months and from time to time we have asked modifications as part of our family could not come, other member of the family would stay shorter, etc. But at last we started the journey and the adventure. From the arrival of the airport everything was going smooth and very well organised. We were lucky to have Fano and Hiri as drivers and Orelien as our guide during our travel in the mainland. We are really greatful to all of them and to Manitra of course who was always available. Even the roads of Madagascar could not spoil this wonderful vacation. We would highly recommend with our full heart to contact Manitra if you want to feel the real Madagascar.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• 2 weeks in Madagascar with Lemurs and Chameleons

  Screamin747,Jan 1, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We did a 2-week tour of Madagascar with our guide, Manitra, and driver, Fano. Both were very professional, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them as they tried to show us as much as possible in the 2 weeks we were with them. Madagascar is not an easy country to visit due to the infrastructure but they came up with a good plan and executed it well. They were available to us whenever we needed something and were always ready to help. The trip would not have have been as good without these two being with us. Their sense of humor helped as well. If you are looking to go to Madagascar then you should definitely try to get Manitra as your guide. He is the best!

• Lemurs, Zebus and Baobabs -OH MY!

  chriskG9997RB,Oct 29, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had the best time and got to experience so much. Manitra and his brother, Fanu, tag teamed driving us across the country. Their knowledge of the history and current situations really added greatly to our experience. They were a wonderful conduit between us and the people we met along the way. They also picked some super relaxing hotels, some with infinitely pools looking over the forests. I highly recommend them. When we had to say goodbye at the airport it was like saying goodbye to old friends.

  

  

• Incredible tour of southern and eastern Madagascar

  katherinepN1668FS,May 15, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The tour with Manitra was one of the coolest experiences of my life! He is an outstanding guide, and every place we went was beautiful, interesting, and well-organized. I can’t recommend him highly enough!

• Best Madagascar guide, especially for solo female travellers

  Princessofthieves,Aug 2, 2023

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Manitra is the only tour guide for any trip in Madagascar!!! Manitra is amazing. He has a solid understanding and knowledge of his country, local history, nature and wildlife. I had no idea of where to visit in Madagascar and Manitra designed a trip catered to my wishes, timescale and comfort level. He is so mindful of what would make a guest happy and ensures the guest has the best experience. He tailored the trip to my specific requests, but also took the time to gauge my interests. As a solo female traveller, (despite being well travelled and undertook numerous solo trips in South America, Asia and Europe) this was my first solo trip in Africa. I felt completely safe and looked after. Manitra is so dedicated and passionate about his country and his craft. I cannot recommend him enough. I usually do not take guides but understood quickly that you need a driver, car and guide to get around Madagascar safely. I spoke to a number of people and Manitra was the easiest and most patient in terms of organising, booking, and paying for the trip. His English is great, but he can also do tours in Italian, French, German, and I think the list goes on! I also organised my tour with 5 days notice and he accommodated.

• 6 Day Madagascar Tour from Tana’ to Tulear

  pablolibano7,Nov 27, 2022

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Federica and I chose to take a tour of Madagascar with Manitra and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. We were immediately surprised by his willingness to answer all our questions to help us decide on the most complete itinerary suitable for our times, budget and needs. We stayed with him 6 days from Antananarivo to Tulear on the southwest coast crossing the beautiful highlands visiting the Ranomafana rainforest and the beautiful Isalo Park, among the highlights of the trip. Manitra proved to be an excellent and prepared guide with excellent Italian and made our trip unforgettable thanks to his professionalism and kindness. Also after contacting other local tour operators I think I have chosen the best and would recommend this experience with the Manitra guide to all those who want to make a trip to Madagascar.

  

• Manitra Randriambololona: a terrific guide and fantastic driver

  fstopnyc1,Jun 18, 2022

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Manitra Randriambololona was a terrific guide and a fantastic driver. I was lucky to have him as both. As a guide: He was super knowledgeable. It was a big plus that he’s the board director and chair of the National Guide Federation. Because he teaches courses on tourism at the Institut National du Tourisme et de L’Hôtellerie, he seemed to know everybody and to have trained most of the guides we met along the way. So all the regional guides he arranged for me were first-rate. Manitra had a good sense of humor too and that’s always a plus. Madagascar is a country with a lot of bounce (literally) and we covered a lot of ground during my road trip. But note: When you’re told the roads are bad, take what you imagine “bad” to be and multiply it by at least 2X. Sometimes you wonder if they’re really roads at all. Given that the word “road” was often euphemistic, Manitra’s driving was even more impressive and commendable, sometimes on the cusp of miraculous.

  

• Morondava, West Coast

  Ofelia S,Jul 25, 2019

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  There is a spectacular millennial monkey bread tree path, a row of parallel trees being illuminated by the sunset, the scene is magnificent, shocking, like a human wonderland.

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