Tsingy Travel Tips

An interesting question was posted on our blog the other week in response to an article we posted on Tsingy, entitled "Living on
Razor's Edge - Madagascar's Labyrinth of stone". This post got us thinking more about Tsingy, and so we decided to share some information with you about this unique and fascinating destination... Tsingy means pointed peaks in Malagasy or "where one cannot walk barefoot", but don't let this description put you off! The Tsingy formations are an extraordinary sight and an experience not to be missed. If you are thinking of visiting this spectacular limestone landscape, then read on for some useful travel tips...

Question:

Great post!
Could you give some tips of how to get Tsingy? The fastest way, the easiest way, the cheapest way...
Tks

Answer:

Access to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is extremely difficult (basically impossible) in the rainy season so you would need to plan a visit for between May and November. To get there you have to fly from Antananarivo to Morondava and then drive to the National Park in a 4x4. It's about a 10 hour drive from Morondava.

Unfortunately Tsingy isn't easily accessible but it is well worth the effort and travel time, and we can organize it for you if you would like. For more information, email one of our friendly consultants on info(at)jenmansafaris.com or visit our Madagascar website.

If you would like to see this incredible 'forest of rocks' for yourself, you may be interested in our 8-day Madagascar Tsigny Adventure. Priced from USD 1605 / EUR 1060 per person sharing - based on 2 people travelling (excluding flights). You will experience the bustling towns of Antananarivo & Morondava, the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, the famous baobab alley of Morondava, and after all that adventure, spend a day relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Morondava.

For more information email one of our friendly consultants or click here to view our website package.
______________________________________________________________________________________

Family Holiday Getaways

If you are still wracking your brains over what to do and where to go in the next coming months, we have a few ideas for you to consider.
Loving Madagascar as we do, we have chosen our favourite family getaways for a shoe-string, mid-range and luxury budget.

Best Value Family Holiday package

Stay 7 nights in Madagascar enjoying the lagoon & beaches of the east coast, on the tiny island of Ile aux Nattes. La Petite Traversee beach lodge is our top pick for this island, offering fantastic rates, fabulous hospitality, and delicious island food.

Enjoy 5 nights at La Petite Traversee on a bed & breakfast basis, and 2 nights at IC Hotel on a bed & breakfast basis in Antananarivo from the following rates:

2 Adults & 1 Child under 12 years old:
From USD 420 / EUR 290 per adult, USD 180 / EUR 125 per child
(Total Family Rate: From USD 1,020 / EUR 705)

2 Adults & 2 Children under 12 years old:
From USD 410 / EUR 285 per adult, USD 225 / EUR 155 per child
(Total Family Rate: From USD 1,270 / EUR 880)
(Rates exclude all flights and their taxes).

These rates expire on 31st October 2010.

For more information email one of our friendly consultants on info@jenmansafaris.com or click here to view our website package.

Mid-Range Family Holiday package - SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES!!

Enjoy 7 nights relaxing at the 3* Vanila Hotel on Nosy Be island.
The Vanila hotel has everything you need to spend a blissful holiday week on a tropical island.

This package includes 7 nights at the Vanila hotel on a bed & breakfast basis in a garden room with fan, and return airport transfers.


2 Adults & 1 Child under 12 years old:
From USD 515 / EUR 355 per adult, USD 170 / EUR 120 per child
(Total Family Rate: From USD 1,200 / EUR 830)

2 Adults & 2 Children under 12 years old:
From USD 515 / EUR 355 per adult, USD 170 / EUR 120 per child
(Total Family Rate From USD 1,370 / EUR 950)
(Rates exclude all flights and their taxes).

This special expires on the 11th July 2010. Please note there are limited rooms which can accommodate 2 adults & 2 children at the above rates. Price is subject to availability.

For more information email one of our friendly consultants on info@jenmansafaris.com or click here to view our website package.

Luxury Family Holiday package - Yacht Charter!!

Enjoy the ultimate of island holidays on your own private yacht charter. Six nights exclusive use of this beautiful yacht essentially means you can sleep at the most stunning locations and deserted islands, without having to pay for day excursions.
Each morning you will wake to the sounds of the ocean, and wander out on deck to see only your family and crew members, employed to look after your every need! Could you ask for anything more...?

This package includes 6 nights on our mid-range yacht on a full board basis, and all required transfers.

2 Adults & 2 Children under 12 years old:
From USD 1410 / EUR 930 per adult, USD 995 / EUR 660 per child
(Total Family Rate: From USD 4,810 / EUR 3,180)
(Rates exclude all flights and their taxes).

4 Adults & 4 Children under 12 years old:
USD 1285 / EUR 850 per adult, USD 995 / EUR 660 per child
( Total Family Rate: From USD 9,120 / EUR 6,040)
(Rates exclude all flights and their taxes).

For more information email one of our friendly consultants on info@jenmansafaris.com or click here to view our website package.
______________________________________________________________________________________

Find out more about... Hotel La Petite Traversee

Close your eyes and picture an island paradise... Got it? Now stay right there... situated on the small island paradise of Ile aux Nattes, just off the north-eastern coast of Madagascar is the Hotel La Petite Traversee. Described by many as one of the most beautiful places on earth, La Petite Traversee is the perfect holiday getaway!

Many accommodation options do not offer varied facilities that appeal to and entertain both parents and children alike. However this exotic beach lodge/hotel will keep your children entertained, while you relax and unwind.

La Petite Traversee's island-themed restaurant offers a mouthwatering range of South African/Malagasy cuisine and has a well stocked local and international bar called the Lucky Dube Cocktail bar. Relax on the beach with a cocktail and be entertained by Putumayo and Island reggae music. There is also laundry, internet, currency exchange (EUR, USD, and ZAR), luggage storage facilities and massage available. In addition there is an activity centre where you and your children can enjoy many games including the local card game Uno. Owner Ockie will even challenge your kids to a game in the renowned "La Petite Uno Challenge", so you better let them practice!



Located on the northern shore of Ile aux Nattes, La Petite Traversee is well placed for you and your family to explore the island. Spend your days hiking or travel the island by local lakana or piroque (tree-trunk canoe) for a very different view of the island. Alternatively why not go snorkelling, swimming and fishing. For the more adventurous, La Petite Traversee also offers scuba-diving and deep-sea fishing safaris. If leisure activities are more up your alley then spend the day lazing in the sun with a delicious tropical drink. Boat excursions to the nearby island of St. Marie (once known as the "Pirate Island") can be arranged, where you can enjoy more gorgeous beaches, a local market and see the famous pirate cemetery!

Completely renovated in 2006, the hotel offers guests the best facilities in a rustic setting, and with 6 Malagasy-style bungalows and a family bungalow, each fitted with mosquito netting, a safe and en-suite bathroom, you are sure to have a comfortable and enjoyable island holiday.

This is one of our all time favorites for great value, good food, and family fun. So for an amazing holiday getaway where the entire family can enjoy Madagascar, consider our special Family Holiday package. See above for details.
______________________________________________________________________________________

Johan's Madagascar Adventure

Famous for its stunning scenery, gorgeous beaches, colourful chameleons and enchanting population of lemurs... Madagascar is the perfect holiday destination. Our reservations manager, Johan Pfahl was lucky enough to spend 8 days exploring the beautiful island of Madagascar on an educational! The goal of which was to learn more about the worlds fourth largest island. But it wasn't all work and no play...

When we asked Johan what he enjoyed most on his tropical adventure; he couldn't stop raving about sailing the calm turquoise waters of the Nosy Be archipelago by yacht. Talk about travelling in style! Situated off the north-west coast of Madagascar, the archipelago consists of the islands of Nosy Be, Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Iranja (to name just a few), and offers some of the best diving in Madagascar! Imagine spending a lazy day snorkelling in crystal clear waters teaming with hundreds of tropical fish... We wish we got to go too! But a trip to Madagascar wouldn't be complete without catching a glimpse of its famous lemurs! A definite highlight of the trip for Johan was exploring the Reserve of Andasibe, where he got to observe the elusive Indri (called Babakoto in Malagasy). Apart from the Indri there
are 13 lemur species that live in the forests of Andasibe, including the woolly lemur, brown lemur, grey bamboo lemur, red-bellied lemur, black and white ruffed lemur, red mouse-lemur, diademed sifaka and the aye-aye.

After we spoke to Johan about his trip to Madagascar we were amazed to learn so many new and interesting facts about this unique island, and we hope it inspires you to take your dream holiday in Madagascar!
______________________________________________________________________________________

'Freaky' creatures of Madagascar - Part 2

As promised in last month's newsletter, here is the second installment of our guide to Madagascar's freaky creatures. As you know, Madagascar is filled with many weird and wonderful animals, from fingertip-size chameleons to hissing cockroaches! Read on to find out more...

The fossa (pronounced "foo sa") is one of the world's weirdest and least known predators. With its feline features and traits - such as retractable claws - scientists thought that the fossa was a primitive kind of cat. But it is actually
the largest member of the mongoose family! Madagascar's largest carnivore feeds on any creatures it can get its claws on and uses its long tail like a trapeze artist's pole to move swiftly through the trees in order to catch its prey
of choice - lemurs.

Looking like a cross between a shrew and a hedgehog, the tenrec is anything but ordinary! It actually belongs to a bizarre group of animals called the Afrotheria, which includes elephants, sea cows and aardvarks. No wonder we included it in our freaky creatures guide! While a few species of tenrec are
found in central Africa, they are most diverse in Madagascar which has
around 30 species.

Another strange creature endemic to the island of Madagascar is the stump-tailed chameleon (also known as the leaf chameleon - not to be confused
with the leaf-tailed chameleon). This ground dwelling reptile is about the size
of a man's thumbnail! Its diminutive size, short stubby tail and earthy colors
give it the appearance of old bark covered with lichen, so it blends magically
into its surroundings!

Our final freaky creature doesn't look (or sound) anything like an ordinary roach! When alarmed, the Madagascar hissing cockroach makes a snake-like hissing sound which can be heard up to 12 feet away! How could such a small creature make such a loud noise you might ask? While most insects create sound by rubbing body parts together, the hissing cockroach hisses by rapidly squeezing air out of the breathing pores on the front segments of its abdomen. It is the only known insect species capable of hissing!
______________________________________________________________________________________

Head Office and Central Reservations

PO Box 36146, Glosderry, 7702, Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)21 683 7826 Fax: +27 (0) 866 346 697
0861 JENMAN
Tel: +49 3635 454 330
Email: info@jenmansafaris.com
Skype username: jenmanafricansafaris
www.travel2madagascar.com
www.turtlebaybeach.com
www.jenmansafaris.com
www.victoriafalls.biz
www.capetownsafaris.com
www.hoerikwaggotrail.org

World Wide Reservations

USA and Canada
Toll Free: 1866 487 4323

Australia
Toll Free: 1800140 835

United Kingdom
Tel: 0871 284 5010 Fax: 0871 284 5011

New Zealand
Toll Free: 0800 528 100

To unsubscribe please click here...

______________________________________________________________________________________