Overview
PONANT invites you on an expedition cruise in the Indian Ocean to discover ‘the island continent’ of Madagascar. From the Seychelles to Mauritius, set off for 16 days aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville between beaches, dives, encounters with local populations and the discovery of endemic fauna and flora in rarely visited places of stunning natural beauty.
From Victoria on the island of Mahé, you will first sail to La Digue, a veritable picture-postcard of the Seychelles: palm trees, granite rocks, white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Your ship will then set sail for the northern tip of Madagascar. You will be dazzled by the beauty of the deserted beaches and preserved coral reefs of the idyllic islets in the Nosy Hara, Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely marine parks, renowned for their fabulous underwater life.
In Majunga, you will explore Ankarafantsika National Park, home to numerous bird and lemur species.
After exploring the picturesque and sumptuous city of Belo sur Mer, Le Dumont-d’Urville will then sail towards the wild expanses of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the south-west of Madagascar. Near the mouth of the Onilahu River, Tulear enjoys an exceptional flora that will delight botany lovers.
Along the immense beaches edged with dunes in Sarodrano, you will experience an exceptional encounter with one of the planet’s last ‘sea nomad’ people, the Vezo. You will discover their fishing villages and ancestral maritime know-how.
Out at sea await turquoise waters, the magnificent coral reefs and the natural pools of Nosy Ve, an islet of white sand that shelters a large colony of red-tailed tropicbirds.
After calling at Pointe des Galets on La Réunion island, Le Dumont-d’Urville will reach Port Louis in Mauritius, where this unforgettable cruise will come to an end.
Trip Highlights
- A cruise discovering the incredible natural riches of Madagascar and its people with their authentic traditions.
- Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Biosphere Reserves in the south-west of Madagascar (Belo sur Mer, the coastline of Toliara and Sarodrano, Nosy Ve), the area of Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island.
- A variety of idyllic landscapes: coral reefs, lagoons, rainforests or thorny forests, white-sand beaches, granite islands, volcanoes.
- In the Seychelles, Anse Source d’Argent, the most famous beach of La Digue, surrounded by large blocks of granite and edged with coconut palms.
- In Madagascar, a rich and preserved endemic flora and fauna: multicoloured fish and green turtles, ring-tailed and red ruffed lemurs, baobabs, chameleons, red-tailed tropicbirds, radiated tortoises.
- An exceptional encounter with one of the planet’s last ‘sea nomad’ people, the Vezo.
- Possibility of diving (PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent) with an experienced instructor on board and of snorkelling with your expedition team.
