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Thank you for your interest in our holidays. To help us provide the best service for you, please tell us a bit more about what you are looking for, including details of activities or particular holidays you are interested in. Our expert will then begin planning your perfect visit to Madagascar.

We really excel at tailor-making your trip to your needs. You may want to see certain species or visit particular parks, reserves or lodges. You may want a private plane or helicopter and high class car, or need to travel at a certain time of year. Tailor-making works whether you are an experienced traveler or trying out a wildlife holiday for the first time, wanting to enjoy a wildlife experiences as part of an occasion like a birthday, honeymoon or anniversary, or a busy executive in search of a short wildlife fix.

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Do you have a large family or group of friends that you would like to travel? Does your company want to run its own set of branded series tours? The NDAO-i-Travel tailormade services and charter team can do organize all of this for you, and more! Whether it be in an air-conditioned bus, a minivan or a 4 x 4 vehicle, we will tailor a tour for you to ensure that your dream holiday takes in everything you're expecting from it.

Our team of well-travelled and dedicated individuals will provide you with a detailed itinerary, suggested accommodation, professional, friendly service and all the support you need to make travelling in Madagascar an absolute pleasure.

Whether your party is made up of two or two hundred travelers, we'll pull something special out of the bag, just for you!

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Reniala Private Reserve – an outstanding forest

Reniala Private Reserve, which is also called the Domergue reserve, is a small protected area of only 60 ha. The reserve is located less than 1km from the Mozambique Channel near the village of Ifaty-Mangily. Of extraordinary richness, the biodiversity of the fauna of the Reniala reflects the biological magic of Madagascar. It shelters an amazing, bizarre and unique ecosystem which only occurs in the southern part of Madagascar: the spiny forest. The towering spiny bushes are home to more than 2000 plants species (many of them local endemic), some spectacular and very old baobabs (there is a giant baobab of 13 m diameter, local people fondly call it “tea pot” due to its appearance. It is told to be 1500 years old) and a complete endemic plants family, the Didieraceae. In Reniala reserve, you can admire many endemic plants of the spiny forests, among the famous baobabs (Adansonia rubrostipa), Pachypodium, Euphorbia and other outstanding growths. Reniala includes a botanical trail and a bird sanctuary.

Meanwhile the spiny forest belongs to the last pieces of primary forests of the South. Nothing was changed here besides some carefully created paths inside area. For several years, there have been efforts to settle several groups of ring-tailed lemurs inside the reserve, financially supported by European organizations. The animals come from the Lemur Rescue Center of Reniala reserve, which was founded in 2011. It hosts confiscated animals, prepares them for reintroduction into the wild and thus is the first of its kind all over Madagascar, working close with scientists. Reniala works together with some universities of Madagascar and offers scholarships to students and scientists.

Reniala Reserve is a paradise for birders. As ornithological park, the reserve offers plenty opportunities to discover and watch animals especially for bird lovers. With a little patience you can for example see the Madagascar harrier-hawk (Polyboroides radiatus) or find the sickle-billed vanga (Falculea palliata), the white-headed vanga (Artamella viridisa) and Madagascar buttonquail (Turnix nigricollis), and very rare endemic species, such as the long-tailed ground roller, the subdesert mesite, the red-capped coua in their natural habitat. There are 65 bird species in total within the reserve.

You can also spot mammals including the grey-mouse lemur, one the smallest primates, and some carnivorous. Furthermore, Reniala is home to many reptiles only occurring in Madagascar’s south. A big population of the rare radiated tortoise and the smaller spider tortoise (Astrochelys radiata and Pyxis arachnoides) lives on the sandy ground and shares its territory with many Madagascar iguanas (Chalarodon madagascariensis). In spring, you can find colorful chameleons (Furcifer antimena and verrucosus, less often Furcifer major) in bushes and shrubs and one or another snake (Acantrophis dumerili, Leioheterodon geayi) will perhaps cross the visitors’ path.

Guided nocturnal walks can be organized to meet the smallest mammals of the park: The mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus and griseorufus), Lepilemur hubbardi.

Guided walks through the botanical trail in the Baobabs forest are organized to make known to a wide public the remarkable forms of trees: Delonix, Pachypodium, Baobabs ("dwarf", "corsage", "hexagon", "rhinoceros", "twins", "giant": more than 13 m of circumference), Givotia, etc., of the biodiversity of the flora Madagascar, the need for its conservation and the interest of research conducted in this direction. During the visit, you stop at the endemic tortoises park of the Malagasy south. We will tell you information about plants and trees, about their Malagasy name and scientific name, the main botanical characteristics and their relations with humans (use in medicine traditional or everyday life). Our guide will also answer your questions about all visible plants on the trail.

The duration of the visit to depends on the interest that you evince to plants and the time you have.

You can rent a simple room at Reniala reserve to stay some nights inside the spiny forest. Located in the forest of Baobabs and Didieracées, the inn “Auberge de trois makis”, accommodates you for moments of calm shared. The calm and relaxing environment of reserve is the guarantee of successful holidays, family atmosphere and a convivial mood...

Private Baobab party for our guests it is an unforgettable moment during journey. Private dinner in the Reniala reserve at the foot of the big millennial baobab at sunset offer you fish-grill, traditional Malagasy dishes, creole and European cuisine.

For those nature lovers who want a more in-depth acquaintance with the spiny forest of the South, we offer a new program: NATURALIST STUDIES SNSpé code - SNC code RENIALA - 2 days.

Watch more photos about Reniala Private Reserve here.