Avis A dream honeymoon, organized to perfection!

For our honeymoon (Sep. 4 - Sep. 27), my husband and I decided to make a shared childhood dream reality and go to Madagascar. We knew we wanted to visit several national parks around the country and see the whales in Ile Ste. Marie, but we also knew we couldn't plan everything on our own. After much searching and asking around, we settled on Madagascar Endemics and Resorts to plan our trip, and it was the best decision we could've made. Manitra and his staff made sure that our honeymoon was truly a dream come true.

Manitra, who speaks English fluently and is obviously very experienced in his job, organized our itinerary for us and made sure we had the best hotels for our budget. Our guide, Rija, and our drivers Mami and Johnny were extremely helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable, and really made us feel comfortable and safe.

Thanks to Manitra's itinerary, in the three short weeks that we were in Madagascar, we were able to see Andasibe-Mantadia, Ile Ste. Marie (and the whales!), the Grand Tsingy, Ranomafana, Isalo, Anakau, as well as a few cities and smaller parks in between. Everywhere we went, there were professional local guides in addition to our own guide. These guides told us what to bring on each day- or night-walk (good shoes and flashlights are a must!), showed us and told us about endemic animal and plant species, and ensured our safety in the parks. Overall, the local guides really enriched our experience.

While there were some issues with the driver, Patrick, in the area around the Tsingy; a problem that resulted in a last-minute hotel-change in Anakau; and an incident in which we left our passports at a hotel and our driver and guide had to make the 4-hour drive back to retrieve them -- our overall experience was fantastic. Even where there were issues, they were promptly resolved by Manitra and our guide Rija.

Rija deserves his own special mention in this review. His gentle, polite demeanor, excellent English, helpful attitude, and friendly, professional manners made our long drives a real pleasure. By the end of our trip, it felt like we were traveling with a friend, which speaks volumes of his ability to make clients at ease and comfortable.

All in all, thanks to Manitra and the amazing Madagascar Endemics and Resorts staff, our honeymoon was unforgettable. We highly recommend traveling with these guys for a comfortable, safe, tailor-made experience you won't forget!