Supporting our communities

Conservation & Sustainability

One of the most endangered habitats of Madagascar lies in the country’s southeast. The endemic spiny forest once covered large swathes of this dry area, and is home to the IUCN Red List critically endangered Verreaux’s Sifaka and Radiated Tortoise, as well as the endangered Ring-tailed and White-footed Sportive lemurs.

The area is also rich in other endemic fauna and flora. Flowing through this arid landscape is the Mandrare River, which brings life not only to the vegetation and wildlife, but also to the local Androy people.

Our Programs

Conservation and Direct Reforestation

We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with the village of Betamboro to consecrate a portion of its Spiny Forest as a sacred forest. We have purchased a zebu bull to donate to the consecration ceremony, which will provide the forest with a cultural structure to protect it from deforestation. The ongoing guest fees will continue to pay for forest guardians. Additionally, we have begun a widespread replanting project of the iconic octopus trees of the Spiny Forest.

We are paying all sixty-two villages for each octopus tree planted, with the hope of planting over 15,000 trees this year. We are also establishing tree nurseries and corresponding seed banks to grow and distribute other endemic Spiny Forest tree species. Finally, we are seeking further academic and research partnerships to help monitor the impact of the program on the target conservation species.

Food Security & Sustainable Incomes

The main driver of deforestation in southern Madagascar is the desperate need caused by food insecurity and extreme poverty, and addressing those challenges is critical to halting deforestation. The food security project will train and support farmers to develop small-scale ‘forest gardens’ that mix productive tree species with annual crops into synergistic blends as an alternative to slash and burn farming.

The program is designed with key-line water management principles and water-efficient irrigation to minimize water usage and create climate resiliency. The sustainable incomes project focuses on creating alternative income opportunities to charcoal and timber. We are partnering with communities and NGOs in an inclusive design process to match participant skills and needs with income opportunities, particularly for women.

Green Energy

Over 90% of cooking fires in Madagascar use firewood or charcoal, and without providing alternatives, deforestation for cooking fuel will continue to devastate the forests. To reduce the demand for cooking fuel, we have partnered with local NGO ADES-Solaire to distribute fuel-efficient cookstoves to our communities. The stoves reduce the demand for cooking fuel by 50-80% and come with a 3-year guarantee. Just 1000 stoves can eliminate the demand for over 200 hectares of forest.

We are also piloting two potential alternatives with the staff canteens at Mandrare River Camp. Firstly, we are creating charcoal briquettes from agricultural waste with the ambition that local communities can sell eco-briquettes to replace charcoal produced from Spiny Forest trees. Secondly, we are building biogas digesters that run on agricultural waste and cattle manure, eliminating environmental pollution, replacing wood based cooking fuel, and supplying clean burning gas.

Green Schools

Education is the only long term solution to the chronic problems facing our communities, and for almost two decades we have built and repaired schools and distributed supplies to students. We are recommitting to our work in education by implementing a Green Schools project that will provide schools with school supplies, clean water, school gardens, and environmental education. Firstly, we are continuing our distribution of schoolbags full of supplies to ensure every student has the tools they need to learn.

Secondly, we are building rainwater harvesting tanks that will provide clean water in the rainy season and we will distribute clean well water in the dry season. Thirdly, connected to this rainwater system, we are building school gardens to supplement the school lunches with fresh vegetables. Fourthly, we are supplying all of the local school canteens with fuel-efficient stoves, thus spending less time collecting fuelwood and reducing harmful smoke in the canteens. Finally, we are formulating a “green” curriculum to teach the basics of ecology and agriculture and organize child-friendly tree-planting events.

Plastic Free

Plastic pollution is a significant environmental issue in Madagascar, largely due to the reliance on plastic bottled water driven by the country’s poor drinking water quality. To help address this, Madagascar Classic Collection provides guests with reusable water bottles, which can be refilled from large water containers or filtered sources available at many hotels and lodges. Mandrare River Camp  offers filtered osmosis water for guests and staff.

Breathtaking views & untouched forests

Designed Around You

Luxury These sample journeys are not fixed itineraries. Instead, they are flexible frameworks that can be adapted in countless ways:
No two journeys we create are ever the same.

Madagascar’s Ultra Luxury Wild Contrasts: Coastal Forest Reserve and Island Escape

Luxury Madagascar Itinerary | Anjajavi | Miavana by Time + Tide. Anjajavy, Miavana & Northern Helicopter Safaris.

Highlights of this itinerary:

Anjavy Lodge (North-West Madagascar – Private Reserve & Coastal Wilderness)

Miavana Private Island (North-East Madagascar – Ultra-Luxury Island Escape)

Helicopter Safari: Daraina Region (Northern Madagascar – Remote Wilderness)

Helicopter Exploration: Ankarana Reserve (Tsingy & Caves)

Scenic Helicopter Flight to Nosy Be (Northern Coastline & Islands)

Madagascar’s Extraordinary Landscapes: Rainforest, Tsingy & Coastal Wilderness

Luxury Madagascar Itinerary: Masoala Forest lodge, Namoroka Tsingy Camp and Anjajavi Lodge (or similar)

Highlights of this itinerary:

Masoala Forest Lodge (North-East Madagascar – Primary Rainforest & Marine Reserve)

Namoroka Tsingy Camp (North-West Madagascar – Remote Tsingy Landscapes)

Anjajavy Lodge (North-West Coast – Private Reserve & Coastal Forest)

The Ultimate Madagascar Experience:

Luxury Madagascar Itinerary | Andasibe, Mandrare River Camp, Manafiafy Forest Lodge & Namoroka Tsingy Camp

Highlights of this itinerary:

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (Eastern Rainforest)

Mandrare River Camp (Southern Madagascar – Spiny Forest & Culture)

Manafiafy Forest Lodge (South-East Coast – Rainforest & Ocean)

Namoroka Tsingy Camp (North-West Madagascar – Tsingy & Wilderness)