18 days
MDCBridge North Scientific Discovery
The MDCBridge signature journey: the full corridor, from the bay of Antsiranana to SAVA and on to Nosy Be. Each day pairs a landscape, an accessible scientific reading and a field observation, with no prior knowledge required.
- Duration
- 18 days
- Who it’s for
- Curious travellers, active retirees, alumni, patrons
- Group
- 6 to 12 travellers
- Languages
- French and English
What you will study
- Coastal geomorphology and reef ecology
- Volcanism, karst and erosion
- Mining geology and value chains
- Biodiversity and conservation
- Vanilla agroforestry and hydrology
- Rasikajy heritage
Program sequences
Sequences taken from the signature journey. The final program is built with your group according to season, access and permits.
See the full day-by-day itineraryDay 1
Antananarivo
Arrival and MDCBridge briefing
Start the journey with a question: how do you read a territory? Welcome, check-in, and an introduction to the corridor map, the main geological and ecological units, and the field rules.
Day 2
Antsiranana, Nosy Lonjo and the Three Bays
Coastal geomorphology and land-sea interfaces
Flight to Antsiranana. A panoramic reading of the bay, then a coastal circuit to the Three Bays, Orangea and Ramena, conditions permitting.
Day 3
Emerald Sea
From turquoise scenery to reef system
Boat trip from Ramena, weather permitting. Observing lagoons, reefs, sandbanks, fishing practices and coastal dynamics.
Day 4
Amber Mountain
Volcanism, water and rainforest
A day in Amber Mountain National Park with a local guide. Crater lakes, waterfalls, volcanic relief and rainforest become an outdoor classroom.
Day 5
Red Tsingy and Analamerana
Erosion makes the landscape
Drive to the Red Tsingy, then, permits and timing allowing, a sequence around Analamerana.
Day 6
Ankarana
Karst, caves and underground hydrology
Guided exploration of the Ankarana Special Reserve: tsingy, canyons, sinks, caves and dry forest.
Day 7
Ambilobe, Betsiaka and Babano
Mineral resources, territory and value chains
Into the Ambilobe pilot area: gold geology and artisanal supply chains, in compliance with permits and safety rules.
Day 8
Lower Mahavavy
From geology to how the territory produces
A cross-cutting day on water, agriculture, infrastructure and value chains around the lower Mahavavy.
Day 9
Ambilobe – Daraina via the RN5A
New domain, new landscape
The road becomes a scientific transect through changes in relief, vegetation and land use.
Day 10
Loky-Manambato
Biodiversity, micro-endemism and pressures
Immersion in the Loky-Manambato Protected Harmonious Landscape with local guides.
Day 11
Daraina, Bemarivo Domain
A Neoproterozoic arc and its metallogeny
A geoscience day around Daraina, outside restricted zones and under land, mining and environmental permits.
Day 12
Vohémar / Iharana
Geology, coastline and Rasikajy heritage
Reading the coastline, the port and the geological setting, followed by a heritage and scientific archaeology sequence.
Day 13
Vohémar – Sambava
From bedrock to working landscape
Transfer to Sambava with landscape stops. An introduction to vanilla systems, villages and land-use change.
Day 14
Sambava
A global supply chain seen at local scale
A day on vanilla production, curing, quality and traceability, with local partners.
Day 15
Andapa
Water links mountain, rice field and town
Drive to Andapa and study of its agricultural basin.
Day 16
Marojejy or Anjanaharibe-Sud
Altitudinal gradients and rainforest research
A day, or the start of a forest module, depending on fitness, access and schedule.
Day 17
Sambava – Nosy Be
Reconnecting the North’s two coasts
Back to Sambava, then a flight or combined transfer to the western arc, depending on confirmed flights.
Day 18
Nosy Be, Lokobe
A land-sea synthesis to close
Final sequence in Nosy Be: Lokobe or a marine site depending on the program, then departure or an extra night depending on flights.
Let’s plan your crossing
Tell us who you are and what you want to understand. We will build the program, schedule and quote with you.
- contact@mdcbridge.mg
- Ground partner
- sifaka-voyages.com