Madagascar Natural Tours Head office
Madagascar Natural Tours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $1,545 to $8,585 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Bruce | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Cannot Be Trusted At All
If you are seriously considering booking any tour with Madagascar Natural Tours, I would strongly recommend that you read this review before you do so.
We booked a 15-day birdwatching tour with Madagascar Natural Tours and started the booking process 9 months in advance.
On the Madagascar Natural Tours website, it showed all of what we were promised would be included in our tour, and Harilala,who is the owner of Madagascar Natural tours, confirmed all of the details.
However virtually every significant aspect of our tour that was promised to us was not provided to us,
We were promised and paid for a 15-day tour but we received only a 13- day tour. We had booked our flights to Madagascar about 6 months before our tour was scheduled to start. Then,one day prior to our scheduled flight to Madagascar, we received an urgent email stating that our flight had been canceled for safety reasons because of civil unrest and violent protests that were taking place in Madagascar. The airline also stated that they were not sure when they would resume flights. I contacted Harilala about this, and he assured me that it was still safe to come to Madagascar for our tour because we were not going to be in the places where the violent protests were taking place. I told him that most airlines had stopped flying to Madagascar and that the government of Madagascar had instituted night-time curfews so that only flights arriving in daytime hours could still land in Madagascar. I told him that I would look to see if there was any way we could still find a flight to Madagascar. Harilala told me to let him know if we could find a suitable flight and then he would try to change the hotel arrangements to reflect the new dates of arrival at each hotel. We were able to find a flight onEthiopian Airlines that would arrive a day and a half later than our original arrival flight and would arrive in the late afternoon. I gave this information to Harilala and he said he would check with all the hotels to make the changes necessary because our tour would be starting on a later date that was originally planned. I checked with Harilala on the following day and he told me that he had successfully changed all the booking dates for all of the hotels for all 15 days of our tour.
Then when we arrived at the Madagascar airport, we were met by someone who worked for Harilala and rushed to a vehicle, Then Harilala showed up briefly to introduce us to a driver who did not speak English and also to a supposed “full-time qualified birding guide”about whom Harilala told us was not really a birding guide, but that he would be with us anyway.Harilala then told us he had something else to do and ran off.
We then discovered that Harilala had not rescheduled any of our itinerary and hotel arrangements like he had told us he had done. He had decided on his own, without telling us or providing any explanation, that we were now starting on Day 3 of our tour itinerary instead of Day 1of our itinerary, Harilala had unilaterally eliminated the first 2 days of our 15-day tour without any advance notice or explanation, and without any recourse. This resulted in him taking away 2 days of our tour during which we would no longer have the opportunity to see the cultural and scenery sights, the birds and other wildlife that we had wanted to see.
We had been promised a comfortable airconditioned 4X4 vehicle for our tour, but what we got on our first day there was a beat-up van with a non-working air conditioner. When we complained about this, we were told that we would get the vehicle we had been promised in another 3 or 4 days. But the vehicle Harilala provided 4 days later was another older van (not a 4x4) which at least had a working air conditioner.
We were promised a full-time qualified birding guide that would be with us throughout our tour, but all we were given was a person who admittedly knew nothing about birds (who provided absolutely no relevant information regarding birds) and was with us for only the first 3 days days of our tour, After those first 3 days, we had no birding guide at all and had only a driver with us for the remainder of our tour. Considering that our tour promised that we would be stopping and trying to see birds as we traveled along from destination to destination, by not having a full-time qualified birding guide with us meant that we would miss out on seeing many species of birds that we should have seen, Keep in mind that Harilala had 9 full months from the time that we first paid a deposit for this tour to find and assign a qualified full-time birding guide to accompany us on this tour but he failed to do so.
We were promised that we would also have qualified local birding guides provided to us on 11 of the days of our tour, but the local guides that were provided were certainly not qualified to be birding guides. Except for 2 of them, the local birding guides that were chosen for us did not own or use binoculars. We have never met or heard of any legitimately qualified birding guide that did not own or use binoculars. Most of the local guides provided did not know the English names of the birds and had to repeatedly try looking up the names of the birds. They mis-identified the birds dozens of times. Two of the local guides did not speak understandable English. Incredibly, one of the local guides blatantly stated that he would not speak to us unless we bought lunch for him.
We were promised in our itinerary that all dinners and all breakfasts would be included in the price of our tour, but on 3 occasions when we checked in to our lodge or hotel, we were told that there was no record of these meals being included. On all 3 of these occasions, we had to ask them to contact Harilala to correct this so that our promised meals would be included. At the last hotel where we stayed, our reservation also had no record of meals being included. When they contacted Harilala about this, we were told by the hotel representative that Harilala deliberately chose the option where breakfast would be provided for only one of us, telling the hotel representative that the 2 of us could split the one breakfast. .
If you look at tour reports from other legitimate birding companies that offer birding tours in Madagascar that have followed the same itinerary as we did on our tour, you will find that a typical 2-week birding tour will result in seeing between 150-200 different bird species. On our tour, we only saw 102 different species. And the reason for that is because Hrilala, in addition to eliminating 2 days of our tour, failed to provide all the key elements that were promised to us, including a full-time qualified birding guide and truly qualified local birding guides.
Obviously, we tried again and again to contact Harilala about this. We made multiple telephone calls to Harilala, but he only answered one of them,and in that call ,he lied about many things. We sent many WhatsApp texts to him that were usually completely ignored, and if they were eventually answered, they were also full of lies and nonsensical explanations. For the last 3 days that we were in Madagascar, we repeatedly asked Harilala to meet with us in person to discuss what had transpired on our tour. He agreed to do so, and then on each of the next 3 days, he made us some excuse why he could show up.
Right after we returned home, we sent a detailed message to him explaining all the things that went wrong on our birding tour because of his failure to provide all that he had promised.We also requested a refund to make make up for the 2 days that he had eliminated form our tour and for not providing the full-time qualified birding guide that had been promised. Harilala said he would soon provide a response to this, and despite multiple further contacts with him over these last few months, he has never replied.
What makes this situation even worse is that Harilala could have warned us or told us in advance about these significant issues, but he never did. Harilala could have asked us if what he was doing would be acceptable, but he never did. Harilal could have offered us an explanation of why he made the choices he did about cutting short our tour and why the promised birding guides were not given to us, but he never did Harilala could have apologized to us for all these things, but he never did. Harilalla could have offered compensation or a refund for not providing what we had paid for, but he never did.
PLEASE BE WARNED: I would expect Harilala to respond to this review, and I expect that whatever he says will be the same kind of lies and fabrications that he has given to us. I believe that Hartilala is essentially a dishonest conman whose only goal is to make all the promises that you want to hear, then takes your money, and then fails to provide virtually anything that he promised,,
We would strongly suggest that you avoid booking any tour with Madagascar Natural Tours. There are many other tour providers in Madagascar that are honest and ethical and will deliver everything that they promise. Use one of them.
Reply from Madagascar Natural Tours
Posted on Jan 20, 2026We are genuinely sorry to read that this guest feels dissatisfied with their experience, and we regret that their perception of the tour differs so strongly from both the documented itinerary and the experience reported by the vast majority of our guests.
Madagascar Natural Tours has been operating for many years and has successfully organized hundreds of customized tours, including specialized birding itineraries, with consistently positive feedback from travelers, independent platforms, lodges, and professional guides. While we fully accept that no trip is ever perfect, we respectfully disagree with several statements made in this review and feel it is important to clarify a few key points for future travelers.
Tour duration and itinerary adjustments
The tour dates and number of nights were directly impacted by a last-minute international flight cancellation caused by external circumstances beyond our control. Alternative flights were found by the guests themselves, arriving significantly later than originally planned. As clearly explained at the time, adjustments were required to ensure the rest of the itinerary could still operate realistically and safely. At no point was there any intention to “remove” days arbitrarily, nor to withhold services that had been paid for.
Guides and birding expertise
Madagascar is internationally recognized for its highly skilled local nature and birding guides, many of whom work regularly with leading international birding companies. The guides assigned to this tour are experienced professionals who work with us repeatedly and receive excellent feedback.
Birding in Madagascar is highly location-specific and depends on season, weather, and field conditions. Species numbers vary greatly from one trip to another, even on identical itineraries, and no ethical operator can guarantee a fixed species count.
Vehicles and logistics
Vehicle assignments in Madagascar can occasionally require adjustment due to road conditions, availability, or safety considerations. Any temporary change was made to ensure continuity of the tour, and solutions were provided as quickly as possible.
Accommodation and meals
All accommodations were booked according to the confirmed agreement. Any occasional clarification needed at reception was resolved directly with the hotels, as is sometimes required in remote regions. At no point was there any instruction for guests to “share” meals, and we strongly reject this allegation.
Communication and follow-up
We acknowledge that communication during busy operational periods can sometimes be delayed, especially when multiple tours are running simultaneously in remote areas with limited network coverage. This is never intentional, and we regret if the guest felt insufficiently heard.
Madagascar Natural Tours is a licensed and locally established tour operator, working in close partnership with national parks, conservation organizations, lodges, and local communities. Our reputation has been built over many years through transparency, ethical practices, and genuine passion for Madagascar’s wildlife and people.
Out of hundreds of tours and reviews, this remains an isolated case, and we encourage future travelers to consider the overall body of feedback rather than a single experience.
We remain open to constructive dialogue and continuous improvement, and we thank all our guests—past and future—for placing their trust in us.
— Madagascar Natural Tours Management
Email Dylan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Strong communication, and knowledgeable guides provided an enjoyable trip
My partner and I went on a custom trip with Madagascar natural tours for most of the month of February, and despite it being the low season the itinerary was able to be flexible and enjoyable while working around a cyclone that hit during the beginning of the trip. I recommend being very direct if there are specific things you want to do that aren't included in an itinerary you're given. I also recommend if you want to get more off the beaten path that you are forthcoming with this to both Harilala, who created our itinerary and was very helpful communicating through the whole planning process, and with the guides you are assigned when you arrive.
There were two guides we had for different sections of the trip, Nambinina and Lala, and both were flexible and great conversationalists if you have cultural and wildlife questions to ask them. Their openness to conversation even on controversial topics made this trip really memorable as Madagascar has a very diverse and interesting cultures. At one point during the trip we asked to change hotels and both Madagascar natural tours and the guides were extremely accomodating and the move was convenient and had no difficulties. I definitely recommend Madagascar natural tours for those planning a custom small group trip to the island.
SG
Email TS | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgeable and caring tour company
The tour operator was responsive and provide good advice for our questions for our trip. The tour operator boss, Mr Harilala even came to the airport to meet us and introduced us to our driver. The drivers that was assigned were knowledgeable and good drivers. They are timely and helpful. The cost of the tour is reasonable for the number of days for the tour.
Email Aliks | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An excellent tour agent covering the whole of the island
Madagascar Natural Tours provided excellent support for our trip providing guides and transport in all regions of the island. I have no hesitation in recommending them for all types of trip, from seaside resort, to trekking, lemurs, birdwatching and more.
For everything that we asked for when planning our trip, they were flexible and helpful.
Email Lisa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good reliable operator providing a quality trip.
We travelled through Madagascar for 4 weeks with Madagascar Natural Tours. We enjoyed reliable and punctual service and had guides that were considerate of our preference to see wildlife in the National Parks. The roads are terrible, but our driver was always considerate of our comfort and tried to make it as smooth as possible.
Email Steve | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Tour Despite a few Hicoughs
Did a 15 day Safari Madagascar Birding & Wildlife Tour (in reverse from the advertised), which was excellent.
I'd say that the mark of a good tour operator is a getting things right and when they don't, having suitable backup. So when our car gave up, they got another one in to get us to our destination and found alternatives for the couple of days in Ranomafana. The final day though ended up with our first driver and car, which wasn't so great for travelling along Madagascar's poor roads. A good 4x4 would have been a lot better.
The tour itself was superb, great wildlife, stuning scenery, good guides working hard to find the best of the wildlife in the jungle and rain forrest.
Would throughly recommend.
IT
Email Alice | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
good service despite some problems
overall a good agency that was able to deal well with some problems such as the cancellation of a flight and the need to reorganize some stages of the tour. they were flexible in the choice and offered us the possibility of upgrading some hotels at the last minute. very good at managing the naturalistic part, less so when it came to making us visit the capital and surrounding areas, they need to structure the part regarding Tana better too, paying attention to the opening and closing times of the attraction (We happened to arrive in front of the monuments and find them closed, or to arrive on site and not have a guide). we had chosen to do a long drive which turned out to be even longer than expected as the organizer was not well informed about the state of the roads after the monsoons. overall I would recommend this agency, Harilala was very helpful and always reachable on whatsapp, he answered all our questions and also showed us his house before going to the airport.
Email Pete Stevens | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Two wildlife trips in Northern Madagascar
We arrived first for a day in Noisy Be and we're met at the dock straight off our cruise ship. The car was modern and in good condition and our driver was careful. Our guide Christian spoke good English and both Christian and our driver Jake new the wildlife and what we wanted to see. Arriving at our destination we walked through mangrove and across beach to Lokobe Reserve. All the way wildlife was picked out for us by our guides. We saw rare and endemic birds, Lemurs and several species of Chameleon and other reptiles. Great trip and delivered back to the port in time. Thanks.
The next trip was from Antiserenana to Amber Mountains NP. This matched up to the previous trip and this firm would be recomended.
An individually tailored adventure
From the start Harilala was a great contact, who created an itinerary that matched our wishes and needs.
Communication is quick and easy via email and WhatsApp and in very good English.
Overall we would absolutely recommend this local tour operator and we're grateful for their support even after the tour.
We booked a 2 week tour of wildlife and birding and saw lots of the endemic species, considering the season of course. Distances feel longer than they are due to road conditions, so take that into consideration.
In our experience it really isn't an issue to take things like physical ability, dietary requirements etc into consideration, as they adjust the itinerary to that.
We had Hoby and Des as our guide and driver and very much enjoyed the fun and knowledgeable team.
Email Mary Ann | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Harilala provided a wonderful experience to enjoy the national parks and preserves!
Harilala was wonderful to work with; responsive and clear in his communication. He had excellent staff driving me safely and guiding me in the national parks and preserves. I was a solo traveler!
I contracted his company based on the review of coworkers and I was not disappointed! He even designed my trip with a one week interruption for a medical mission trip I was on. During the medical mission I had to postpone resuming my tour because one day and he totally understood!
I saw a lot of animals and plants unique to Madagascar. My guides were not afraid to answer my questions so I could understand the culture and economy of Madagascar.
