96 entries.
Peter Schmidt
wrote on 07.03.2018
at
14:03
Dear Klaus and team, unforgettable 2 weeks are behind me and "Hänschen". From the pickup at night in Tana by Aina, to the brilliant tasting, the always cool beer, the wonderful in-house massage team, the challenging and creatively designed tour to... Read more
Dear Klaus and team, unforgettable 2 weeks are behind me and "Hänschen". From the pickup at night in Tana by Aina, to the brilliant tasting, the always cool beer, the wonderful in-house massage team, the challenging and creatively designed tour to the highlight of organizing a Honda Africa Twin (via Francois), with which I could thunder almost 2000 km detached through the country. I only say -still overloaded by the millions of impressions that still need to be processed: WOW!
Greet me please both Ainas
Peter from Mannheim
who is looking forward to your visit, the R 90 S should be ready by then...... Collapse
Nicole
wrote on 21.02.2018
at
10:19
I would like to thank you for the fantastic excursion. We were able to spend a wonderful and super organized day with the "little holy man". He made it super and led us with wit and charm through the day. This day... Read more
I would like to thank you for the fantastic excursion. We were able to spend a wonderful and super organized day with the "little holy man". He did it super and led us with wit and charm through the day. This day was my absolute highlight of our cruise and will remain in my memory for a long time.
The food was top notch and the places shown (especially the Lokobe National Park) uniquely beautiful.
Thank you very much and keep up the good work!... Collapse
Conny and Marco
wrote on 10.12.2017
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20:15
Dear Klaus, thank you very much for the excellently planned trip through Madagascar and the well chosen hotels. We were surprised by the diversity of the landscape and touched by the friendliness of the people. Tojo is a great driver, who even after the... Read more
Dear Klaus, thank you very much for the excellently planned trip through Madagascar and the well chosen hotels. We were surprised by the diversity of the landscape and touched by the friendliness of the people. Tojo is a great driver who was highly focused even after the most strenuous long distance drives and saved the lives of dozens of animals on the road. And Hasina is a lovely guide who speaks excellent German and gave us many interesting insights into life in Madagascar. We always felt in good hands with the two of them and in the great car, even when the road got adventurous.
We just watched our vacation video and would love to go again right away. Madagascar offers even more to discover according to your stories... We hope that we can still try it out!
Many greetings, Conny and Marco... Collapse
Petra
wrote on 02.12.2017
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11:14
Dear Klaus, how many times on our trip we said "it is wonderful and impossible to describe. No photo in the world can describe the beauty and the feeling of being a guest on this island". Even if our trip was "only" 14... Read more
Dear Klaus,
how often did we say on our trip "it is wonderful and impossible to describe. No photo in the world can describe the beauty and the feeling of being a guest on this island".
Even though our trip lasted "only" 14 days, we took away an extraordinary amount of impressions.
Our tour took us from Antananarivo, Antsirabe to Ranomafana, Manakara and finally to Tulear.
The extremely warm welcome from Aina and then from you and your team at Villa Sibylle immediately immersed us in the Malagasy way of life. Aina has become a friend to us. He always knew the right answer - only when we had a flat tire, we could finally support him.
Whenever Aina saw things on the side of the road that could interest us, he stopped his extremely comfortable car and told us interesting things about people, plants and animals. It is priceless to explore Madagascar with a local!
We were especially happy about the contact with the people! Although the poverty, especially of the youngest, was very touching to our hearts, we go home with a good feeling to have helped at least a little.
We would also like to emphasize the selection of the accommodations, which you, Klaus, have made excellently. Excellent food, friendly people - every time we had to leave the place again, a drop of bitterness.
This was surely only the beginning of an intimate friendship to Madagascar, its people, animals and plants - we will come again!
Petra and Joachim from Linz/Austria... Collapse
Heike and Hans Scheub
wrote on 14.11.2017
at
07:59
Dear Klaus! After an almost horror trip with the Malagasy agency Madagascar Natural Tour, you and Jessi were the salvation when you picked us stranded at the airport in Antanarivo and gave us still in the last remaining week a beautiful... Read more
Dear Klaus!
After an almost horror trip with the Malagasy agency Madagascar Natural Tour, you and Jessi were the salvation when you picked us stranded at the airport in Antanarivo and showed us a beautiful piece of Madagascar in the last remaining week. Through your efforts, dear Klaus, we were able to spend a fantastic week at short notice at Toliara in the Eden Ecco Lodge. Many thanks also for the days with you, your hospitality, the good food and the day with you through Antanarivo, which showed us the hopeful Tana with dedicated projects. With a piece of Madagascar in our hearts we returned to the cold Alb in minus temperatures.
Best regards for another time
Heike and Hans... Collapse
Karin
wrote on 01.11.2017
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17:55
Dear Klaus, dear Jessi, dear Steffi and Mama, back in our home country, we greet you all very warmly. We are full of incredibly beautiful impressions from our trip via Antsirabe, Ranomafana, Anja Park, Isalo Rock, Ilakaka, Tulear and coast. Klaus, thank you very much... Read more
Dear Klaus, dear Jessi, dear Steffi and Mom,
back in our home country, we greet you all very warmly. We are full of incredibly beautiful impressions from our trip via Antsirabe, Ranomafana, Anja Park, Isalo Rock, Ilakaka, Tulear and coast. Klaus, thank you so much for the excellent planning of our trip. Everything was so uncomplicated. We were well looked after and really had the very best driver.
Dear Mamy, with you we spent the tour together, learned soooo much about Madagascar, as we have not learned during the whole school time in geography, history and everyday life. You enabled us to visit markets and artisans, we even had a meeting with the famous photographer Pierrot Men, you took us on walks through nature to the spice trees, showed us calicoes and chameleons. And all that without the designated tourist paths. It was just beautiful. Even during our two-day stay in the hospital in Antsirabe we were very well taken care of. Mamy, thank you very much for our great tour.
Many love greetings from Karin and Renate... Collapse
Benno and Gabi Rothmann
wrote on 01.09.2017
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15:52
Dear Klaus, dear Nicole. We were from 1.8. to 19.8. in Madagascar and only now it is possible to see the days there with distance. We had a beautiful and exciting time. With our companion Tina and the driver Mamy... Read more
Dear Klaus, dear Nicole.
We were from 1.8. to 19.8. in Madagascar and only now it is possible to see the days there with distance. We had a beautiful and exciting time. With our companion Tina and the driver Mamy we had people with a lot of empathy who brought us closer to the country. We thank you for the organization and the unforgettable days.
Benno and Gabi Rothmann... Collapse
Kitti and Levente
wrote on 29.08.2017
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13:53
Dear Nicole and Klaus and Aina, thank you for the excellent planning the trip was TOP! Thanks to your help we could spend 20 unique days in Madagascar. The stages are well planned, the accommodations are nice and clean. Aina, our driver,... Read more
Dear Nicole and Klaus and Aina,
Thank you for the excellent planning the trip was TOP! Thanks to your help we could spend 20 unique days in Madagascar. The stages are well planned, the accommodations are nice and clean. Aina, our driver, was more than a driver. He was super friendly, very attentive, told a lot about Madagascar and brought the culture of the island closer to us. The absolute highlight for us was the Andringitra trek and bike ride near Antsirabe. Once again many many thanks for the planning! Too bad we could not meet more in the end. Love from Hungary Kitti and Levente... Collapse
Clara
wrote on 17.08.2017
at
21:46
Vacation on Madagascar? Anytime again and only with Nicole and Klaus! Great organization, quick feedback and lovely people you meet on the spot. Even before the vacation I was thrilled with the organization, because all my inquiries and "extra wishes" were... Read more
Vacation on Madagascar? Anytime again and only with Nicole and Klaus! Great organization, quick feedback and lovely people you meet on the spot.
Even before the vacation I was enthusiastic about the organization, because all my inquiries and "extra wishes" were integrated into the planning. As soon as I wrote an email to Klaus, whether because of changed flight times or questions about vaccinations, I got an answer immediately - even on the weekend!
I also asked for alternative offers. These reached me when our trip was already completely planned and confirmed with Klaus and they were (fortunately) significantly higher. That already showed me that we are at the right address.
Thanks to Nicole and Klaus I spent a really great vacation on Madagascar with my family. It's not easy to please everyone in my family, because we have very different interests; from kite surfing to crime reading to computer games, everything is there. But everyone got their money's worth and even my little brother admitted in the end that he enjoyed it.
We did a three-week tour of the south with Hery the driver. For us Hery was the perfect guide; he always took good care of us and impressed us a lot with his great knowledge of the country and its people.
The trip was so well organized that it was never boring. We saw many different places and also had the opportunity to get an impression of life in Madagascar by visiting, for example, a "local market", a family that wove cloth and a blacksmith shop. We also saw how small toys are handmade and how zebu horn is processed.
At the same time, during our vacation we were also able to discover the diversity of flora and fauna! We visited great national parks and saw lemurs, chameleons, crocodiles, birds and much more. At the same time we always stayed in good accommodation.
For me, the vacation was really enriching, because I saw and learned a lot.
It is certain that we will visit the north of the country sometime and then book our trip again and only through Nicole and Klaus!
Clara... Collapse
Katja and Rolf
wrote on 14.08.2017
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10:39
We were guests in June 2017 for three and a half weeks on Madagascar. A trip that impressed us very much but at times somewhat depressed, but even today is difficult to describe ... actually you have to experience it yourself! Madagascar is... Read more
We were guests in June 2017 for three and a half weeks on Madagascar. A trip that impressed us very much but at times somewhat depressed, but even today is difficult to describe ... actually you have to experience it yourself! Madagascar is simply different. Already the way of "being on the road" with a rental car plus driver was absolutely new for us. The organization of the trip including hotel reservations and determination of the route we have taken over ourselves. We spent the first days in Tana with Klaus and Nicole and already learned a lot in many conversations and got valuable tips. Thanks to Tojo, who accompanied us the first two days, we were safely driven through the very chaotic Tana. Thank you for your patience!
Then we met Aina, our companion for the next three weeks. You could say "love at first sight". In a nutshell: He opened up a world for us and gave us access which would never have been possible without him. Thanks to his cordiality, his attention and especially his humor we experienced a fantastic and unforgettable time together. He was not just a driver for us, but someone with whom we experienced a journey together. We will never forget the visit to Father Pedro on Pentecost Sunday, where thousands of Madagascans sang and danced. The hours at and with the lemurs at Kimony Resort in Morondava were so much fun. Patiently Aina accompanied us during the evening photo sessions in the sunset for example in the Baobab avenue and together we enjoyed many a Malagasy specialty in "restaurants" ... admittedly, we would not have had the idea to go there to eat without him. Often with family contact, always super tasty and everything well tolerated! Definitely a highlight was meeting his wife and newborn son. Thank you Aina for your trust and we are always happy to help!
Eden Lodge in the very south is an oasis of calm, we had super fun with all the people there. Thank you for the evening boules and the great excursions.
It is still important for us to mention: We completely used the 46 kilos of free luggage per person and took many donations (pens, paper, bandages, etc.). Those traveling towards Toliara should collect and fill all water bottles ... the people are happy about it. This tip was valuable, even if the experience was not easy to process. Without Aina's help we would never have been able to distribute the donations so easily and also in a targeted manner.
The farewell at the airport was not easy for us and we said goodbye to a friend.
Klaus and Nicole, thank you very much for your support and patiently answering all our questions in advance and on site. The days with you in Tana were very nice and your cuisine was great. We would especially like to thank Aina, who made the trip a very special one. The impressions gained on the island are definitely very sustainable for us. We will come again!
Rolf and Katja from Wiesbaden... Collapse
Yasmin
wrote on 06.08.2017
at
21:37
I made an excellent choice with Konnerths as my travel consultant. The personal requests were immediately implemented. The hotels booked and the personal driver were super. On arrival, meeting the Konnerths personally and at dinner the exchange with... Read more
I made an excellent choice with Konnerths as my travel consultant. The personal requests were immediately implemented. The hotels booked and the personal driver were super.
On arrival, meeting the Konnerths personally and at dinner the exchange with other guests was very great. Through Aina, a Michael Schumacher fan, I was able to relax well in the car (CH import 4x4) and thus devote attention to the country and people. Since Aina grew up in a village, he could tell well about their everyday life and knew about many things. The variety of fruits and vegetables growing on the fertile soil amazed me and I miss it very much. But the daily life is very hard because there are no tools like machines and everything has to be done by hand.... Collapse
Angela and Uwe
wrote on 03.08.2017
at
10:38
We were in Madagascar for two weeks at the beginning of July and spent a wonderful vacation there. Looking for a tour operator, we found via the Internet the contact to Klaus and Nicole, who took into account our wishes and put together a great trip.... Read more
We were in Madagascar for two weeks at the beginning of July and spent a wonderful vacation there. In search of a tour operator, we found via the Internet the contact to Klaus and Nicole, who took our wishes into account and put together a great trip. We drove from the capital in stages to the east to Manakara and then crossed the country to Tulear. We liked the route, the selected visits and the accommodations very much. A big part was played by our driver and guide Aina. Through Aina we learned a lot about the country and its people. We felt very comfortable and can highly recommend Mr. and Mrs. Konnerth and our guide for everyone who wants to get to know Madagascar.
The vacation is enriching if you are willing to get involved with the country, its people and their often very original, with our standards considered very poor way of life. One looks at one's own everyday life with its often prosperity problems then with some distance..... Collapse
juergen marshal
wrote on 24.07.2017
at
09:11
We were in Madagascar from the end of May to mid June 2017, 2 weeks on the road with driver Hery and then another week at Eden Eco Lodge on the west coast. It was an unforgettable trip, varied, nice people, great landscapes.... Read more
We were in Madagascar from the end of May to mid-June 2017, 2 weeks on the road with driver Hery and then another week at Eden Eco Lodge on the west coast. It was an unforgettable trip, varied, nice people, great landscapes. Whereby our guide Hery did an excellent job of introducing us to the people, history and nature of the island. So we could really get insights into the life of the people, which we would never have gotten otherwise. Also the accommodations and travel stages were well chosen, although it must be noted that there were problems with water and electricity in some places, you just have to accept in such a country. So full recommendation for the organization by Klaus !
However, many findings about this country are also quite frustrating, because behind the picturesque scenery and the nice friendly people you have to realize that here is a country heading for ecological disaster without doing anything against it in any way. The landscape is eroding due to rampant agriculture, the lagoons are being fished dry, the population is exploding, 80% can neither read and write, nor do they have access to clean water or even electricity. Modernization measures fail because of a corrupt government and old customs that lead people to accept nothing that is different from what their ancestors would have done.
After the trip I had caught a maleria, we had renounced prophylaxis and were perhaps sometimes too careless with insect repellent. It was wintertime with relatively low malaria risk, the disease is curable with modern medicine (luckily it broke out after the trip home - my wife was lucky, I got it). But still the urgent recommendation not to underestimate the risks in such a country.... Collapse
Olga Kuchar
wrote on 13.06.2017
at
19:26
DEAR KLAUS ; DEAR NICOL... MY TRIP IN MADAGASCAR ( ONLY CAR AND DRIVER ) WAS REALLY GREAT FOR ME . IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER .THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND WISH YOU MANY GUESTS WHO ALSO THROUGH... Read more
DEAR KLAUS ; DEAR NICOL... MY TRIP IN MADAGASCAR ( ONLY CAR AND DRIVER ) WAS REALLY GREAT FOR ME . IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER . THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND WISH YOU MANY GUESTS WHO CAN ALSO EXPERIENCE AN UNFORGETTABLE VACATION THROUGH YOU .
I HAD WITH ADAFI A VERY VERY GOOD AND DEAR DRIVER, WHO IS COMPLETELY RESPONSIVE TO MY WISHES. I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT MADAGASCAR FOR SURE IF IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ME AGAIN ....
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE GOOD CARE AND OUR PHONE CALLS ...
I WILL RECOMMEND YOU TO MY FRIENDS ...
LOVE FROM STYRIA OLGA... Collapse
Regina and Dieter
wrote on 11.06.2017
at
14:24
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus, we were in April 2017 almost four weeks on the road in Madagascar. The trip was perfectly planned from start to finish. Even a canceled domestic flight could not throw the well thought out planning. Our individual wishes to fulfill... Read more
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus,
we were in April 2017 almost four weeks on the road in Madagascar. The trip was perfectly planned from start to finish. Even a canceled domestic flight could not throw the well thought out planning. It was a matter of course for you to fulfill our individual wishes. The trekking in the Andringitra mountains was a special highlight of our vacation.
With Aina we had an extremely competent and good driver and travel companion. He was always there for us and showed us the Malagasy fauna and flora as well as culture and habits.
Madagascar was for us a great experience that we could enjoy without stress. The stages we covered were excellently organized by Klaus and at the end of each day we found a pleasant place to stay. We also enjoyed our stay at Villa Sybille upon arrival and before our flight home, we immediately felt like among friends.
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus, dear Aina
thank you very much for the wonderful time we were allowed to spend in Madagascar, it was a very great vacation.... Collapse
Beat Meier
wrote on 08.05.2017
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13:43
To see and experience Madagascar I can only recommend. The landscape is varied and very beautiful, the flora and the animals are fascinating and the population is very friendly. But you need to be adventurous, because the roads are bad... Read more
To see and experience Madagascar I can only recommend. The landscape is varied and very beautiful, the flora and the animals are fascinating and the population is very friendly. But you need to be adventurous, because the roads are bad and the distances are long. Although my wife speaks French as her mother tongue, communication with the local population was sometimes difficult. Fortunately we had a very sympathetic driver (and on the off-road sections also a mechanic) with us, so that unforeseen problems could be solved without any problems in the end. Without good travel planning by an experienced Madagascar tour guide, however, one would certainly lose a lot of time, miss highlights and hardly find the right accommodations. Thanks to the reserve planned by Klaus, we also did not miss our return flight to Switzerland, despite a cancelled domestic flight.
Klaus and Nicole really organized our trip excellently. Even special wishes, e.g. we wanted to drive ourselves on the off-road routes, they were able to implement. Once again, many thanks.... Collapse
Christian Mütterthies
wrote on 27.04.2017
at
09:19
Hello Now I am back from my fourth trip to Madagascar. In the course of it, I was able to try out all sorts of organizational variants. In the beginning, I was traveling without any planning in which I simply got a car at the... Read more
Hello
Now I am back from my fourth trip to Madagascar. In the course of it, I was able to try out all sorts of organizational variants. At the beginning I was on the road without any planning by simply looking for a R4 with driver at the airport. Then I booked a rental car with driver from Germany and on the third tour I was on the road with a local travel company based in Tana. All these variants had a huge disadvantage that I can now only after I work with Klaus properly estimate. I just wasted time on the first trips looking for hotels, booking ferries, booking guides ....... Klaus takes care of all this for 100%. Also the driver Klaus arranged was anything but a driver. He is rather a travel companion who is available at any time to help and on the spot can regulate much, if not everything. Even things like the visit to the mines of Ilakaka where all other drivers say "that's not possible" Klaus has simply organized in between.
With the first 3 tours I had no idea what dimensions a Madagascar trip can have if it is organized by a Madagascar expert.
As far as the organization and planning of Klaus is concerned, I can only say "hats off". It is anything but easy in Madagascar to plan everything so that there are no problems on the ground. I had to experience that in the past. Klaus has organized everything perfectly. We were on a 4-day trekking tour through the Andringitra. Porters, guides and a cook were organized. Klaus also arranged the locations like Ilakaka, Andasibe and the salt lake in the south perfectly. The hotels were all booked according to our wishes. In this case even with occupancy of 3 persons in a bungalow or room. I also found the possibility to spend the first and last night before and after the flights in Klaus' own guest house very pleasant. The Villa Sibylle is a TOP bungalow facility that leaves nothing to be desired and invites you to stay.
Also for me as a photographer was really everything done in the hand of "Urlaub-auf-Madagaskar". The driver himself was ready from sunrise to sunset. We could stop at any time at different places to take pictures and the guides were obliged to fulfill our wishes. So again a big THANK YOU to Klaus and his team.
So in short. IT WAS ALL PERFECT.
There will follow some reports about the trip. Also with pictures. Just have a look here.
https://www.facebook.com/Mutterthiesfotografie/
Christian Mütterthies... Collapse
Christian Steer
wrote on 13.04.2017
at
15:46
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus, unfortunately we were not able to meet in person this year. And unfortunately our Madagascar trip had to be cancelled at very short notice. But one thing at a time: I have for the Easter vacations 2017 a car plus driver about... Read more
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus,
unfortunately we could not meet in person this year. And unfortunately our Madagascar trip had to be cancelled at very short notice.
But one thing at a time: I booked a car together with a driver through Klaus for the Easter vacations 2017, nothing more. The further course of the trip should be decided - as we actually always do - day by day at breakfast. We, that is my wife and I and our two 5- and 8-year-old children.
The suitcases were already packed, the cab to the Munich airport already ordered, the boarding passes already printed out, but when the alarm clock rang on the day of arrival, the fever thermometer already showed almost 40 degrees for me. As much as we had been looking forward to Madagascar, there was not much to weigh. The trip had to be cancelled. A little later, a doctor diagnosed me with influenza, the "real" flu. So the decision to cancel was the right one. Influenza is not something to joke about and traveling is not even a possibility.
The disappointment was now large and also the financial damage very annoying. I have never taken out travel cancellation insurance (in the long term, you pay on average, or what else do they earn their money with?) So also the flight costs for four people plus the prepaid rent for the car and the salary for the driver were gone.
I thought. But then Klaus offered to refund the money completely. There were no concrete agreements for this case, no written contract, no general terms and conditions or anything like that. In any case, I had already chalked the money up to "bad luck" for me and would never have asked Klaus about it. But he offered me the refund without being asked. To the last cent. Very, very fair. I wanted to get rid of that here in the guestbook.
If anyone is still interested in how the story (probably) will continue: We want to make up the trip Easter 2018, and I have now agreed with Klaus that he keeps the money as a Be- or deposit for the next attempt. Runs with him everything very unbureaucratic, very fair! By the way, a considerable part of the flight costs should also be returned. What many travelers do not know: Many surcharges such as airport fees and certain taxes must refund the airline even without travel cancellation insurance if the passenger does not take the flight, because in this case the airline itself is also not burdened with these costs.
We are already looking forward to making up for the unfortunate missed trip next year!
Sandra and Christian with Helena and Alexander... Collapse
Alexander Krueger
wrote on 03.04.2017
at
16:40
Dear Klaus, we were in Madagascar from 4-18 March. We already knew before where we wanted to go. Due to the chosen travel time and the character of the trip (natural science oriented), we have also booked on your recommendation a 4x4 with driver.... Read more
Dear Klaus, we were in Madagascar from 4-18 March. We already knew before where we wanted to go. Due to the chosen travel time and the character of the trip (natural science oriented), we have also booked on your recommendation a 4x4 with driver. That was absolutely the right decision, because your driver ADAFI was not only a very careful and nevertheless fast driver, but has also supported us with words and deeds. He has even shown surprisingly good knowledge in the local flora and fauna, which went far beyond the normal level! Also the car was absolutely TOP! Problems with travel changes due to the cyclone, we were able to solve together quickly and we have also otherwise felt very comfortable and befriended. Adafi's humor also contributed to an extremely pleasant atmosphere, so we could cover the long and sometimes stressful long distances relaxed. I can highly recommend him and thank him - also in the name of my son (who is currently back in Australia) - for the wonderful trip! Alexander... Collapse
Gitte and Pit Kern
wrote on 27.02.2017
at
17:26
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus, we were on the road with you for three weeks in October 2016. It was a long-standing desire of us to visit this island and we were able to plan and compile our route with you for a long time. It was an unforgettable... Read more
Dear Nicole, dear Klaus, we were on the road with you for three weeks in October 2016. It was a long-standing desire of us to visit this island and we were able to plan and compile our route with you for a long time. It was an unforgettable experience how you brought us closer to the country and its people. We were also very impressed by your social projects. Keep up the good work. Other highlights for us were the parks we visited. We especially liked the Anja Park and the Lemur Forest Camp. There we could observe the different species of lemurs in their natural habitats.
You planned our vacation well and everything worked out, which, as we have often seen, is not a matter of course in Madagascar. The accommodations and the food were very good. Great praise also goes to our driver Adafi, who always brought us safely through the not always well maintained road network.
Our vacation with you was just a dream and we hope to come back soon to explore more of the island with you. Thank you very much for everything, Brigitte and Pit... Collapse