Madagascar and Seychelles: Natural Treasures of the Indian Ocean – with Smithsonian Journeys

Rest up from your flight to Mauritius before continuing with your Indian Ocean experience.

Day 1 — Port Louis, Mauritius

Arrive at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Port Louis, where you will be met and transferred to the Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa on Mauritius's south coast. Check into your room immediately upon arrival and spend the balance of the day at leisure enjoying the resort's many amenities.

Dinner this evening is at the hotel.

Day 2 — Port Louis / Nosy Be, Madagascar

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by time at leisure to enjoy the resort until you transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Nosy Be and embarkation on Le Bougainville.

Your hotel:

Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa is a 4-star plus retreat located on a private peninsula on Mauritius's south coast, minutes from the airport. Amid a tropical setting of turquoise waters and lush gardens, the resort offers a blend of natural beauty, land and sea activities, and world-class amenities. The property features spacious rooms designed for comfort and relaxation, three private beaches, water sports, a fitness center and spa, and a variety of restaurants and bars.

Your program includes:

·        1 night at the Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa, with immediate morning check in.

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the airport to the hotel on the scheduled arrival day

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the hotel to the airport on Day 2

·        Breakfast on Day 2

·        Dinner on Day 1

·        Local English-speaking guide

·        Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

·        Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program departure day.

·        Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program.

Please note:

·        It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the airport to the hotel.

·        An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.

·        The official currency is the Mauritian Rupee. Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.

·        This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or transfers.

·        Program is offered on a space available basis.

·        Program is subject to change without notice.

Hotel contact information:

Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa

Blue Bay

Le Chaland 51510

Mauritius

Telephone: +230 603 4100

What better way to begin your Indian Ocean experience than with four days at a luxury resort on the island of Mauritius?

Day 1 — Port Louis, Mauritius | Anahita Golf & Spa Resort

Arrive at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Port Louis, where you will be met and transferred to the 5-star Anahita Golf & Spa Resort on Mauritius's east coast. Check in to your Junior Suite and spend the balance of the day at leisure enjoying the resort's many amenities. Dinner this evening is at the hotel.

Day 2 — Anahita Golf & Spa Resort

Today is a full day of relaxation at the resort, with a variety of activities to choose from. The resort's location, opposite the renowned Île aux Cerfs, provides guests with exclusive beach access and a variety of water sports activities. The wellness center offers a serene spa experience, complemented by a state-of-the-art fitness center and two outdoor pools. Guests can also enjoy tennis, cycling, and water sports.

Golf enthusiasts have access to two championship 18-hole courses, including one designed by Ernie Els (additional cost). Dinner is at the hotel.

Day 3 — Anahita Golf & Spa Resort

After breakfast, travel to Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, one of the oldest botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere. Established in 1770, the garden is renowned for its diverse collection of indigenous and exotic plants, including Gainat Water Lilies, Spices and Palms.

Continue to the iconic Château de Labourdonnais, a beautifully restored colonial mansion in the north of Mauritius. This Neoclassical home from the mid-19th century is one of the island's most important heritage sites. Begin your visit at the onsite rum distillery with a tour and tasting, followed by exploration of the Château itself. Set amid orchards and lush gardens, the elegant house is furnished with period pieces and gives a vivid sense of colonial life, with exhibits ranging from antique furniture to old kitchen tools and family portraits. Enjoy lunch at the Château before returning to your hotel.

The balance of the day is at leisure, with dinner at the hotel

Day 4 — Anahita Golf & Spa Resort | Nosy Be | Embarkation

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by time at leisure to enjoy the resort until you transfer to Port Louis for your charter flight to Nosy Be and embarkation on Le Bougainville.

Your hotel:

Anahita Golf & Spa Resort is a luxurious 5-star retreat located in Beau Champ on Mauritius's tranquil east coast. Spanning over 525 acres of lush tropical gardens, the resort offers a blend of elegance, natural beauty, and world-class amenities. The property features spacious suites and villas, each designed for comfort and privacy. Accommodations include a kitchenette, cozy living area, and a veranda with seating overlooking the gardens and golf courses.

Your program includes:

·        3 nights at the Anahita Golf & Spa Resort, accommodations in a Junior Suite

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the airport to the hotel on the scheduled arrival day

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the hotel to the airport and from airport to ship on Day 4

·        Breakfast on Days 2, 3, and 4

·        Lunch on Day 3

·        Dinner on Days 1, 2, and 3

·        Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary

·        Local English-speaking guide

·        Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

·        Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program departure day.

·        Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program.

Please note:

·        It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the airport to the hotel.

·        Hotel check in time is at 2:00pm.

·        An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.

·        The official currency is the Mauritian Rupee. Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.

·        This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.

·        Program is offered on a space available basis.

·        Program is subject to change without notice.

Hotel contact information:

Anahita Golf & Spa Resort

Beau Champ

Grande Riviere Sud Est

Mauritius

Telephone: +230 402 2200

Extend your time in the magical world of the Seychelles with this three-day post cruise program based at the luxurious Kempinski Seychelles Resort Baie Lazare. Combine exploration of Mahé's history with time to enjoy the amenities of this 5-star property.

Day 1 — Disembark | Mahé

After breakfast aboard, disembark and immerse yourself in the history, both natural and cultural, of this largest island in the Seychelles Archipelago. Travel first to the National Botanical Gardens, boasting over 280 plant species, from endemics to ornamentals. Begun as an agricultural research station in 1901, it has been transformed into a Public Park and is now among the most visited conservation sites in the country. Highlights include Coco de Mer plants and Thai and Chinese Gardens.

Continue to Victoria, capital of the Seychelles, where a guided tour passes several of the city's historical landmarks—the Clock Tower, a memorial to Queen Victoria; the 1892 Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; and a modern (1992) Hindu Temple, dedicated to Ganesh. The tour ends at the bustling local market, where you will have some time at leisure to browse the stalls. Leaving Victoria, drive into the island's interior to the hilltop vantage point of Mission Lodge, with perhaps the grandest vista on Mahe. The site of a 19th-century school for the children of freed slaves, it has been partially restored by the government and submitted for consideration as a UNESCO Heritage Site.

After your visit at the mission, travel south along the west coast of the island to the Cap Lazare Nature Reserve, where you will have lunch, followed by time at leisure to explore the area's unique flora and fauna, including a group of Giant Land Tortoises. Later in the afternoon transfer to the nearby Kempinski Seychelles Resort, your home for the next two nights. Dinner is at the hotel.

Day 2 — Mahé

After breakfast, the morning begins with a visit to Jardin du Roi, a picturesque 85-acre plantation located in the valley of South Mahé. This working plantation produces a wide variety of spice plants, tropical fruit trees, essential oil plants, and endemic palms. Follow your guide along trails through the rainforest plantation, hand feed the giant tortoises, sample exotic fruits, and note the tropical birds and fruit bats that abound.

Continue to La Plaine St. André, a colonial-era sugar plantation that is home to the Takamaka Rum Distillery. A tour of the site includes an explanation of the entire production process from extracting the sugarcane juice through fermentation and distillation and ends with a tasting of the island's award-winning rum.

Return the hotel, where the balance of the day is at leisure to enjoy the many amenities of your 5-star resort. Dinner is at the hotel.

Day 3 — Mahé | Depart

Today is entirely at leisure for you to take advantage of all that the resort has to offer—book an appointment at the spa; get some exercise in the fitness center; try your hand at snorkeling, kayaking, or paddleboarding; lounge at the beach or poolside—the list is not endless, but it is long.

Dinner is at the hotel. You will have access to your room until you transfer to the airport for evening flights homeward.

Your hotel:

Located on the southwest coast of Mahé Island, nestled between the slopes of Mount Kempinski and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, The Kempinski Seychelles Resort features 148 elegantly appointed rooms and suites. All accommodations include private balconies or terraces, air conditioning, satellite TV, iPod docking stations, tea-and-coffee-making facilities, and minibars. Four restaurants offer a choice of cuisine and ambience. The amenities and activities available range include a wellness spa, fitness center, and pool, as well as a wide variety of water sports and land activities.

Your program includes:

·        2 nights at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort with late check out on Day 3

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the pier to the hotel on disembarkation day

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the hotel to the airport on Day 3

·        Breakfast on Days 2 and 3

·        Lunch on Day 1

·        Dinner on Days 1, 2, and 3

·        Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary

·        Local English-speaking guide

·        Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

·        Transfer from the hotel to the airport on any day other than the scheduled program departure day.

·        Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program.

Please note:

·        It is imperative that your flight departure details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the hotel to the airport.

·        An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.

·        The official currency is the Seychellois Rupee. Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants, as are Euros and US Dollars.

·        This post-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.

·        Program is offered on a space available basis.

·        Program is subject to change without notice.

Hotel contact information:

Kempinski Seychelles Resort

Baie Lazare

Mahé, Seychelles

Telephone: +248 438 6666