The Airplane Factory and I have worked out provisional dates and routing for our Sling aircraft tour to Madagascar this July (24 Jul - 1 Aug). The 9-day adventure will take us in our 2-seater single engine airplane up the Mozambique coast from Durban to Vilankulos, a 5 hour flight, where we clear customs and immigation into Mozambique for the night. The next morning we fly west over the Mozambique Channel to Toliara International Airport in Madagascar. This is a scary thought, heading out to sea for the 4h 50 min flight over the ocean, bypassing Europa island en route... something I have never done before in a small plane. There should be a group of 4 - 6 aeroplanes flying together each with maritime safety equipment, liferafts etc on board in the event of engine trouble over the sea.
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| Our route from Durban over the Mozambique Channel to Madagascar |
After landing in Madagascar, we spend another 6 nights touring the east and west coast, taking in the Andasibe National Park, the island Ile St Marie, and Morondava famous for the Avenue of Baobabs.
We return to Vilanjulos again crossing the Mozambique channel. Some of the participating pilots will be coming from Johannesburg and Durban and the tour will be under the umbrella of The Airplane Factory, manufacturers of our fine aircraft based in Johannesburg, and whose directors have successfully completed two trips around the world in their Sling aircraft and two cross-Africa trips to the United States and Europe, proving the handing and endurance capabilities of their totally South African designed and built aircraft.
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| The "Avenue of Baobabs" near Morondava, Madagascar |
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| Lemurs in the Andasibe National Park, Madagascar |
Itinerary
The full itinerary for the trip can be downloaded off my skydrive at this link. Anyone wishing to join us should email me at slingfans@gmail.com although booking decisions for accommodation need to be made now as it is peak season then in Madagascar and Mozambique. Dave 083-7033329
Shorter route
An alternative shorter route for those not wishing to fly the full distances in Madagascar has also been provided for with the pilots of the respective groups meeting at Vilankulos to fly across the Mozambiique Channel together, then separating for a slightly different and shorter route within Madagascar. Enquire if you are interested in this option.
Places we will be staying at include : Vakona Forest Lodge, Andasibe, Zombie Cucumber, Vilankulos, Boraha Village, island Ile St Marie, possibly Le Jardin du Roy, Isalo National Park, Auberge de la Table, Toliara and Pallisandre Cote Ouest, Morondava.
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| The runway at the hotel Le Jardin du Roy |
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| The runway on the island Ile Sainte Marie, off Madagascar |
The Airports we will be landing at can be seen here: (click on the links)
Le Jardin du Roy, Isalo
Sling Africa Tour 2014
And if you missed our Sling tour to Botswana and Victoria Falls last year, click on this link to check out the photos and story of this amazing adventure with 6 Sling Aircraft.
If you want to read more information on the maritime safety equipment needed, click on the link to the thread below - Sling Madagascar Tour 2015 - and scroll down to read the various previous posts that have been logged here.
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| Boraha Village on the Ile Sainte Marie, Madagascar |
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| Palissandre Cote Ouest hotel, Morondava |
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| Le Jardin du Roy hotel, Isalo National Park |
And if you missed our Sling tour to Botswana and Victoria Falls last year, click on this link to check out the photos and story of this amazing adventure with 6 Sling Aircraft.
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| A photo I took of Victoria Falls as we flew around it on our tour last year |
If you want to read more information on the maritime safety equipment needed, click on the link to the thread below - Sling Madagascar Tour 2015 - and scroll down to read the various previous posts that have been logged here.
