The legendary road south: highlands, the Isalo massif, Bara country and the lagoons of Tuléar.
The RN7 is far more than a road: it’s Madagascar in miniature. Over 900 kilometers between Antananarivo and Tuléar, it crosses Betsileo terraced rice paddies, craftsmen’s towns, the granite massifs of the Andringitra, the savanna of Bara country and the sandstone canyons of Isalo, before dropping down to the lagoons of the Mozambique Channel.
Antsirabe and its rickshaws, the old town of Fianarantsoa, the ring-tailed lemurs of Anja Reserve, Isalo National Park and its natural pool, the village of Ranohira at sunset, and arriving at the beaches of Ifaty or Anakao.
It’s the ideal itinerary for a first trip: the scenery changes every day, encounters follow one another, and a seaside reward awaits at the end of the road.
Adventure
Tour · East & Highlands & South
Antananarivo → Sambaina → Antsirabe → Ambalavao → Isalo via the Anja Reserve → Toward Tuléar → Anakao → Itampolo → Lavanono → Berenty → Fort-Dauphin → The East coast by bivouac → Manakara → The Pangalanes Canal → Ranomafana Park → Ambositra
Guaranteed departures
Tour · Highlands & South
Antananarivo → Antsirabe → Ranomafana National Park → Ambalavao → Ranohira → Tuléar → Anakao → Antananarivo
Tour · Highlands & South
Antananarivo → Day in Ampefy → Ampefy → Antsirabe → Ranomafana National Park → Day in Ambalavao: Lemurs and Cycling → Ambalavao → The Isalo Massif → Ranohira → Toliara → Ambola
Tour · Highlands & South & West
Tana- Morondava → Morondava → Discovering the Manambolo Gorges and walks in the Small Tsingy → Taking on the Great Tsingy → Bekopaka → Morondava → Belo sur Mer → Manja → Andavadaoka → Free day by the sea → Salary → Tuléar → Isalo National Park → Isalo → Ambalavao → Fianarantsoa → Ranomafana → Antsirabe → Antananarivo and return flight
Tour · Highlands & South
Antananarivo → Antsirabe → Ranomafana National Park → Fianarantsoa → Ambalavao → Tsaranoro Valley → The Isalo Massif → The Isalo Massif: free stay → The Isalo Massif → Seaside stay in Ankasy → Ankasy → Antananarivo and return flight
The best time to discover The RN7 & the Deep South: Year-round (April → October ideal).
Recommended time on site: 8 to 12 days.
By road from Tana (RN7) — return flight from Tuléar.
Allow at least 8 days to travel down the RN7 without rushing. Anja Reserve is best visited late morning, when the lemurs are sunbathing. Pack a fleece: nights are cool in the highlands and at Isalo.
