Sandstone canyons, natural pools and savanna in the Isalo massif.
Isalo National Park is Madagascar’s answer to the American Wild West: a sandstone massif carved into canyons, spires and golden plateaus, dotted with oases fed by natural pools. Ranohira, the village at the foot of the massif, is its gateway — a legendary stop on the RN7 around 700 km from Tana [TO CHECK].
The hike to the natural pool and its waterfall, the Canyon of the Lemurs and Canyon of the Rats, home to ring-tailed lemurs and sifakas, and sunset at the Isalo Window, the country’s most photographed stone arch.
It gets hot on the plateaus from mid-morning: hikes set off early. The massif is sacred to the Bara — your guide will show you the rock tombs to be respected.
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 Isalo — Ranohira: April → October.
Recommended time on site: 1 to 2 days.
On the RN7, between Fianarantsoa and Tuléar — Ranohira lies at the foot of the park.
Set off in the cool of the morning: hat, sunscreen and 2 liters of water per person. Swimsuit for the natural pool. Stay for sunset at the Isalo Window.
