Sacred hills, terraced rice paddies and craftsmen's towns at the beating heart of Madagascar.
Every arrival in Madagascar passes through the Highlands, and they deserve more than a stopover. Around Antananarivo, the capital of the twelve sacred hills, terraced rice paddies, red-brick houses and hilltop churches rise in tiers — a landscape that evokes Asia as much as Africa, and belongs only to Madagascar.
Tana’s upper town and the Queen’s Palace, the UNESCO-listed royal hill of Ambohimanga, the workshops of Ambatolampy where aluminum pots are cast, and the spa town of Antsirabe, capital of the rickshaw.
This is where the country’s historical and cultural heart beats: ideal for gently opening or closing a trip, between visits, craftwork and guesthouse dining.
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 · East & Highlands
Antananarivo → Andasibe National Park → Andasibe → Palmarium Reserve and Aye-Aye Island → Palmarium → Tana → Sainte Marie
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 Antananarivo & the Highlands: April → November.
Recommended time on site: 2 to 4 days.
Ivato International Airport — the country's point of entry.
Save a day in Tana at the end of your trip for the La Digue craft market. Evenings are cool year-round above 1,200 m. The rova of Ambohimanga is best visited with a local guide — Merina history comes to life.
