The essentials from Tana to Tuléar

You will be heading South by car and discover the rural Malagasy highland, the architecture of traditional houses, the rice fields and farming techniques that are specific to the place… You will stop halfway in Ambatolampy. This village, located in the foothills of the Ankaratra, is famous for its factories of aluminum cookware. After the visit, you will continue to Antsirabe.

Overnight stay at your hotel.

In the morning, visit Antsirabe and its history. Famous for its thermal springs, the city economically burst at the arrival of the Norwegian missionaries who developed some pastures thanks to the fresh altitude climate. The French developed a thermal complex along the Ranomafana lake, where the buildings can still be seen. Visit the local art craft: semi-precious stone cutting, embroidery and traditional sweets factory. Continue to Ambositra, famous mainly for the master woodcarvers and furniture manufacturing. The Zafimaniry Capital is a veritable work of art, with shutters and walls carved in geometric designs.  After spare lunch, you will drive to Ranomafana. This pleasant resort offers an open air museum sheltering various wildlife and endemic plants. Like Antsirabe, Ranomafana offers the opportunity to enjoy a thermal bath. Get settled at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Early in the morning, visit of the Ranomafana forest. This park is located on a rain forested uphill that lies at an altitude of 800 to 1,200 meters. Ranomafana national park was created in 1990 after the discovery of the “golden bamboo lemur” in 1986 (its scientific name is Hapalemur Aureus). This particular and amazing species of lemur has strange eating habits and can’t be seen anywhere else. We can also find birds there, thirty of which are strictly forest species; species of butterflies; species of amphibians; some species of fish; and species of reptiles, chameleons, lizards.

3-hour walk depending, 200m of ascending elevation, easy walk, hiking trail. Necessary equipment: good walking shoes or good sneakers, insect repellent, rain clothes and water bottle

After lunch, you will hit the road towards Fianarantsoa

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Visit of the old quarter of Fianarantsoa through pretty lanes and small stairs. Leave Fianarantsoa to go to Ambalavao. Enjoy the magnificent scenery of terrace-rice fields and vineyard. Stop at Anja’s Reserve, a dry forest located at the foot of an enormous granitic dome, for the discovery of the « Ring Tailed Lemur ».

1h ride walk depending, little ascending elevation, easy walk, hiking trail. Necessary equipment: good walking shoes or good sneakers, insect repellent, items to protect from the sun and water bottle

You will then head to Ranohira through the grassy savannah plateau of Ihorombe. You are right in the heart of the Bara territory. Here, the Zebu regulates men’s life. People refer to it as the “Zebus’ civilization”.

Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Visit of Isalo National Park. Transfer to the entrance of the park for a hike that will take you through the most beautiful sites of the massif. We will first go to the natural pool … through a path that passes through magnificent rocky walls that shelter some Bara tombs. We will stop at some points that offer breathtaking views on the massif. After swimming, we will continue the hike along a ridge line on the eastern part of the massif to end up at Namaza creek and forest. With a little luck, we will see some groups of lemurs. For the bravest ones, the walk will go on to the black and blue swimming pool, then to the Nymphs’ Waterfalls.

5h walk, 350m to 500m slopes and drops, medium difficulty level, hiking trail. Necessary equipment: walking shoes or good sneakers, items to protect from the sun, mosquito repellent, bottle of water

Picnic lunch prepared by us.

About the Isalo National Park: The oldest geological formation of Madagascar will open its doors to you. This massif of continental and ruiniform sandstone dates back to the Jurassic era. Its very typical geomorphology, sculpted by erosions, offers a stunning show of colors and shapes … Second largest national park in Madagascar, it contains unmatched richnesses in biodiversity (endemic rock plants, such as Aloes, Euphorbes, Pachypodes, Kalanchoe …) and a specific fauna.

Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Early in the morning, about 4 hours drive with stops. We head south to Toliara, a city located on a broad coastal plain, surrounded by dunes and mangroves near the Tropic of Capricorn in the Mozambique Channel. Enjoy the first glimpses of baobabs rising majestically in the middle of the savannah and the magnificent Antandroy and Mahafaly tombs. Visit of the Reniala forest and continuation to the amazing coast of Ifaty. Get settled at your lodge.

Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Free day at leisure on the beach.

Several types of excursions can be organized from the hotel:
Water sports: traditional pirogue ride, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, water sports ...
Land activities: quad, bicycle or horseback riding, discovery of the baobab forest, birdwatching, visit of Vezo villages...
Observation of humpback whales in July and August

Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Depending on flight schedules, transfer to the airport of Tuléar and flight to Antananarivo. Assistance at the airport and check-in on the flight to Paris.