Itinerary
THE BEST ROAD TRIP
13 days / 12 nights
From 2 to 12 persons
The starting point of this tour is from the most beautiful lagoons of this Great Island, Ifaty, in the country of Vezosea nomadic fishermen. We travel across large plains of palm trees and baobabs to join the ruinform massif of Isalo. The highlands crossing offers to travelers another face of Madagascar, marriage of rice and water. The second part is the west coast of Madagascar between the coastal city of Morondava and Tsingy of Bemaraha. In this beautiful and wide peneplane, baobab is the king, punctuating the landscape by its tall and massive presence, Baobab Avenue is an excellent representation.
Highlights
- Relax in front of the turquoise lagoon of Ifaty
- Hike in the beautiful Isalo national park
- Meet the lemur catta in the Anja reserve
- Discover lemurs of the rainforest in Ranomafana
- The amazing diversity of landscapes of the Highlands
- Adventures in the amazing Tsingy of Bemaraha
- Sunset cocktail at the Baobabs Avenue
Day 1 – Antananarivo --- Arrival
Welcome by the guide at the hall at the airport.
Transfer to our hotel in town.
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Antananarivo : PALISSANDRE HOTEL (standard room)
Located on the slope of the hillside in the heart of the City. Furnished with Palissandre, exotic but elegantly decorated, each of our 46 air conditioned rooms has its own electronic safe, direct phone line, Television with local and international channels, wifi, minibar, bathroom and hair dryer. « La Table des Hautes Terres », the restaurant suggests European and local food. A swimming pool is at your disposal.
Day 2 - Antananarivo > Toliary > Ifaty
Meet your guide and drive to the airport of Antananarivo. We assist you to check in for domestic flight to south west of Madagascar.
Meet the staff of the hotel in Toliary airport and then we head to Ifaty. Afternoon at leisure by the seaside facing one of the most beautiful lagoons in Madagascar.
NB: The program might change depending on the flight schedules.
Distance: 30 km Duration: +/-1h drive; 1h15 flight
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Ifaty : DUNES D’IFATY (superior room)
Located just before the fishing village of Mangily, about 20 km from Tulear, the hotel Les Dunes d'Ifaty is set in a tropical park, facing the beautiful lagoon of Ifaty. It has 22 double rooms (standard and superior) and 19 villas. All rooms and villas are equipped with bathroom with shower, hot water, air conditioning, mosquito net, satellite TV, individual safe. The main restaurant serves international and local cuisine using fresh seafood and seasonal tropical fruits. A snack bar offers light meals. At disposal: swimming pool overlooking the sea, library, badminton, french bowls. The hotel also offers activities such as quads rental, bicycles, equestrian excursions, snorkelling, diving and sea excursions. WiFi connection in public areas.
Day 3 - Day at leisure at Ifaty lagoon
You can explore different activities from the hotel during the day at leisure on the edges of Mozambique Channel. If you want to make the most of the sea and the lagoon: diving, dugout ride with Vezo fishermen, swim or just leisure. Hikers can discover the inland, specific and extraordinary vegetation composed of euphorbia, baobab, didieracea; aloes ... those with thorns are kings in the south.
NB – The guide does not stay in Ifaty with the group during the day at leisure
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Ifaty: THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS DAY
Day 4 - Ifaty > Toliary > Ranohira
We leave the Mozambique Channel to go inland till Ranohira at the gate of Isalo National Park. We make a quick stop in Tuléar market and buy fruits for the road. We also discover Mahafaly typical tombs on the way.
We pass through Ilakaka where a sapphire rush attracted more than 100,000 people in the 2000s. The fever has dropped down nowadays. We find large plains with palms and baobabs before we get a first approach to Isalo ruiniform massif.
Distance: 280 km Duration: +/- 6h drive
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Ranohira : SATRANA LODGE
Close to Isalo National Park, Bungalows are made of wood, thatch roof and a thick tent canvas; it gives all the comfort of an attractive hotel with its large reception room, reading lounge, restaurant, bar by the swimming pool and its sand colour which perfectly fits to the landscape. Wi-fi is also available.
Day 5 - Visit of Isalo National Park
A short drive to join Isalo foothill. We start the walk quietly with a small rucksack, through impressive landscape, canyons, natural pool and magic rock erosions. Isalo ruin form massif is a continental sandstone plateau from Jurassic era. There are many rock formations with different shapes here. The nature has adapted to dry climate. This park has a different ecosystem, endemic rupicolous flora such as Aloe, Euphorbia, Pachypodium and Kalanchoe ... We picnic in the Tapia forest. Some walks are possible around, going up to summits gives splendid view.
NB: Walk pace and duration depend on clients (minimum 2h). The guide will advise you.
Duration: from 2 to 6 hours of visit, depending on you!
Meals: Picnic lunch included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Ranohira: THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS DAY
Day 6 - Ranohira > Anja reserve > Ranomafana
We go to meet the Highlands of Madagascar after crossing the the dry and arid huge plateau of horombe,and left behind us the village of Ihosy. Here the landscape changes completely. Visit the reserve of Anja nestled against huge granite monoliths in a gallery forest nestled between spectacular rocky chaos. Beautiful colonies of lemurs live here, the Makis. The revenues of the reserve are managed by the association Anja Miray to feed socio-economic projects in favor of the villagers. Visit of the craft factory of the paper Antemoro before going until Fianarantsoa and then Ranomafana.
Distance: 330 km Duration: +/- 7 hours +/- 2 h of visit Meals : Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Ranomafana: THERMAL HOTEL
The Thermal Hotel is nestled in lush greenery in the center of the village, close to the thermal spring of Ranomafana. Recently renovated, it has kept the architecture and original appearance of the place. The hotel has 21 comfortable rooms with private bathroom, air conditioning, safe, TV and mini bar. The restaurant with its outdoor terrace offers gourmet cuisine using garden produce. A cosy bar, an internet corner and a wellness area with steam room, sauna and massages are also at your disposal.
Day 7 – Ranomafana Nat. Park - visit > Ambositra
With our guide, we go for a pedestrian excursion in the park of Ranomafana, in search of the exceptional fauna which lives in the heart of this dense forest, but also to meet the extraordinary flora of the place, among which quite unique botanical species, which grow only in this park. We then return on the RN7 to reach the city of Ambositra.
NB: Provide a rain cape for the visit.
Distance: 173 km Duration: +/- 4h drive +/- 4 h of visit
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Ambositra: ARTISAN HOTEL
L'Artisan Hotel is located west of Ambositra city center, not far from the craft shops that make the city famous. The hotel has 18 rooms in 2 buildings and 7 bungalows built in the Zafimanary style, all in a pretty garden. All rooms have an en suite bathroom with shower and a private toilet. The hotel also has a bar and a restaurant that serves traditional Malagasy cuisine.
Day 8 – Ambositra > Miandrivazo
After the breaksfat, we take the RN7 again. Our route passes through the villages of Betafo and Mandoto. We make a small stop to see, from the bridge, the gold seekers. We are in the Middle West, in the region of Itremo. Arrival at the village of Miandrivazo, and stroll around the market and small stalls in the alleys. From the upper part of the city, we have a panoramic view of the valley, where the rivers Sakeny, Mahajo and Manio join the river Tsiribihina. Distance: 330 km Duration: +/- 6 hours Meals : Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Miandrivazo: PRINCESSE TSIRIBIHINA
This new hotel is the best before beginning going down the river Tsiribihina or a stop before continuation to Morondava. The hotel is comfort, situated on the hill on the way out of the town. All room with private sanitaries with hot water. The restaurant is for 40 persons, there is also a swimming-pool at your entire disposal.
Day 9 – Miandrivazo > Morondava
We leave Miandrivazo to continue to Morondava, the country Sakalava. This road has been recently improved, we pass through beautiful landscapes of savannahs and many villages. The rice plains of the Menabe pass along our way. The journey is accompanied by photographic breaks and small stops to meet people. As time goes by, the scenery changes, the arid landscape of the Sakalava middle-west and the mountains peeled by erosion take place. At the approach of Morondava, the baobabs appear. Arrival in Morondava in the afternoon. We are on the seafront!
Distance: 275 km Duration: +/- 6h drive
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Morondava: PALISSANDRE COTE OUEST
Located in Nosy Kely on the large beach of Morondava, 29 bungalows with private balcony, scattered in a beautiful coconut grove, are challenging the beauty of the nature. The infrastructure gives a great comfort to guests. The restaurant offers a world food menu; admire a splendid sunset while enjoying a tasty cocktail. As for leisure, there are swimming pool, pedalo, sailboard, snorkeling…
Day 10 – Morondava > Bekopaka
Have breakfast at the hotel.
We drive out of Morondava towards the famous “Allée des Baobabs” on the way to Kirindy. We spend our time there and get some nice shots of the splendid scenery. Then we are heading north and drive on an uncomfortable but the only land track to the Park classified as a World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. We go across Tsiribihina and Manambolo Rivers by a small car ferry before we arrive at Bekopaka village.
Distance: 200 km Duration: +/- 8h (depending the ferry boat)
Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Bekopaka : SOLEIL DES TSINGY
Le Soleil des Tsingy was newly built in July 2013, it offers 9 bungalows in the middle 20 hectares park located in the highest hill of Bekopaka. The terrace gives an impressive view to the surrounding. The accommodation is spacious and of good quality, equipped with king sized bed, superb bathroom. The restaurant serves a wonderful list of menu with a copious breakfast from 6 a.m for an early start visit. It is one of the most beautiful structures in this highly touristic site.
Day 11 – Tsingy of Bemaraha - 1 day visit
This is one of the most extraordinary sites!
TSINGY is a real cathedral of limestone, this dense network of faults, cracks and blocks of limestone carved in blades is one of the most spectacular landscapes of Madagascar. The formation of this massif of the middle Jurassic began there is 200 million years, during the period when the sea still recovered this region of Bemaraha. Then this immense plate of corals and shells lifted up itself. Exposed outdoors since 5 million years, the rain, with its work of erosion sculptured the rest. Among these marvels, there are 6 species of lemurs, reptiles and 53 varieties of birds. It is also the housing environment of one of the smallest sorts of chameleon, the “Brookesia Perarmata”. This day, together with guide and porter, is dedicated to the discovery of this site of the most surprising.
Duration: from +/- 3 to 6h walk
Meals: Picnic lunch included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Bekopaka: SAME AS THE DAY BEFORE
Day 12 - Bekopaka > Morondava
We head back to Morondava on the same way we came in; and cross Manambolo and Tsiribihina rivers by ferry again. It can take a little time sometimes... We pass through the famous “Allée des Baobabs” just before we get to Morondava town. We are there at the right time, the sun is low, raking light, and smooth trunks reflect the orange rays of the sun. Great pictures in perspective. We returned to town, Morondava, and we settle into our hotel by the sea.
Distance: 200 km Duration: +/- 8h (depending the ferry boat) Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included
Your accommodation in Morondava: PALISSANDRE COTE OUEST
Day 13 – Morondava > Antananarivo (Departure)
Transfer to the airport by the hotel.
Flight to Antananarivo in the morning.
End of the services of Malagasy Tours
NB - The program of this day might change depending on the domestic flight schedules.