ADVENTURE IN THE LAND OF BAOBAB

Arrival in Antananarivo airport with your international flight.

Handling of airport formalities and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight at the hotel.

170 km: about 4 hours drive (asphalt road)

Breakfast. Departure for the visit of Antananarivo, whose original name was Analamanga (blue forest) is also commonly called “The city of the Thousand”, name attributed after the conquest and defense of a thousand warriors. Founded at the beginning of the seventeenth century and inhabited by Etnia Merina, which in Malagasy means ‘those who live on the highlands>> is arranged on 12 sacred hills, at a height between 1200 meters. and 1,500 metres. The visit of this capital will lead us to admire the Palace of the Queen “Rova” (closed on Tuesday), the great boulevard of the Independence “the esplanade of Analakely” with its typical railway station of the time.

Continue to Antsirabe passing through Ambatolampy, crossing landscapes and small traditional villages of the Merina ethnic group, made of red brick houses. Arrival in Ambatolampy, stop at a craft workshop of pots and pans with family management.

Continuation for Antsirabe, «The city of water» important agricultural and industrial center.

Visit of the city according to timing available.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

530 km: about 8 hours drive (asphalt road)

Breakfast. Departure for Miandrivazo, in Malagasy language “waiting place of the bride”. According to the story, King Radama I was waiting for his wife, who is none other than the daughter of King Sakalava. You cross the plain of Menabe or “Grand Rouge”, a glimpse of the wild west.

Continue to Morondava, the capital of the Menaabe Kingdom on the banks of the Mozambique Channel surrounded by mangroves and lagoons.

Arrival in late afternoon, accommodation at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

220 km : a day’s drive (sand and dirt track)

Breakfast and departure to Bekopaka. The transfer is on track and takes about 8 hours of travel, including crossing 2 rivers on rafts.

Continuation to Bekopaka and arrival scheduled for late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Which requires a good physical shape and without problem of vertigo

Morning departure by 4×4 to explore the labyrinths of the Tsingy of Bemahara, which will make you walk in limestone cathedrals to reach the small belvederes that dominate the karst peaks high from 20 to 30 meters and in beautiful caves.

The fauna is composed of different species of lemurs and birds.

The flora varies from very dry on limestone slabs to wet in canyons with 86% endemism. The view of the summit of Tsingy is breathtaking if you do not have vertigo.  Classified “World Heritage” by UNESCO, the Tsingy de Bemaraha are certainly one of the most attractive protected areas in Madagascar. The limestone massif of karst origin is similar to that of Ankarana. In Bemaraha, erosion has dug deep vertiginous gorges, creating a series of fantastic labyrinths, crevices and underground caves.  This mineral paradise offers an astonishing diversity of fauna and flora. More than 85% of plants are endemic to Madagascar. Here, crocodiles, lemurs, birds will be at the rendezvous with nature lovers. Traditionally, the Tsingy serve as a refuge and necropolis for the inhabitants of the region. Remains of graves of the Vazimba, the first inhabitants of Madagascar, have recently been discovered. The circuits for the views in the park meander through the heart of the park itself. South of the park, around Morondava, you can admire the great “Adansonia grandidieri”, which majestically follow the famous avenue of baobabs. During the tour we will walk through limestone cathedrals, to reach the small lookouts, which surmount a forest of arrows from 10 to 20m high, and beautiful caves.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

220 km: a day’s drive (sand and dirt track)

Departure for Morondava via the Sakalava tombs characterized by erotic statuettes and traveling through the territory of the “Adansonia grandidieri” and baobabs, one of the main natural wonders of the West.

A few kilometers before arriving in Morondava, we discover the two intertwined Baobabs, the “Baobabs lovers” and the famous “Baobabs Route”. Arrival in Morondava, hotel accommodation.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

110 km: about 4 hours drive (sand and dirt track)

Breakfast and departure for Belo sur Mer, crossing bush and rivers. Arrival in the fishing village Vezo and Sakalava, famous for its “botry” factories, the typical local boats.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

290 km: about 10 hours drive (difficult track sand, land and rocks)

Early breakfast and departure for Morombe, literally “The great beach” crossing the sakalava village. By following a sandy and tiring trail through a dense maquis between baobabs and endemic flora and fauna of the place, and typical of the holes of the West of the country.

We will cross the vast Mangoky River on a motorboat, then continue by car to the coast to the town of Morombe.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

120 km: about 4 hours drive (dirt and sand track)

Breakfast and departure to Salary along a track where you can meet the famous Mahafaly tombs, decorated with carved wooden totems. Continue to the beach, where the largest coral reef in Madagascar begins. Arrival at the fishing village Vezo. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Free sea stay.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Free sea stay.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Ambatomilo/ Toliara: km 130 – about 4 hours drive (sandy track)

Tulear/ Ranohira: km 250 – about 4 hours drive (asphalt road)

Breakfast and departure to Tulear «the City of the Sun» built on the Tropic of Capricorn. Then, following the national road N jn 7, departure towards Ranohira crossing Ilakaka, land of researchers of Sapphires, traveling the typical landscape of South Madagascar: arid vegetation, baobab, and thorny forest. Along the way, you can admire the different forms of Alo Alo, artistically carved wooden funerary stems, which adorn the graves Sakalava, Mahafaly, Antandroy covered with showy paintings. Arrival in Ranohira and accommodation at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, departure to visit the Isalo National Park through the magnificent Namazaha circuit, with a stop at the natural swimming pool formed by a small stream that can be seen rocks, surrounded by Pandanus aquatic plants and lush palm trees. (5/6 hours of trekking) ; Beautiful flora and fauna…… Nature could only choose better than Isalo to celebrate the majesty and richness of the landscape of Madagascar. Plausible witness of continental drift. This rocky landscape is one of the most beautiful Malagasy landscapes, dating from the Jurassic with gorges carved for generations by deep canyons, such as the Maki canyon and the Souris canyon forming strange environments. Many gatherings in the Isalo, baptized by the Malagasy «Colorado Malagasy» are organized and can be pedestrian or easy to interpret: the natural pool, the waterfalls of water lilies, etc… Isalo is a national park, with the UNESCO convention, in 1962 and covers an area of 80,000 hectares. Located between 500 meters and 1200 meters above sea level, it is a granite massif that offers at a glance a uniform relief in the middle of a meadow resembling the African savannah. A totality of endemic flora, especially the “Pachypodium” and the “Aloe” share the territory of the lemurs: lemurs Fulvus, Propitheque, and Verreaux, small reptiles, chameleons, geckos, and varieties of insects. The park also contains many sacred places of the local inhabitants, the Bara, who bury their dead in the caves of the canyons. Possible encounter with the Lemur Fulvus Rufus, observation of the Pachypodium rosolatum «Baobab nano» from 50 to 60 cm which, during the flowering period, are covered with extraordinarily yellow flowers.

During the visit, another chance to admire the friendly lemurs Catta, with white and black anew tail….

In the late afternoon, go with the sunset at the “Isalo window”, an unusual rock formation from which you can admire a splendid sunset.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

350 km: about 7 hours drive (asphalt road)

Breakfast and further journey through noble vineyards and rural landscapes. Stop at the forest of ANJA which will give you the opportunity to know an important colony of Lemuri Makis. Anja will allow us to discover : chameleons, and reptiles of Madagascar.

Continuation for Ambalavao famous for the artisanal manufacture of ANTAIMORO paper, produced with the zest AVOHA (papyrus) macerated, worked and decorated with natural flowers. Ambalavao is also known for the famous «Zebu Market» held every Wednesday; the largest cattle market in Madagascar.

Continue to Ranomafana.  On arrival, check-in at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

170 km – about 4 hours drive (asphalt road)

Breakfast and departure for the visit of the national park of Ranomafana. The name of this park comes from the thermal springs of the region, since “Ranomafana”, means “hot water” in Malagasy. Between 600 meters and 1400 meters of altitude with an area of 41600 hectares, the park was inaugurated in May 1991. The park has its raison d’être for the conservation of its beautiful and picturesque rainforest; very dense at low altitudes, and mountainous in height with endemic plant species like Bulbophyllum orchids. At the same time, the park is home to a very rich and still little known fauna. For example, the discovery of the very rare lemur such as the “Hapalemur Aureus” discovered only in 1987, the nocturnal species of the lemur “Aye Aye”, a multitude of birds, butterflies, spiders and endemic animals … insects and invertebrates. The existence of waterfalls, streams and rugged terrain makes this natural park unique.

The endemicity of its fauna and flora attracts many foreign researchers especially of American nationality who created the VALBIO research center. The park is crossed by the river Namorona, and inhabited by the ethnic Tanala, known for their ability to produce honey and their particular agriculture called Tavy. Visits will be accompanied by local guides and rangers. The park can be visited all year round, preferably during the dry season from May to September.

Continue to Ambositra. On arrival, accommodation at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

260 km: about 5 hours drive (asphalt road)

Breakfast and departure to visit some shops and art workshops Zafimaniry.

Ambositra’s interest lies mainly in its craftsmanship. The proximity of the Zafimaniry region and the green forest of the East has made it the capital of wood processing. The cultural influence Zafimaniry and Betsileo is very important and is found through the traditional and geometric patterns related to everyday life. There are many craft workshops specializing in engraving, wood carving and marquetry. In general, craftsmen work in small premises in their houses and sometimes we can find them under some trees in their garden.

Continue to Antsirabe. Continue to the capital through landscapes and plateaus with beautiful rice terraces (from the Far East).

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Transfer in time according to the flight schedule to take the return flight.