1000 Views of Madagascar

On arrival in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel in the city. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure.




Overnight in Antananarivo

This morning, begin the day with a drive eastwards through small villages to Andasibe, located in the more humid part of the country that boasts many forests and lakes. Along the way you will see Merina villages in the rocky mountains. Arrive at Andasibe in the afternoon and check-in to the hotel. This evening, depart from the hotel at approximately 19h00 on a night walk around Andasibe to observe night active lemurs and other nocturnal animals.




Overnight in Andasibe

This morning begins with a visit to Andasibe National Park to see the Indri, the largest lemurs on the island. This unique reserve boasts many endemic fauna and flora and contains a wide variety of orchids, canopy, and endemic animals like chameleons, tenrecs, and many birds. In the afternoon, visit Andasibe village, home to the Betsimisaraka (“The-Many-Inseparables”) community, the second largest tribe on the island who cultivate rice and live mainly off the forest. This short visit will give you a good insight into how the local people here live.




Overnight in Andasibe

Today drive back to Tana, and head south to Antsirabe, across the highland landscape with its beautiful rice fields on display. The spectacular eroded hills called ‘lavaka remind us of the Far East with its rice fields and green landscape with vegetables and fruit trees. You will stop en-route in Ambatolampy for a quick tour of this large agricultural city.  On arrival into Antsirabe in late afternoon you can check into the hotel.  Antsirabe, or ‘the place of salt, is an elegant city that is the centre of the beer industry in Madagascar - you can smell the Star Brewery as you enter the town! Founded by Norwegians in 1856, it is the only place on the island that really feels and looks like a European city.




Overnight in Antsirabe

After breakfast depart Antsirabe and travel to Ambositra, the centre of Madagascar's wood carving industry. The highlands are characterized by its architecture: the houses are made with ornately carved wooden balconies and shutters with bright colours. Further on you will pass the ‘le col de tapia, a type of tree resistant to bush fires. The landscape here is still dominated by rice fields, pine forests, eucalyptus trees and rocky mountains. You will eventually turn off from the main road to reach your final destination for the day: Ranomafana National Park.




Overnight in Ranomafana

The approximately 40,000 ha of Parc National de Ranomafana, with its rain forest covered hills and abundant wildlife, has long been considered one of Madagascars highlights and is one of the countrys most visited parks. Its entrance lies about 7 km from Ranomafana village, and altitudes in the park range from 800 m to 1200 m. Although much of the region has been logged, the easternmost part of the park retains relatively large areas of primary forest.  Today you can enjoy a long walk in the National Park to spot some of the lemurs, chameleons and other animals that call the park home.




Overnight in Ranomafana

Returning on the road you came on, leave Ranomafana and visit a local wine farm for wine tasting near Fianarantsoa ‘the city where one learns good things. It is the gate to the South, the capital of the Betsileo tribes and the centre of the catholic religion. Fianarantsoa is the centre of wine industry - the climate is said not to be ideal for grape vines, but it is a tradition left by the priests and monks who lived in the area of Fianarantsoa. Then, head southwards to Ambalavao, visit the ‘Anteimoro Paper Factory which is a vestige of the Arabian civilisation on the island. Continue to Ihosy the capital of the Bara tribes, who are shepherds of Zebu, and further on pass through the mountain chain of Andringitra, which serves as a transition between the dry south and green highlands with its famous ‘3 hillocks and its huge ‘archbishop's cape. Along the way you will see from afar a spectacular huge granite dome with twin rock towers called ‘the gate of the south, which in fact marks the end of the highland and the beginning of the south. Then, pass through the huge ‘Plateaux de Horombe with its very deep red soil, which reminds us of ‘the no man's land and you arrive in Isalo.




Overnight in Isalo

Today, visit and hike in the Isalo National Park. The park covers an area of 81,540 ha, comprising of the entire stretch of the Isalo massif. This huge mountain is very spectacular with its eroded sandstone elevations. Along the way you will see vegetation like Uapaca bojeri, Pachypodium rosulatum or ‘elephant's foot and Aloe isaloensis, a native species of aloe endemic to Isalo. Along the way, there may be sifakas, brown lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs, as well as fifty-five species of birds, lizards and snakes. Finally, reach the swimming pool, with its crystal clear water - a great reward after a long and very hot walk.




Overnight in Isalo

After breakfast, continue to Tuléar, the terminal of the National Road N° 7. This part of your journey brings you to new scenery among the dry forests of the west and the spiny desert of the south. On the way, admire the different ‘Mahafaly tombs and the ‘Antandroy tombs. After a short visit of Tuléar, drive to Ifaty, which lies about 27 km from Tuléar. Situated in the Deep South, the landscape is dominated by the cactus-like, spiny forest of different euphorbiaceae and didieraceae. Mangrove trees line the coast alternated by Vezo communities which earn their living from fishing. You will see many small pirogues with men who go out fishing twice a day, while children and women wait on the coast to collect the fish before taking them to Tuléar for sale.




Overnight in Ifaty

Enjoy your day at leisure. Ifaty lies on the beach and is an ideal place for diving and snorkelling, thanks to its large coral reef, as well as being a popular place for birdwatchers. If you choose, in the afternoon you can walk to the village of Mangily to visit a local school and learn more about the Vezo fishermen's way of life.




Overnight in Ifaty

Early this morning you will be transferred to the airport for the flight back to Antananarivo (Tana). After checking-in at the hotel you have the afternoon free to explore and to do some sightseeing. The capital of Madagascar is also called the ‘City of Thousands and it is where the first King started to unify the different kingdoms of the island. You can walk to the high city to see the Rova, the queen's palace, and the house of the first minister during these days, which is now a museum. The mid-city, or the administration area, ends at the Rainiharo tombs and the lower town is situated in the main avenue called ‘L'avenue de l'independence, which dominated by the railway station.




Overnight in Antananarivo

Today, after breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home.