The South – Antananarivo to Toliary

Sit back and enjoy the beautiful landscape, see it transform as we drive south on Route nr. 7: highlands, rice fields, tropical forest and wide desert. We will visit 3 very different parks and on the way you will see a lot of the culture and crafts of Madagascar.

Scroll down for detailed day to day program.

The South of Madagascar – Antananarivo to Toliary (Ifaty)

8 days / 7 nights

Antananarivo – Antsirabe – Ranomafana National Park – Night walk in Ranomafana – Ambalavao – Anja Park – Ranohira – Isalo National Park – Tulear – Ifaty

Including:
A Private car: Antananarivo – Antsirabe / Antsirabe – Ambositra – Ranomafana / Ranomafana – Ranomafana National Park – Ranomafana / Ranomafana – Fianarantsoa – Ambalavao / Ambalavao – Anjaha Reserve – Ranohira / Ranohira – Isalo National Park – Ranohira – Isalo window – Ranohira / Ranohira – Zombitsy Vohibasia – Tulear – Ifaty.

Hotels: Antananarivo (1 night), Antsirabe (1 night), Ranomafana (2 nights), Ambalavao (1 night), Ranohira (2 nights), Ifaty (1 night).

Continental breakfast: Antananarivo, Antsirabe , Ranomafana , Ambalavao , Ranohira , Ifaty.

Transfers by car: Ivato airport – Antananarivo city.

Entrance fee
Entrance fee to the parks including local guides: Night walk in Ranomafana / Ranomafana National Park / Anjaha Reserve / Isalo National Park / Zombitsy Vohibasia Park

Price:
For one person: € 1.715,-
For two persons: € 1.870,-
For four persons: € 2.565,-
For ten 10 persons: € 5.120,-

Best time: January to December

The South of Mada – Antananarivo to Toliary (Ifaty): day to day

Day 1: Ivato Airoport – Antananarivo – Hotel

Arrival at Ivato airport and transfer by car to Antananarivo .The city is cheerfully stacked on the sloping sides of the Highlands. This medieval Capital is affectionately known as ‘Tana’ and enjoys a pleasant climate (1350 m). Overnight at Chalet des roses hotel, comfort room.

Day 2: Antananarivo – Antsirabe – Hotel

After breakfast, heading south, we will take Route National nr. 7 by car to Antsirabe. A good road through highlands and beautiful green rice fields. Along the way, we can stop to take photos, buy fruit or crafts and might have lunch. We reach the spa town of Antsirabe, the coolest place in Madagascar. Its climate made it a favorite spot with European missionaries and their influences can still be seen in the colonial architecture and churches. Antsirabe is also the agriculture and administrative center of Madagascar and is also regarded as the ‘pousse-pousse‘ capital. In the evening there is time to walk through the nice town centre or take a “pousse pousse” ride around town and visit a restaurant or bar. Overnight at Couleure café hotel, comfort room.

Day3: Antsirabe – Ambositra – Ranomafana – Hotel

Before driving to Ranomafana, we will visit some of the craft shops which produce carvings of Malagasy life. The drive to Ranomafana takes up most of the day. Before midday, we stop for lunch in Ambositra and there may be the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Malagasy meal then see a folk dance at the hotel Artisan. Then we will buy some souvenirs from the handcraft wood at Chez Victor Shop after that we continue driving to Ranomafana. We arrive there before the evening.
Around 6 pm, we meet the local guide to show us the nocturnal wildlife such as the Mouse Lemur, Frogs, Chameleons, Etc. ( Night walk is 2 hours maximum). Overnight at Manja hotel, economy room.

Day 4: Ranomafana – Ranomafana National Park – Ranomafana Night walk – Ranomafana – Hotel

After breakfast, we will drive to the entrance of Park and will start our daytime visit to this beautiful humid tropical forest. With the local guides we admire lemurs such as Grey Bamboo lemur, Milne-Edwards Sifaka, birds and insects. The golden bamboo lemur is the main attraction of this park. Around noon we will leave this Park and arrive at the hotel. We have lunch at the Restaurant.
In the afternoon, we take a rest at the hotel. Overnight at Manja hotel, economy room.

Day 5: Ranomafana – Fianarantsoa – Ambalavao – Hotel

Returning to the main road, this morning, we continue south via the regional Capital of Fianarantsoa, the academic centre of Madagascar. Here, we have an opportunity to admire Fianarantsoa city on the Upper Town. Leaving the highland plateau and descending through superb mountain scenery to the plains Ambalavao, then hotel check in and have lunch.
This afternoon, we visit a paper Antaimoro workshop and can do shopping. Then we drive to Soavita wine cellar for tasting Malagasy wine finally returning to the hotel. Overnight at Tsianiparihy hotel, lodge bungalow.

Day 6: Ambalavao – Anjaha Reserve – Ranohira – Hotel

Around 9am ,arrival at Community Anjaha Reserve .Here, we have chance to watch troupes of Ring-tailed lemurs on the granite boulders .Continuing south the pine trees thin out and the fertile soil of the highlands gives way to drier savannah ,Cactus, Termite mounds and the dust of the mid south .We finally reach our destination late in the afternoon. Ranohira is situated on the edge of the Isalo National Park. We check in at the Hotel. Overnight at Orchidee hotel, standard room.

Day 7: Ranohira – Isalo National Park – Ranohira – Isalo window – Hotel

After breakfast, we drive to Isalo National Park, park the car and enter the Park .On walking; Landscapes are literally incredible, you do not believe it, how can wind and water have created all this? After 3 kms walking, we arrive at natural oasis pool known as Piscine Naturelle, where you can swim. From here, we have the opportunity to take walking within the National Park to Namaza and you see on the side path the sparse dry deciduous forest, including species of dwarf-like baobab and succulent. Arrival at the Namaza campsite place. We have a picnic Lunch at the Namaza campsite place then we get ready to go to Cascade des Amoureux, where we can swim too. After we walk back to the exit and drive back to Ranohira. Overnight at Orchidee hotel, Standard Room.

Isalo National Park is renowned for its typical lunar sceneries and canyons.

Day 8: Ranohira – Zombitsy Vohibasia Park – Tulear – Ifaty – Hotel

This morning, we continue our journey to the south. The temperature rises as we lose height and head for the coast, crossing the savannah plain, Ilakaka Sapphire village. On the way, we have a short visit in Zombitse Park to discover another species of Lemurs as well as some Baobabs trees.
Then we continue our trip, we pass by a number of fascinating Mahafaly Tombs. At noon, we will reach the white city, known as Tulear . We have Lunch at the Restaurant. Transfer to Ifaty and arrival there before the evening. Overnight at Nautilus hotel, comfort bungalow.