West and South

Reception at the international airport and transfer to the hotel in the city center. Overnight stay at Hotel BELVEDERE OR SIMILAR

Route: ANTANANANRIVO

Overnight: antananarivo

Drive south to Antsirabe on a mostly winding road through the highlands. Antsirabe, also known as the “city of water” because of its many hot water springs, but also because of its two crater lakes: Lake Andraikiba and the legendary Lake Tritriva. Arrival in Antsirabe Visit to a workshop where miniatures are made from recycled materials and a workshop where various objects are made from zebu cattle horn Overnight stay at the hotel LES CHAMBRES DU VOYAGEUR OR SIMILAR

Route: Antananarivo → Antsirabe → Lake Andraikiba → Lake Tritriva

Overnight: antsirabe

Drive through a hilly but rather barren landscape to Miandrivazo, a small village situated in a basin on the Mahajilo River, which later flows into the Tsiribihina. Overnight stay at Hotel PRINCESSE TSIRIBIHINA

Route: Antsirabe → Miandrivazo

Overnight: miandrivazo

Drive to the embarkation point. Board a motorboat for the two and a half day trip on the Tsiribihina River. Many water birds can be seen, and with a bit of luck you may also see some crocodiles and lemurs on the riverbank. On the way, children from the villages will always wave to you. Full board during the Tsiribihina river trip, overnight stay in a bivouac on the riverbank.

Route: Miandrivazo → TSIRIBIHINA

Overnight: tsiribihina-river

Continue on the Tsiribihina River. Visit a waterfall (Anosin'Ampela) and a natural water basin where you can bathe. During the trip the landscape changes and you will see fertile fields and baobab trees. Overnight stay in a bivouac on the riverbank.

Route: Tsiribihina River → Anosin'Ampela

Overnight: tsiribihina-river

Continue on the Tsiribihina River. Arrival in the Menabe plain and its villages, which are mainly inhabited by fishermen. End of the river tour, now we continue in an off-road vehicle on a mostly sandy track, through dry forest, savannah and occasionally past baobab trees.Shortly before arriving in Bekopaka, short ferry transfer on a local ferry across the Manambolo River. Overnight stay at Hotel OLYMPE DU BEMARAHA OR SIMILAR

Route: Tsiribihina River → BELO → Bekopaka

Overnight: bekopaka

Drive to the 157,710-hectare Bemaraha National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only part of the national park is open to the public, and only since 1997. Visit the large Tsingys, sharp karst rocks that also form several caves.The peaks reach up to 30 m in height, and you can also see many endemic plants there, and with a bit of luck also some endemic rare lemurs and birds.Full board during the Tsiribihina river trip, overnight stay in a bivouac on the riverbank. Then back to the hotel and overnight stay at Hotel OLYMPE DU BEMARAHA

Route: Bekopaka → Bemaraha National Park

Overnight: bekopaka

Departure after breakfast to Morondava, first again on the local ferry across the Manambolo River, then drive to Belo sur Tsiribihina. Afterwards on the local ferry across the Tsiribihina River, and then through the Baobab Alley, with a bit of luck you will see the sunset there, a magical moment! Then continue to Morondava and overnight at the BAOBAB CAFE hotel OR SIMILAR

Route: Bekopaka → BELO → Morondava → Manambolo River → Tsiribihina River → Baobab Alley

Overnight: morondava

Breakfast and drive to Belo Sur Mer.Depending on arrival time, some time at leisure on the beach. You can walk to the workshops where large wooden boats (dhows) are built using traditional methods. Overnight stay at Hotel BELO BEACH OR SIMILAR

Route: Morondava → Belo Sur Mer

Overnight: belo-sur-mer

Breakfast and drive through a rather barren area to Morombe, you will see many baobab trees on the way. Ferry transfer on the Mangoky River in Bevoay (long waiting time possible). Overnight stay at Hotel BAOBAB.

Route: Belo Sur Mer → Manja → Morombe → Bevoay

Overnight: morombe

Ferry transfer on the Mangoky River in Bevoay (long waiting time possible).

Breakfast, then morning ride mostly close to the beach through the sparse vegetation of the south past some fishing villages to Ambatomilo.Overnight stay at MAMIRANO LODGE

Route: Morombe → Ambatomilo

Overnight: ambatomilo

Days at leisure on the beach. Possibility of water sports. Walks in the surrounding area. Overnight stay at MAMIRANO LODGE.

Route: Ambatomilo

Overnight: ambatomilo

After breakfast, departure mostly along the coast through some villages to Tuléar via Ifaty. Overnight stay at Hotel VICTORY OR SIMILAR

Route: Ambatomilo → Ifaty → Tulear

Overnight: tulear

Drive to Ranohira . On the way you can see various endemic thorn bush species. Then continue to Ranohira on a mostly straight road, passing high bushes and small cactus forests, interrupted by some typical burial sites of the Mahafaly tribe. Continue through savannah to Ilakaka, the Sapphire Eldorado, then further along the foothills of the Isalo Mountains to Ranohira, overnight stay at the ISALO RANCH hotel OR SIMILAR

Route: Tulear → Ranohira → Ilakaka

Overnight: ranohira

Morning hike of about 3 to 5 hours (on mostly rocky paths, sometimes a little steep) in the Isalo National Park: its rugged rock massifs, its extraordinary fauna and flora, including the pachypodium - which literally means elephant's paw. Gorges, various endemic plants, but also lemurs. Visit to the “natural swimming pool”. Overnight stay at the ISALO RANCH hotel OR SIMILAR

Route: Ranohira → Isalo National Park

Overnight: ranohira

Breakfast, then drive over the plateau of Horombe and Ihosy, past the imposing “Bishop's Hat”.In Ambalavao, visit the small Anja Reserve in a small forest at the foot of the mountains; during the hike you can observe graves, plants and katta lemurs in their natural environment.Then visit the Antemoro paper factory, a paper made from the bark of the Havoha tree, using a method left behind by the Arabs (the visit is not possible on Sundays).Then continue to Fianarantsoa and overnight stay at Hotel LA RIZIERE OR SIMILAR

Route: Ranohira → Fianarantsoa → Ihosy → Ambalavao → Anja Reserve

Overnight: fianarantsoa

the visit is not possible on Sundays

Drive to Ranomafana, arrival in Ranomafana visit to the national park of about 41,000 hectares on the Namorona River with its fauna and flora, including the red-bellied lemur, the red-fronted lemur and the golden bamboo lemur, which was only discovered in 1986.There are over 100 species of birds in this national park, 68 of which are endemic to Madagascar, as well as various species of ferns, mosses, orchids and giant bamboo. This hike takes about three to four hours and is quite strenuous, as it takes you over hill and dale, uphill and downhill. It requires stamina, fitness and surefootedness.Overnight stay at Hotel CENTREST SEJOUR OR SIMILAR

Route: Fianarantsoa → Ranomafana → Ranomafana National Park

Overnight: ranomafana

This hike takes about three to four hours and is quite strenuous, as it takes you over hill and dale, uphill and downhill.

It requires stamina, fitness and surefootedness.

Drive to Ambositra.Arrival in Ambositra visit of some studios and boutiques of “Zafimaniry” art, specialists in wooden sculptures and miniatures.Overnight stay at the ARTISAN Hotel OR SIMILAR

Route: Ranomafana → Ambositra

Overnight: ambositra

Drive to Antananarivo and overnight stay at Hotel BELVEDERE OR SIMILAR

Route: Ambositra → Antananarivo

Overnight: antananarivo

Transfer to the airport and flight home.

Route: Antananarivo