TRIP  : TANA – TULEAR – FORT DAUPHIN

Description :  Adventure trip / discover the highlands till the Vezo coast , then the famous track Tulear – Fort Dauphin.

Period : May to End of October.

Access : For everyone. Walks in the parks are flexible and don’t need a special physical condition

Accommodation type 2**+ standard ; All the hotels that we choose are clean and have private sanitary  Their friendly atmosphere and the high quality of their restaurant is very important.

Cars / transport : All transfers and airports / hotels assistance are included. Trip with a 4WD and an English speaking driver and a high knowledge of the track and the ittinerary.

Availability :   The proposed trip is  private and individual trip which could be arranged as per your requested period (take off or add on some days than the scheduled).

Flights: Domestic flights are not included, if necessary, we can book them. We advise you book your international flight in the country of departure.

Detailed program

Day 1 Antananarivo 
Meet and assistance at the airport then transfer to the city center, accommodation at Résidence Lapasoa.

Day 2 Antananarivo – Antsirabe
Meet with the driver and briefing, then road to the thermal city of Antsirabe. 4 hours drive with some photos stops or short visit such as the visit of the aluminium factory at Ambatolampy. Accommodation at the Guest House  La Chambre du Voyageur or the nice Guest House Couleur Café. Short city tour of Antsirbe and visit of the two  historical lakes Tritriva and Andraikiba.

Day 3 Antsirabe – Ambositra – Ranomafana
Continuation to Ambositra and visit for some shops of the wooden sculptures art Zafimaniry.
Crossing the Betsileo’s country characterised by  large the rice fields and the eucalyptus forest, and arrival in Ranomafana. Accommodation at  Chez Gaspard.

Day 4 Ranomafana – Fianarantsoa
Morning visit within  National Park of Ranomafana .The rain forest the occasion to find a large  species of flora and fauna such as the rare gold lemur, brown lemurs.... chameleons. In the  afternoon drive to Fianarantsoa and installation at Lac Hotel situated nearby the the  Sahambavy planatations.

Day 5  Fianarantsoa – Andringitra
Breakfast and  head to Ambalavao, visit of the Antehimoro paper’s factory. Leave the national road and join the path to Andringitra Massif. Accommodation within the Betsileo type’s bungalow of Camp Catta, build nearby the amazing cliff.

Day 6  Andringitra
Guided excursion in the massif of Andringitra. Small, medium and grand tour are available depends on the physical condition. The forest of Tsaranoro (observe catta lemurs), natural swimming pool , the top of  Lagera ( 600 metre’s high and a beautiful view on the hill), visit of the surrounding villages. Overnight at Camp Catta.

Day 7 Camp Catta - Ranohira
Back to the national road number 07, passing by the  Bara’s country , the Zebu farmer’s ethnic. By the end of the afternoon arrival in Ranohira then accommodation at Isalo Ranch.

Day 8 Ranohira Isalo National Park
In the morning visit of Isalo national park including the canyon of nymphes,  waterfall. possibility of  visiting the natural black and blue pool. come back to the village and walk to the  natural  pool in the afternoon. Return back to the hotel.

Day 9  Ranohira – Tuléar
Four (hours drive to join Tuléar, passing by the village of Ilakaka, the Malagasy far west  the wild west because of the  sapphire fever.  On the entry of Tulear visit  of  the  botanical garden called Arboretum in which  almost all the dry and spiny forest  characteristic of the south are present as well as endemic and medicinal plants. City tour of Tuléar and visit of the shell market. After lunch  visit of the traditional factory of the Mohair carpet on the village of Ampanihy. Set at Hotel Escapade.

Day 10  Tuléar – Anakao
Morning boat transfer to Anakao . the car will continue and will join you the evening at your     
 Hotel at the end of the evening. Installation at Lalandaka, nice hotel build on the beach , with a Robinson types bungalows, renewed  recently

Day 11 Anakao
Possibility of pirogue excursion on the island of Nosy Ve (30 minutes of a balanced pirogue). The blue clear ocean give a great moment for swimming and an excellent place for snorkelling. On the Island the endemic birds called “le paille en queue” can be spotted.

Day 12   Anakao – Ambola / 60 kms
Sandy good track  to join Ambola via  Beheloka along the coast. Before arrival at Ambola , visit of the national park of Tsimanampetsotsa. The visit of the lake will take 03 hours, the first high point is the lake side enjoying the pink flamingo colony. The second high site is the  blind endemic fish cave’s to join by a short walk within the dry forest (numerous baobab). The third high point is the panoramic view point of the lake. Back to Ambola. Accommodation at Domaine d’Ambola: a clean hotel nearby a terrific beach .on July/ August whales could be observed by the restaurant of the hotel.

Day 13  Ambola – Itampolo – Lavanono / 280 kms
Full day transfer  track to join Lavanono. 02 hours’ drive to arrive at Itampolo 80 km. On the path side a lot of Mahalafy’s tombs which characterise the enter of the Androy territory.  Short stop in Itampolo  before the long road of around  06hours30mn drive till Lavanono. ( around 200 km). Crossing the dry stony track boarded by the cactus. At the middafternoon arrival in Lavanono . Accommodation at Sorana Chez Gigi : an amazing Ecolodge with a botanical garden. The bungalows are built with the local material, the characteristic wood of the Androy region. Very clean common sanitary with hot water.

Day 14 Lavanono –– Berenty / 180 Kms
A detour for a visit of Cap Sainte Marie could be done if the day isn’t so windy ( in case of an windy day the visit couldn’t be done). Continuation on the track to Tsihombe, then Ambovombe from here the asphalted   road will reappear as well as the cell net work.( after around 03 hours 30munites drive).Possibility of having lunch on e bus restaurant. After 02 hours ‘drive arrival at Berenty. Accommodation at Berenty Lodge.

Day 15  Berenty – Fort Dauphin / 75 Kms
Morning visit of the private reserve of Berenty. Large family of ring tailed lemurs and Sifaka  live on liberty around the Lodge and could be spotted easily. One hour walk on the shadows of  the gallery’s forest of Berenty and discovering birds, chameleons  and the strange dry spiny  forest. Visit of the sisal treatment and the Antandroy’s ethnic museum to  find out the daily life  style of this ethnic and their customs and tradition. In the afternoon road to Fort Dauphin.  Accommodation at Residence Lavasoa for 03 nights.

Day 16  Nahampoana Reserve
Morning chill out at the hotel , or at the nearby beach of Libanona. In the afternoon visit of the Nahampoana reserve. A half day excursion within the green forest, discovering the medicinal plants, some lemurs , chameleons, reptiles... A quite and  relax full ballad by a pirogue on the mangroves. Back to the hotel after the visit.

Day  17   Lokaro Bay
A day excursion to the magnificent Lokaro Bay :  a little cruise  on the salted lake of   Lanirano till  the village of Evatra, a short trek to the bay passing by the fisherman village. Possibility of swimming . Pic nic lunch during the excursion. At the end of he afternoon back to Fort Dauphin

Day 18  Fort Dauphin  / Tana
Transfer to the airport of Fort Dauphin and flight back to Antananarivo .End of services;

Public rates 2012  in Euros TTC  per person

Single supplement : 380 Euros

Rates include
- Accommodation on double room
- Necessary tourist taxes.
- Half board basis
- Pic nic lunch during the excursion on Lakaro Bay day 17.

- 4WD  with and English speaking driver from day 02 to day 15.
- Indemnity and daily fees of the driver
- Fuel
- Return back of the vehicle from Fort Dauphin

- Excursions Ranomafana, Andringitra, Isalo, Arboretum Tulear, Tsimananpetsotsa, Berenty, Nahampoana, Lokaro
- Entrances and guides fees on the above mentioned parks and reserves.

-  All needed transfers  hotels – airport – hotels.

Rates  don’t include      
- Drinks, extras and tips, Lunches
- Activities in Anakao
- Domestic air ticket : Fort Dauphin – Tana :160 Euros per person
- International air tickets.

Booking / Payment
- Confirmation by email of the present trip
- After Espace Mada confirmation of availabilities hotels, transport and flights: 50% deposit by bank transfer 45 Days before departure
- Balance before departure inTana : CB Visa Euros Notes or cash