Crossing Madagascar

Meet your driver at the airport, transfer to your hotel closed airport : The Combava.

Transfer Airport. Flight to Fort Dauphin. Assistance airport and transfer to your hotel closed to Libanona Beach. Fort Dauphin is an  ancient colonial port discovered during the 16th Century by Português  It is the main town of ”Anosy” area, south East of Madagascar. The site is fertile , green,  quite rich for landscapes, fauna and flora like : Lokaro Bay, Berenty Reserve, Nahampoana Reserve, Pic Saint Louis, Andohela National Park or Vinanibe Lake. Accomodation Talinjoo Hôtel.

All day excursion to the wonderful Lokaro Bay : start with a little cruise on the salted lake of Lanirano until Evatra Village, short walk to the bay passing by a fisherman village. You can swim there. Turn back to Fort Dauphin at the end of the afternoon.  Talinjoo Hôtel.

Visit Nahampoana Reserve, located seven kilometers from Frot Dauphin. Half day excursion within green forest, discovering 6 species of lemurs,  medicinal plants, chameleons, birds, reptiles, … Quite and relax balad on a pirogue allong the mangroves. Back to the hotel after your visit. Talinjoo Hôtel.

Direction  Berenty. Accomodation in Berenty Lodge. In the afternoon visit of the reserve whichs contain a large lemurs population like Verreaux’ sifaka, ringtailed lemurs, birds called ”coua”. Easy walk of one, two hours.  After visit the very interesting Androy Museum. Around 6 pm night excursion observe the Microcebius. (Step: 03h30- 114 Kms )

Day 6

Track destination Ambovombe, Tsihombe and junction for Lavanono. Along the trail you will discover the mahafaly and Antandroy tombs.   Installation at Lavanono Lodge: surprising Ecolodge with a botanical garden, the bungalows have an impeccable hygiene and were built with local wood. Toilets are common and hotel provides hot water in bottle. (stage 215 kms – about 7h).

Trail to Ampanihy village, well known for its Mohair carpets.. You  will crross the village of Tranoroa and one of the biggest river of the South : The Manarandra. Installation in hotel ”Sharon” ( Step of 200 kms, 8h )

Continuation towards Betioky, you will join the national road 70 kms before Toliara at the village of Andranoroyo. We will see the first baobabs. Installation in Hotel Victory. ( Step of 200 kms, 7 to 8h ).

Head to Ranohira , dry landscape where thorny plants will emerge. Stop at the Arboretum of Antsokay ( typical flora and endemic medicinal plants ). Passage in the Mahafaly country, overlooking tombs with their ”Aloalo” on top. Passing villages gems like Ilakaka, called the city sapphire. Installation at your hotel closed to the park.(Step 215 Kms – 5h).. Check-in Isalo Ranch.

Distinguished by a canyon and nice rolling plains, the Isalo National Park is an attractive reserve of Madagascar’s land and wildlife. You can for example go to Canyon des Makis which is an important hiking area, with some lemurs . It’s a 17km drive from Ranohira. Other excursions could be :  natural pools, waterfall and “Fenêtre de la Reine”

You continue the National 7 for five hours. You will pass through the ”Bara” country, cross the Horombe tray. Before arriving in Ambalavao, bifurcation towards Tsaranoro Valley. (Step 210 kms, 5 hours) Accommodation Camp Catta

A guided tour in the Valley of Tsaranoro. Hiking the Mount Caméléon. Valley offers spectacular panoramic views. The trail ascends through meadows, forests, and streams, leading to the summit of those distinctive rock formations. Walk could be completed in a few hours, with options for a leisurely descent, including a refreshing stop at a natural pool. In the afternoon, jonction with your Drive to Ambalavao, the capital of zebu is also known for its beautiful silk weaving shop and its Antaimoro  factory Paper. Continuation to Fianarantsoa you cross vineyards . Installation at the hotel Villa Sylvestre in downtown (Step 130 kms – 3 to 4  hours )

Tour of the high city of Fianarantsoa, named also ”the old town”. Fianarantsoa is the capital of Wine. Vines coming from France and Switzland, give a fruity taste. Short way to Ranomafana ( aorund 2 hours ). Set in hotel Chez Gaspard. In the afternoon you can relax to Thermes wtih hot source water ( Step : 61 Kms – 2 hours )

Ranomafana National Park offers exploration of lush Rain Forest and diverse guided hiking trails; there is rich biodiversity, and it is a spot for lemurs. In the morning trip called the ‘Varibolomena’ from 2to 3 hours. Then we take the highland road until Amboistra, the artisanal capital. After city tour, continuation to Antsirabe. Accomadation Chambre du Voyageur. ( Step of 280 kms, 6 to 7 hours )

Breakfast then small city tour : miniature workshop (rickshaw, bicycle, trucks),  precious stones. Then you  take the RN 34 full west, direction the town of Miandrivazo, where King Radama in royal times was waiting for his future wife,  a daughter of a Sakalava king. Installation hôtel Princesse Tsiribhina. Guide who will ensure your river descent the day after will cime around 7 p.m. for a short briefing. (220 kms stage, 6 hours)

At 9 am, departure from Princesse Tsiribihina, Transfer to the village of Masiakampy where you will board.Guide will present the crew. Embarcation on motor barges,  used long time ago for tobacco transport. Barges have since been arranged for tourists confort. At the back, you have the cockpit and the kitchen; on the lower deck you benches on where you take meals and upstairs, you can enjoy a Solarium equipped with deckchairs.
The cruise starts middle morning, oat will cross vast cultivated plains, sand banks and “Tsiribihina Gorges” and Sakalava villages  Late afternoon, refreshing halt and Anosinampela waterfall (women’s island), a small coin of paradise where live families of lemurs. Camp will be set up nearby on a large sandbar.

Along the meanders of the Tsiribihina river,  navigation starts again. Travellers will meet local motor barges, piroguiers. First stop at the village of Begidro weel kown for its old tobacco concessions. Cruise continues , landscapes follow one another. Second stop at the village of Berevo, biigest to Berevo with a Catholic school, a gendarmerie and a dispensary. Last stop around 4 pm at the village of Ambatomisay to contemplate Baobabs called ”Andasonia Za”. Second Camp on a sand beach. After dinner, you can participate, to a traditional dance show, around a campfire.

The landscapes are confused with date palms, tamarinds, jujube trees, mango trees, sensory mimosas,  ricins and balsas,. Last cruise day to greet once again drongos, fishermen, herons, green bee-eaters, teals, humpback ducks, teals . Arrival around 11 am at the village of Tsimafana, the left bank of the river; lunch on board . Then transfer by 4×4 to Morondava. Photo stop in front of the Sacred Baobab and the famous Baobab Alley for sunset. Arrival in the evening at the hotel Sun Beach hotel in Morondava. (Stage of 110 kms – 3 to 4 hours  of track).

Morondava Airport transfer for correspondance to Tananarive. End of Madagascar Circuits Tours.