SOUTHERN MADAGASCAR ITINERARY

Cities to visit: Antananarivo – Antsirabe - Ambositra – Fianarantsoa - Ranomafana- Manakara - Fianarantsoa - Ambalavao – Ranohira – Tuléar- Ifaty or Anakao.

Day 1 : ANTANANARIVO

Sightseeing in Tana. Visit of Ambohimanga Royal Palace. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: ANTSIRABE

Tana-Antsirabe (170 km). Roadtrip across the highlands towards Antsirabe.

Baren hills and traditional villages made of mud houses along the road. Antsirabe is an Ancient Hot Spring town with thousands of multi colored rickshaws. It is a colonial style town. Sightseeing and a quick visit to the local market. Visit of the Tritriva crater lake. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: AMBOSITRA - FIANARANTSOA

Antsirabe-Fianarantsoa (240 km)

Continue towards Ambositra, the wooden sculpture and marquetry town. Visit of the Zafimaniry Art workshops and souvenir stores.

Lunch in Ambositra. Travel through the "BETSILEO" country, a rice farmer tribe. The teraced rice fields along steep slopes shows a particular know-how of the Betsileo. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: RANOMAFANA

Fianarantsoa-Ranomafana (65 km)

Early roadtrip departure to Ranomafana. A small village located in the Namorona valley. This town is surrounded by mountains covered with thick tropical forest. Transfer to The Ranomafana National Park entrance. Endemic species including birds, chameleons, butterflies, frogs and lemurs can be observed at a very close distance. The golden bamboo lemur was rediscovered here in 1987. Visit of the Hot Spring Station. Possibility to swim in the hot spring pool. Diurnal and Nocturnal visits of the park. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Jour 5: MANAKARA

Ranomafana - Manakara ( 350 km)

Early departure to Manakara. A costal town in the South Eastern part of Madagascar. This town was created during the colonial period. Villas surrounded by beautiful gardens and coconut trees hanging over the beach front, give this town a coastal ambiance. You are in the Antemoro country. Manakara has a small port and can be reached by train from Fianarantsoa. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: The PANGALANE CANAL

Departure at 8 am. Small boat trip along the Pangalane canal. Visit of small fishermen's villages. Picnic in their village. Possibility to swim. Beautiful landscape. Return to Manakara around 4 pm. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7: FIANARANTSOA

Manakara - Fianarantsoa

Early departure to Fianarantsoa by Train. Superb scenery along the way with many stops in small villages. Picture-taking opportunities abound. Arrive late in the evening in Fianarantsoa. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: AMBALAVAO

Fianarantsoa- Ambalavao

Departure at 8 am to the wine country of Ambalavao. Visit of wine plantations and wine cellars. Two different variety of grapes are grown here: "le petit bouché" (white grapes) and the "couderre 13" (the red grapes). Wine tasting opportunities. Visit of the handmade Antaimoro paper workshop. Lunch in Ambalavao. Visit of the ANJAHA parc. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: RANOHIRA

Ambalavao - Ranohira (268km)

Early departure to Ranohira: A small village located at the foot of the Isalo massif. A spectacular landscape is awaiting you here. Lunch in a picnic style. Travel through the Horombe plateau with its uncountable herds of zebus. Arrive in Ranohira late afternoon. Visit of the Interpretive Center of the Isalo National Parc. Catch the beauty of the Isalo sunset at the "window of Isalo". Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 : ISALO -National Parc

Breakfast. Trekking to discover the Isalo Massif by passing through the "Canyon des makis". Lunch. Visit of the "Piscine naturelle", a natural pool. Possibility to swim. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 11 : TULEAR

Rahohira - Tulear - (257 km)

Breakfast. Departure to Tuléar. Visit of Mahafaly and Bara tombs along the way. a fortress-like paintings, a combination of naive and realist styles. Lunch in Tuléar.

Visit of a local sea shells market and possibly the University Museum. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 12, 13, 14 : COASTAL TOWNS and BEACHES (IFATY or ANAKAO)

Free time at the beach. Swimming and snorkeling. Possibility to visit the baobab forest and Vezo fishermen's villages.

IFATY, a small Vezo fishermen's village, located in the Saint Augustin bay, is well known by the beauty of its coral reef barriers. (1 hour drive North from Tuléar).

ANAKAO, a very nice Vezo fishermen's small village. (1 hour by boat South of Tuléar).

Day 15 : TULEAR - ANTANANARIVO

Transfert to Tuléar local airport to Antananarivo.

PS: Possibility to shorten or to extend Day 12 to Day 15.