Tour info
About This Tour
The Southern Route of Madagascar is a captivating journey where contrasts form the essence of the environment. Experience the intense interplay of colors: the striking red of laterite, the gentle green of rice paddies, the yellow expanse of vast savannas, the cold, desolate steppes, and an astonishing variety of agricultural landscapes.
As you travel along this route, you’ll encounter charming, tranquil villages where traditional, age-old ways of life persist. These picturesque settlements offer a glimpse into the timeless rhythms of Malagasy culture.
The dramatic scenery of the Isalo Massif, with its mysterious beauty, invites silence and reverence. Here, the landscape speaks volumes, leaving an indelible impression on all who visit. Let the rugged terrain and unique rock formations transport you to a world of natural wonder and ancient heritage, where every turn reveals a new facet of Madagascar’s rich tapestry.
Itinerary
Enjoy the scenic route through the highlands with vast rice paddies, wheat fields, and charming villages with their red laterite hues.
Stop at Ambatolampy to visit the traditional pot foundry where pots are made with rudimentary materials.
Arrive in Antsirabe, the third-largest city in Madagascar, known for its cool climate due to its altitude (1500 m).
Discover the city and its surroundings.
Visit a semi-precious stone workshop and a silk processing workshop at KOLILANDY. Time permitting, enjoy a rickshaw ride.
Category 1 – Royal Palace or similar | Category 2 – Eco Lodge Les Chambres Du Voyageur or similar | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
The route offers spectacular views of flat rice paddies along the hills and simple Betsileo traditional houses made of sun-dried bricks with rain-washed clay walls. Typically, these houses lack chimneys; the smoke escapes through windows or thatched roofs.
Stop at Ambositra, the center of Malagasy crafts, renowned for the Zafimaniry wood carvings.
Evening visit to the Ranomafana forest.
Category 1 – Hôtel Thermal or similar | Category 2 – Hôtel le Grenat or similar | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Spend half a day visiting the Ranomafana National Park, a mountainous reserve with rich biodiversity.
The rainforest is characterized by numerous euphorbiaceae, epiphytic plants, palms, and orchids.
The fauna is rich, including the recently discovered golden bamboo lemur, which has its only sanctuary in the park. A wide variety of birds, many of which are endemic to Madagascar, can also be observed.
Category 1 – ZOMATEL | Category 2 – LA RIZIERE | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Pass through terraced rice paddies and tobacco plantations.
Visit vineyards.
15 km from Ambalavao, visit the Ny Anja Park. This refuge for several ring-tailed lemurs (lemur catta) and a wide variety of typical Malagasy plants is managed by a village association.
After leaving the “Gateway to the South,” enter the south, characterized by strange natural landscapes and vast savannas.
Encounter large herds of zebu.
Arrive in Ranohira in the late afternoon.
Category 1 – Relais de la Reine | Category 2 – Isalo Ranch | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Spend the day exploring the ruiniform massif of Isalo, with its lunar landscapes and spectacular sandstone formations.
Activities include visiting the Nymphs’ Cascade, meeting Sifaka lemurs, and relaxing at the Natural Pool with its inviting turquoise waters.
Visit the Window of Isalo for a superb sunset view.
Category 1 – Relais de la Reine | Category 2 – Isalo Ranch | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Admire Mahafaly and Antandroy tombs along the route, with their magnificent “aloalo”: sculpted wooden posts with geometric shapes topped with naive scenes of daily life.
Experience the arid southern vegetation with a variety of succulents and euphorbias.
Visit the shell market and the Arboretum of ANTSOKAY.
Continue to Ifaty, driving along the coastline with views of mangroves.
Category 1 – Le Paradisier | Category 2 – Solidaire Mangily Hotel | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Head inland to visit the RENIALA nature reserve, rich in xerophilous plant species adapted to the dry climate, with a spiny forest full of impressive baobabs and didieraceae.
Stroll through the RENIALA nature reserve, experiencing the region’s typical spiny forest and remarkable baobabs.
Visit the village of turtles.
Relax in the fishing village.
Enjoy leisure time on the beach.
Category 1 – Le Paradisier Hotel | Category 2 – Solidaire Mangily Hotel | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Relax on the beach.
Category 1 – Le Paradisier Hotel | Category 2 – Solidaire Mangily Hotel | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Antananarivo.
Category 1 – Palissandre Hotel & Spa | Category 2 – Hôtel Les 3 Métis | Full board (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
City tour or visit to the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, 24 km northeast of the capital, the most significant symbol of Malagasy cultural identity. This cultural site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lisy Gallery, the ideal place to buy souvenirs.
Day use at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule.
Hotel Day Use: Category 1 – Relais des Plateaux | Category 2 – IC Hotel
Inclusions & Exclusions
This tour, as described, includes:
- All airport/hotel transfers and vice versa
- Vehicle with driver-guide service and fuel
- Guide services for accompanying groups
- Accommodation in double, twin, or family rooms
- Tourist vignettes and local taxes
- All meals mentioned in the program
- Local guides for excursions
- Entrance fees for sites to be visited
- All visits and excursions mentioned
- Complimentary tour leader accommodation in a single room for the group
This tour, as described, does not include:
- International and domestic flights
- Entry visa (35 EUR/person for stays less than 30 days)
- Tips, personal expenses, and beverages
- First night stay in Antananarivo (can be organised, on demand)
- Health insurance and medical evacuations
- COVID-19 detection tests if required by regulation
Possible extensions
The stay can be extended depending on the desired excursions. Enjoy a relaxing moment by the sea in Anakao or at Ankasy Lodge, on the shore of the dreamlike Ambatomilo lagoon, on the coast of the Tropic of Capricorn. Here, you can relish these remote paradises, engage in numerous water activities to explore an abundance of exceptional marine life, and most notably, encounter whales.
