1- Authentic adventures and memorable encounters
2- Diverse landscape
3- Great freedom of movement
Discovering the fourth Largest Island in the world by cycling from the highlands to the south coast is an unforgettable experience; it is an opportunity to meet the local population of friendly and welcoming ethnic group, to learn about their culture and customs; explore the fauna and flora and of course cycle through villages of different landscapes; this itinerary is a well-balanced tour, it is not only the accommodations and highlights of the area, but also the mix of paved road and tracks; Enjoy this special bike ride. It’s fantastic.
Madagascar is a third world country where tourism is not yet fully developed; you must be prepared for changes during the tours or hotels until the last minute; weather conditions such as rain or cyclones (December to April) can submerge entire areas; flights are likely to be delayed, trains are not running on time; the roads condition and hotel structures are not of the same standing as those in Europe or in developed countries.
We please you not to forget that you are on holiday; we are flexible in distances and timing; if you want to ride a few extra kilometres, you of course have the opportunity; if you think that taking a vehicle suits you, it is not far from you.
We invite you to bring a sense of adventure; Madagascar is a developing country; when we arrive in remote areas where hotels, infrastructure and travel services often go through a development process, please be prepared to leave your usual comfort zone; discover Madagascar closely – This is a challenge.
| Arrival at the international airport of Ivato; after formalities, meet your driver; after greetings, departure by car to the city. Visit of the Queen’s Palace in Manjakamiadana. After the visit, transfer to your hotel in the city. Enjoy a breathtaking sunset from your room at the top of the capital. Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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Breakfast at the hotel; morning departure from the city of Antananarivo around 6.00 am with our vehicle along the southern plateau, through cultivated fields and rice fields, typical villages of the Merina people; arrival in Antsirabe within 5 hours, at about 11.00am, we start the bike excursion, 2 hours of cycling to reach Tritriva, situated at 18km from the city, passing through several villages; upon arrival, picnic lunch onsite, then walking around the famous historic lake with the explanation of the guide; after the visit, we get on our bikes for few minutes to take the vehicle; passing in Andraikiba, stop to discover the volcanic lake; continuation of drive until
Ambositra, the city of wooden sculpture, the transfer will last about 3 hours of drive; accommodation at the hotel; dinner and overnight in hotel.
| Breakfast at the hotel; immersion in the heart of the village Zafimaniry which is located about 40km south-east of Ambositra, listed in 2008 as a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site; 2 hours and half (one way) of riding on bike from the hotel to the village, passing through the hills, admiring the landscape; upon arrival, meet with local population, well-known for woodworking Zafimaniry skill; the houses and tombs are built exclusively by the traditional mortise and tenon technique, without nails, hinges or other metal parts; the extremely codified geometric patterns betray not only the Austronesian origins of the community, but also the Arab influences which permeate Malagasy culture; the symbolic richness of these motifs is the expression of the beliefs and Zafimaniry values; lunch on site; riding back to Ambositra, the center of Malagasy crafts; we continue our excursion by visiting artisan workshops and shops; dinner and night in the same hotel. |
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Breakfast at the hotel; continuation by vehicle towards the south; arrival at a bifurcation at Alakamisy Ambohimaha in 3 hours; picnic lunch; we start cycling towards the Tanala village called Kelilalina, located 12 km from the village of Ranomafana; about 4 hours of cycling trail to the eastern slope, passing through a few villages and eucalyptus forests; on arrival, meeting with the villagers which allows us to attend traditional dances and music, to observe the daily life of these people; it will end by visiting to the village chief’s house; joining the hotel by vehicle; accommodation at hotel. Dinner and overnight.
| Breakfast at the hotel; 03 hours guided tour in the national park; the walk will take us through different landscapes including the Pandanus forest; along the way, we will meet various species of lemurs such as golden lemurs, bamboo lemurs, red-bellied lemurs; brown lemurs and bird species; at the end of the visit, transfer by vehicle until Vohiparara bifurcation, then riding on bike for about 2 hours until Takobato where we will have a picnic lunch, continuation of cycling until the famous village of Sahambavy; one hour of guided visit to the tea planting hill; we will do the rest of the road by vehicle to reach Ambalavao; arrival in hotel by the end of the day; accommodation at the hotel; dinner and overnight. |
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Breakfast at the hotel, we will ride a bike in the morning for the visit in Anja Park, located 12km from Ambalavao, a reserve managed by the village association that offers the opportunity to see an important colony of lemurs catta; after lunch, we will take a bike back until the deviation that leads to the fabulous Tsaranoro Valley; accommodation at Camp Catta Lodge (Ecolodge), located at the foot of an amazing granite mountain, Tsaranoro, a paradise for the most expert climbers; dinner and overnight in hotel.
| Breakfast at the lodge; guided tour in Tsaranoro Valley in the morning; walks abound on the site , we can choose on site according to our physical condition; among these, the Chameleon which is the most complete (duration 6 hours): we cross the Sacred cemetery of the inhabitants of the valley; we will be lucky to find Catta lemurs sunbathing; after a short climb to Tsaranoro, we return to cross the stream that comes from above; a short break for the picnic lunch and we return along the stream, then turn left towards the top of the Langera declared: « The Chameleon »; descent to the hotel after the visit and bike ride around the site in the afternoon; return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. |
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After breakfast; 20 km cycle route to the RN7, picnic lunch on the road; then continuing the road by vehicle to Ranohira through the savannah, where there is the Isalo Park; accommodation at hotel; dinner and overnight.
| After breakfast, morning dedicated to excursions in the park; Isalo National Park is a unique ecological representation within the network of National Parks of Madagascar: a ruined massif of continental sandstone from the Jurassic period with its typical geomorphology and endemic rocky vegetation (Aloe, Euphorbia, Pachypodium, Kalanchoe…) and the specific fauna of this exceptional habitat (rock reptiles, mostly endemic); The park is also characterized by canyons, rocky pinnacles and limestone spires with the most amazing shapes, streams, natural lakes fed by rivers and waterfalls, where one can swim, forests inhabited by lemurs of various species; a 3-hour guided tour before taking the vehicle to the heading south towards Tulear; on the road we will discover the majestic and impressive Baobab; from Tulear, we finish the last 38 km by bike before reaching the hotel by the sea (END OF BIKE SERVICE); picnic lunch during the excursion; accommodation at hotel. Dinner and overnight in hotel. |
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Breakfast at the hotel; visit of the Reniala forest; it is a reserve that presents an exceptional fauna and flora richness with more than 1000 endemic plant species with xerophytic adaptations (dry climate), many endemic birds including Uratelornis and Monias, reptiles: turtles: Astrochelys, Pyxis, lizards, snakes; guided tours on the botanical trail with interpretations are organized to present to the public a wide form notable trees: Delonix, Pachypodium, Baobabs (« dwarf », « bodice », « hexagon », « rhino », « twins », « giant »: more than 13 m in circumference), Givotia, etc., the biodiversity of the flora; do not forget to visit the endemic turtle park of southern Madagascar; return to the hotel after the visit; lunch at your charge; afternoon at leisure; dinner at your charge and overnight at the hotel.
| Breakfast at the hotel; in due time, transfer by car to the airport to take the flight to Antananarivo; on arrival, welcome and transfer to the hotel near the airport; dinner at your charge and overnight at hotel. |
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| Breakfast at the hotel; departure for the visit of Antananarivo or » the city of thousands », from the lower to the upper town perched on the hill of Analamanga, where the most typical constructions of the Merina civilization are located, the remains of the Queen’s Palace and the Palace of Andafiavaratra; meals at your charge; if time permits, continuation of the visit to the famous large craft market “La Digue”, constituted by a hundred small pavilions in a row, it presents all the richness of Malagasy crafts: products in zebu horns, raffia, basketry; assistance at the airport afterwards to take the intercontinental flight back. End of our services. |
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