1- The strikingly contrasting landscapes
2- Meeting with the locals and lemurs
3- The Wide-Open Spaces of the South and its exceptional biodiversity
4- The beautiful lagoons of Anakao
The Tour of the South is an itinerary leading from Antananarivo to Toliary, along the RN 7 (Route Nationale); a severalday driving tour which brings you through various different regions, admiring unique natural beauties.
The tour starts from the Highlands and crosses regions peopled by ethnic groups as the Merina and Betsileo which cultivate fields and rice fields on the plains or carved in terraces on the mountain-sides.
Further on you see granite massifs contrasting with the great plains down to Ihosy, the chief town of the region of the Bara, a fierce zebu breeding people.
From there you come to the vast Horombe savannah interrupted only by the calcareous massif of the Isalo National Park with beautiful landscapes; luxuriant forests full of lemurs and canyons, gorges, natural pools.
Further south, you admire the big savannah baobabs and those in the Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park tropical forest, and then the semi-desert bush characterized by a wild and beautiful, thorny vegetation, of great naturalist interest, typical of the Malagasy south.
In the last part of the tour, you reach Toliary, on the shores of the Mozambique Channel. From here you leave to discover the coral reef, one of the longest in the world, in Anakao.
The beaches of the Coral Reef invite to experience this uncommon habitat, revealing a fascinating world, full of magic and charm, be slowly rocked by the gentle tide; while time seems to stands still, one feel stolen away and mesmerised by its enormity, punctuated only by pirogues with an outrigger which silently parade themselves.
Breakfast at hotel; departure by private car to Antsirabe, reachable along a road that winds through the countryside, where you can admire extensive rice fields and the work of the fields that varies according to the seasons; also the typical villages of the crossed regions, the Imerina and the Vakinankaratra; along the way, stop in the large village of Ambatolampy to visit the artisans who manufacture valuable aluminum objects, both decorative and for daily use; lunch in a local restaurant; then continuation of the road to Antsirabe. Upon arrival, installation to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.
| Breakfast at the hotel; visit of the thermal town of Antsirabe, characterized by many historic residences along wide tree-lined avenues, the typical market of Asabotsy, especially to discover various local products, then continuation to Ranomafana; on the way, visit to the town of Ambositra, famous for its valuable wooden handicrafts; among them the Zafimaniry, UNESCO Intangible World Heritage; after the visit, lunch in restaurant; continuation of drive towards the eastern slopes, arriving in the afternoon by the Ranomafana National Park; accommodation at hotel; dinner and overnight. |
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Breakfast at the hotel; whole morning dedicated to hiking in the park, among streams, rushing waterfalls, along the paths that cross the rainforest where various species of lemurs and other endemic animals will be observed; lunch at a restaurant. In the afternoon, visit of a small tribute known as the “Tanala Village” for a cultural share with the locals; then, installation at the hotel for a well-deserved rest. Dinner and overnight.
| Breakfast at the hotel; continuation of the itinerary to Ranohira Isalo. Stop in Ambalavao; visit of a typical handicraft factory where we will witness the creation of the « Antemoro Paper »; continuation of the itinerary towards Isalo National Park; stop along the road to visit Anja Reserve, which offers the opportunity to spot an important group of Catta lemurs; free lunch at a restaurant; continuation through the savannah and Horombe plain, with arrival at the end of the day near the park; accommodation at hotel; dinner and overnight. |
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| After breakfast, full day dedicated to hiking in the park; the Isalo National Park is a unique ecological representation within Madagascar National Parks sites: a ruinous massif of continental sandstone from the Jurassic period with its typical geomorphology and endemic rock vegetation (Aloe, Euphorbia, Pachypodium, Kalanchoe….) and the specific fauna of this exceptional habitat (rock reptiles, most of which are endemic); the park is also characterized by canyons, rock pinnacles and limestone spires of the most bizarre shapes, streams, natural lakes fed by rivers and waterfalls, where you can swim, forests inhabited by lemurs of various species; free picnic lunch; after the visit, accommodation at hotel; dinner and overnight. |
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| After breakfast of the itinerary to Ifaty; on the way, you will discover some types of baobabs in Andranomaitso; then continuing to the Zombitse National Park for a visit; this Protected Area boasts an « exceptional biodiversity” to discover other types of baobabs and birds; free picnic lunch; afternoon drive to arrival in Ifaty through the beautiful lagoon. Arrival in Ifaty at the end of the day. Accommodation at hotel on half board. |
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Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the port and boarding on a moto-boat and navigation to Anakao for about 1h30; at the arrival set up in hotel in Anakao ; rest of the day at your disposal for swimming in the reef clear water and individual visits. Installation in your room or bungalows. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
| After breakfast, possibility of a departure for a 2 hours trip by 4WD car to reach Tsimanampetsotsa National Park; named after its spectacular lake (which means “there are not dolphins” in Malagasy) and main park highlight, comprises 430 km² of spiny forest and wetlands; this area was protected due to its biological meaning (90% of the flora and fauna is endemic!); at the end lunch in restaurant in front of the coral reef; time at your disposal for relax and bathing in clear water; in the late afternoon back to Anakao; in the evening dinner and overnight in the hotel. |
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After breakfast, possibility of a departure aboard motor powered boat for an excursion to Nosy Ve, a deserted island that rises along the coral reef, where you can swim and dive in fantastic turquoise waters accompanied by a multitude of coloured fish; return to Anakao for lunch, then in the afternoon possibility of taking relaxing walks inland to discover the unique flora of the place or to visit the big Vezo village where you can see the numerous brightly coloured balancing pirogues, lined up on the beach; in the evening dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.
| After breakfast, departure by motor-boat to Toliary; at the arrival continuation on 4WD car to the northern part of the region on a sandy track; first you visit the Reniala Botanical Garden, where some trails in the spiny forest have been made to allow visitors to enter in this spectacular habitat; at the end have lunch in restaurant on the beach where you can swim and relax; in the afternoon take an interesting excursion through the Mangroves, to admire this strange world where trees grow in the salty water and fishes “walk” on earth !; then back to Toliary and set up in hotel; in the evening dinner and overnight stay. |
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After breakfast, or according to your flight schedule, drive to the airport for your domestic or international flight. Time to say goodbye! The memories of this unique trip will stay with you for the rest of your life.
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