The South Tour is an itinerary that leads from Antananarivo to Toliary, along the RN 7 (Route Nationale); it is a tour on multi-day on car that will take you through different regions, admiring unique natural beauties. The tour starts from the plateaus and crosses populated regions of different ethnic groups such as Merina and Betsileo, which mainly cultivate fields and rice fields in the plains or terracing on mountains side. We will pass some interesting small towns, such as: Ambatolampy, a large agricultural village, Ambositra, the « capital » of precious wood crafts; Ambalavao, a large collection center for Zebu permandries. Descending progressively the altitude, the Plateau gives place to disavana vegetations, so we meet the wild bushy thorn, of great naturalistic interest because of its high endemicity. Finally we reach Toliary, on the banks of the Mozambique Channel.
Antananarivo (Google Map)
The South Tour is an itinerary that leads from Antananarivo to Toliary, along the RN 7 (Route Nationale); it is a tour on multi-day on car that will take you through different regions, admiring unique natural beauties. The tour starts from the plateaus and crosses populated regions of different ethnic groups such as Merina and Betsileo, which mainly cultivate fields and rice fields in the plains or terracing on mountains side.
Arrival at the international airport of Ivato; after the check-in process, you will be welcomed by an English speaking guide then transferred to the hotel; check in and accommodation at Palissandre Hotel & Spa (4*) or similar; overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel; meet with the guide and departure in the morning by car, you will stop at the interesting places for a short visit; upon arrival, lunch in a restaurant; in the afternoon, city tour in Antsirabe, a town characterized by many historic houses along wide tree-lined avenues and local artisans that produce various types of handicrafts; accommodation at Couleur Café hotel (Boutik) or similar; in the evening, dinner and overnight in hotel.
After breakfast, continuation of the journey with a stop in Ambositra for the visit to typical town and shops whose artisans carve objects in precious wood ; « Zafimaniry » handicrafts is classified by UNESCO as an Intangible Culture Heritage; lunch in restaurant; then continue the road itinerary between woods, pine trees and eucalyptus trees, crossing the villages of the Betsileo ethnic group until reaching, arrival in Ranomafana at the end of the day, dinner and overnight at Setam Lodge (Ecolodge) or similar.
After breakfast at the hotel, the whole morning is devoted for the excursion within the park; you will discover various species of lemurs including the so known “brown lemur” endemic in this forest and other animals along the day; you can also admire the luxuriant vegetation and water falls; lunch in restaurant; then in the afternoon take a tour to the eastern slopes and visit a traditional village of the Tanala, another interesting culture; at the end, back to Ranomafana; dinner and overnight at the same hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel; departure to Fianarantsoa; visit of the Upper Town which is listed as the « World Monument Watch » among the 100 most endangered historical sites in the world; then we will have another stop in Ambalavao for the visit of a typical handicraft factory where you can see the creation of the « Antemoro Paper »; continuation of the trip and new stop to the reserve of Anja to admire groups of Catta lemurs (ring-tailed Lemur) known as “King Julian” from the movie Madagascar, children will certainly enjoy seeing these gentle lemur; lunch in a local restaurant; in the afternoon drive on crossing the savannah and the Horombe Plateau and arrive in Isalo Park by the end of the day; accommodation at the hotel Relais de la Reine (3*) or similar; dinner and overnight at hotel.
After breakfast at the hotel, let’s enjoy another full day discovering the nature at Isalo national park; this park is characterized by canyons pinnacles of rock and calcareous steeples, rivers, natural little ponds fed by rivers and falls; during the summer people enjoy refreshing in the natural pond after few hours of hiking; picnic lunch during the excursion; in the evening, dinner and overnight at the same hotel.
After breakfast, morning dedicated to the visit of the Isalo national park; lunch in hotel; continuation of the itinerary; arrival in Toliary and accommodation at Moringa hotel (3 *) or similar; in the evening, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and end of service.
End of services.
