The coast of the rosewoods and the south
Localisation
Andasibe-Vatomandry-Pangalanes-Ranomafana-Ranohira-Ifaty
Duration
16 days
Reception on your arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in BB
Breakfast at the hotel. Then you will visit the “City of the Thousands” or Antananarivo to discover the upper city including the remains of the Queen’s Palace, the Lake of Anosy, the flower market, etc. Then you will head for Andasibe, the kingdom of the lemurs. You will have a stop at Marozevo to visit the butterfly farm of Peyreiras.
The farm of Peyreiras or Madagascar Exotic is a center for the farming and the reproduction of reptiles and other crawling species. You can see pairs of chameleons which are samples of all the varieties of the species taken from all parts of Madagascar and kept in the site. There are also diurnal and nocturnal butterflies, frogs, praying mantis, reptiles, bats and birds. Overnight in BB
Breakfast at the hotel. Then you will go on a guided visit of the Reserve of Analamazaotra. Andasibe is the only natural habitat for the Indri Indri, the biggest lemurs. While having a walk, we will discover the other diurnal lemur species, birds and various plants with therapeutic properties. Overnight in BB
You will continue the journey across forests and typical villages to reach Vatomandry. Arrival at the end of the morning. Free time in the afternoon. Overnight in HB
After breakfast, transfer by car to the city of Mahanoro where you will take the boat for the cruise over the Canal des Pangalanes.
You will visit the village of Ampanalana. We can talk with a shopkeeper who owns a typical shop in that area, where we can find almost everything, which makes things fine.
Then we will have a stop at Ambodiharina, a small town which is quite bustling because of the commercial activities of the Canal.
We will have lunch either on board or according to your rhythm, on the fine sand by the embouchure of the River of Mangoro. After lunch, we will cross this immense embouchure.
Today is the second day of the navigation.
We will enjoy the breathtaking crossing over the great Lake of Analampotsy which will last for 45 minutes. We will rely on the skills and the good sense of direction of our courageous pilot to get through the next course of the Canal. In fact, many boats have gone around and around in this site as they have lost their sense of direction.
After going across the village, the Canal changes its course and rush between high sand slopes bordered with forests of niaoulis. We will have lunch on board before arriving at Nosy Varika.
Setting up the camping in FB
Today is the last day of the cruise.
A stop at Ambohitsara (“The beautiful village”), the last village set in the north of the east coast by the Antambahoaka ethnic group.
Visit of the enigmatic “Vato Sarilambo” (“White Elephant”) which tells the very origin of this ethnic group, and a factory of “betsabetsa” (the local mead). Then you will have a meal (composed of fresh products bought during the crossing, mainly composed of seafood, etc.). Overnight in FB
After breakfast, you leave the east and the southeast coasts of the country to get to Ranomafana where the National Park called by the same name is situated. Overnight in BB
In the morning, you will visit the National Park of Ranomafana.
It will be a great opportunity to see several species such as lemurs, birds, and amphibians, but also the endemic plants of Madagascar.
You can opt for either 2 hours or 4 hours of visit depending on your physical conditions.
In the afternoon, you will head for the village of Morarano, the starting point for the discovery of the Valley of Tsaranoro. Overnight in HB
You will discover the Chameleon Circuit, which is the walk through the Valley of Tsaranoro. Visit of traditional villages.
You will be amazed by the exceptional landscape of this part of the Island.
Picnic lunch on the way. Overnight in HB
You will continue the journey again on the RN7 road to the South. You will go across the plateau of Ihorombe before arriving at Ranohira in the afternoon.
Ranohira is the staring point for the discovery of National Park of Isalo. Overnight in BB
A day devoted to the discovery of the National Park of Isalo. This walk will make you discover the beautiful landscape of this park composed of massif and canyons.
After going through some kilometers, your effort will be rewarded by the view of lemurs, such as the lemur catta, as well as a natural pool surrounded by pandanus. A genuine oasis. An invitation to a swim. Overnight in BB
You will have breakfast at the hotel and then continue the trip towards Tuléar through a desert landscape.
All along the way, you will see the Mahafaly tombs and their decorations. You will get to Tuléar at the end of the morning.
Tuléar is a quiet town, crossed by the tropic of Capricorn. It’s also the starting point for all the excursions onto the other surrounding villages.
You will leave Tuléar and continue the journey to Ifaty, a fishermen’s village by the sea. Overnight in BB
Beach stay at Ifaty. Overnight in BB
Transfer to the airport and flight to Antananarivo. Overnight in BB
Flight back home.
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