RN7 and the great bush of the South East
Localisation
Antsirabe-Ranomafana-Isalo-Tulear-Fort Dauphin
Duration
17 days
Reception on your arrival at the airport. Settling at the hotel. Overnight in BB
Breakfast at the hotel. Then you will leave the capital and head for the South. You will travel along the RN7 Road. You will have a stop at Ambatolampy to visit a workshop of pots and other kitchen utensils made of salvaged aluminium.
You will journey through mountain chains, ricefields and typical villages of the high plateaux. Then you will continue the journey onto Antsirabe which you reach at the end of the morning. Antsirabe is a town called “The City of water” because of its thermal springs with therapeutic properties.
Discovery of Antsirabe in the afternoon. Overnight in BB
After breakfast, you will continue the trip towards Ambositra, situated at 90 kilometres southward from Antsirabe.
Ambositra is the capital of Malagasy craft industry. Here you will have the opportunity to discover the works of the Zafimaniry, an ethnic group living in that area and whose members are skillful woodcarvers. You will visit some workshops of sculpture and marquetry. Then you will continue the journey towards Ranomafana.
In the evening, you will go along the national road and discover the nocturnal lemurs. Overnight in BB
The morning will be devoted to the discovery of 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 condition.
Free time in the afternoon. You can visit the village or have a bath in the thermal pool. Overnight in BB
Breakfast at the hotel. Then you will continue the journey towards Ambalavao. You will visit a workshop of hand-crafted Antemoro paper. Made of the bark of a tree named Avoha, once dried, the paper is decorated with natural flowers to make envelopes, albums, lampshades and other decorative items.
Then you will continue the journey to Ranohira where you will see the National Park of Isalo by crossing the plateau of Horombe. Arrival at the end of the afternoon. 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 certainly 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 is also the starting point for all the excursions to the other surrounding villages. Overnight in BB
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer on board a boat to the fishermen’s village of Anakao, located at an hour’s boat ride in the south of Tuléar.
The landscape in this small paradise includes turquoise sea, white sandy beaches and Vezo canoes. Overnight in HB
Breakfast at the hotel. And then, departure to the National Park of Tsimanampetsotsa, situated at 55 kilometres southwards from Anakao.
With an area of 43,200 hectares stretching over a space 24 kilometres long and 18 kilometres wide, this park houses the first RAMSAR site of Madagascar.
It displays a biodiversity of a considerable rate of endemicity of about 75%. The area is covered with tall and short xerophilous thicket, a mixed forest and a littoral forest. It is an important wintering place for the aquatic avifauna, such as the pink flamingoes. In the morning, the colour of the lake is changing due to the existence of lime sulphate and white clay.
Apart from the birds, there are three lemur species such as the lemur catta. You can also discover the famous Galidictis grandidieri, a nocturnal mammal (a mongoose). Overnight HB
You will take breakfast before the journey to Itampolo. You will enjoy the view of Baobabs and many tombs decorated with Aloalo all along the road.
In the afternoon, arrival at Itampolo, another village located by the ocean and quite far from all civilizations.
Overnight in HB
You will continue the journey after breakfast. This time you will go through a landscape of Didieraceae, euphorbia and aloes. You will enjoy seeing vast areas, immense white sand and cheerful faces. This will be an unforgettable memory you will keep all your life. Overnight in HB
Free time and overnight in HB
This is the next journey before the last stage of this tour. Here the landscape starts changing, a green environment is replacing the arid landscapes and the bushes. Arrival at Berenty in the afternoon and settling at the lodge. Overnight in HB
The morning will be devoted to the discovery of the Reserve of Berenty. This reserve is located on the south bank of Mandrare.
Having a very diversified set of flora and fauna, it’s a genuine sanctuary of nature where you will have the opportunity to see lemurs and the nepenthes, a carnivorous plant species.
In the afternoon, you will continue the trip and head for Fort-Dauphin. Overnight in BB
Transfer to the airport of Fort-Dauphin. Flight to Antananarivo. Reception and transfer to your hotel on arrival. Overnight in BB
Depending on the flight hours, transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
– End of services –
Price per person from 1780€
– The accommodation in rooms and breakfast in the named hotels and similar places
– The half board at Ranomafana, Anakao, Itampolo, Lavanono and Berenty
– The all-terrain vehicle with the driver and the fuel
– The park tickets and the guide fees
– All the visits and excursions mentioned in the schedule
– Transfers to the airport and the hotel
– The ferry services
– All the meals not mentioned and the drinks
– The visits not mentioned in the schedule
– The personal expenses and the tips
– The local and the long-range flights
Image gallery
