Trip West Highlands

Arrival in Antananarivo. Meet your driver and transfer to the hotel, located in the city center. Accommodation at Hôtel Belvédère.

Picked up at your hotel by your driver who can take you to the upper town to admire the view of the capital ( Haute Ville ). Then, departing for the town of Antsirabe, you will stop along the way to the village of Behenjy famous for its foie gras, and to Ambatolampy known for its artisanal manufactures of aluminum objects including pots. Continuation to Antsirabe: the landscape and the environment reveal rich laterite lands, typical Imerina villages, Catholic or Protestant churches, lively markets. Arrival in Antsirabe, installation at the hotel. City Tour. (Step 170 kms, 5 hours ). Installation Chambre du Voyageur.

Rural walk around Betafo (200 m vertical drop): We will start with a visit of a traditional Malagasy popcorn maker; then, meet with blacksmiths who design tools for villagers such as: knife, spade, grass, ax, and workers specialized in bricks, tiles and building clay houses. The ballad will continue off the beaten track, to the rhythm of the campaign and the meeting of Malagasy peasants. The travelers will be welcomed by warm families who will have the pleasure of sharing their way of life. Arrived at the top of the hill Ambatomalaza, picnic and panoramic view of the valley. We will descend on Betafo, visit an unusual royal tomb and join the vehicle. Head to the village of Miandrivazo, where in the royal era, King Radama I was expecting his future wife, the daughter of a Sakalava king. Miandrivazo, located at sea level, is considered one of the hottest cities in Madagascar. Installation at the hotel. (If you go down the Tsiribihina the next day, your guide will be around 19h for a brief briefing). (220 kms stage – 6 hours ). Hotel Princesse Tsiribhina

Your departure is scheduled around 9am from Miandrivazo, Transfer to the heart of the savannah, for the Pier near Masiakampy village. (count 1 hour, 20 minutes of tar, 40 minutes of track). The crew welcomes us on the barge. Barges are motor boats formerly used for the Tobacco transportation. They were then arranged for tourists transport. At the back of the barge is the cockpit and the kitchen. Passengers have benches on the lower deck where meals will be served. A staircase leads to the Solarium equipped with deckchairs.
The cruise will begin in the middle of the morning, you will cross vast cultivated plains, will sail along the banks and gorges of Tsiribihina and will cross the villagers of the river; they are part of the ”Sakalava” ethnic group, their huts are built mainly of reeds, and roofs made of rice straw or palm leaves. In the late afternoon, refreshing stop and swim at the waterfall of Nosy Ampela (women’s island), a small corner of paradise that houses families of lemurs. The Camp will be set up nearby on a large sandbar.

The barge continues its navigation in the heart of the meanders of the Tsiribihina river. You will meet piroguiers, motor barges for the freight of local products and by means of transport and exchange for the villagers. In the day, stop to Begidro village famous for its old tobacco concessions. The peasants still cultivate it in a traditional way; you can visit the warehouse. You resume the cruise, landscapes follow one another: cliff bats (Kina Kina), the giant capoquin, rice fields, Berevo village, more modern, with a Catholic school, a dispensary and a gendarmerie. At the end of the day, stop for 30 minutes to the village of Ambatomisay to see our first Baobabs ”Andasonia Za”. The crew will put up the Camp on a beach that can change from one year to another, depending on the rains. After dinner, we you participate, around a sympathic campfire at a traditional dance show. Second Camp.

Day 6

The landscapes are confused with tamarinds, mango trees, jujube trees, ricins, sensory mimosas, balsas, and date palms. Last day of your cruise to greet once again herons, fishermen, drongos, green bee-eaters, teals, humpback ducks. Arrival by the end of the morning at Bereketa pier in Belo sur Tsiribihina; lunch on board the barge. You join you 4WD which has left Morondava in the morning. It will take more or less 4 hours of track to reach Bekopaka, starting point for excursions in Tsingy of Bemaraha. (120 kms stage, track – 4 to 5  hours) Accommodation Orchidées du Bemaraha * *

After breakfast, you will go for an excursion on a traditional pirogue all along the Manambolo river; it lasts around 1 hour and a half. You will see caves, Vazimba Tombs ( Vazimba were the first ethny leaving in Madagascar) , birds.
Then departure with your 4WD from Bekopaka to join the starting point of ”Grands Tsingy” ( 17 kms of a bumpy road, it will take from 1 to 2 hours driving according the season ).  The trip is called ”Andamozavakay”, it takes around 4 hours It is not a trek but a slow and observation walk. This not requiere not a particular physical condition, but it is not good for those subject to vertigo or claustrophobia. During the hike you will discover: secondary forest, caves (bring a headlamp) of the diaclases, panoramic views of this unique massif in the world. You  cross a suspension bridge. The set is perfectly safe and very well laid out by the National Park that provides safety harnesses.Back to the hotel after the visit.

Departure at 7:30 am, we return on track to join Belo Tsiribihina. Lunch advised at the restaurant ”Mad Zebu,” one of the best in Madagascar. You will take a ferry boat and cross again the Tsiribihina (45 minutes crossing). It will remain 2h30 to 3 hours to reach Morondava. On the way, you will stop at the Sacred Baobab, a tree with a thousand years of notoriety. End afternoond we will stop at the baobabs alley to enjoy the sunset and take pictures. Arrival at the hotel Sun Beach early in the evening. (Step 220 kms – 8-9 hours of track)

Middle morning 2 hours of excursion on local pirogue in the middle of the mangroves, stop at Betania , the fishers village, we can see fishermen sailing back on pirogue; then early afternoon drive to Miandrivazo where at the royal era, the king Radama awaited his first wife, who was a daughter of Sakalava King’s. Miandrivazo located at sea level, is considered one of the hottest cities in Madagascar. Installation at the hotel. (Step 270 kms – 5h). Princesse Tsiribihina.

Departure in the morning from Miandrivazo for Antsirabe or lunch break is recommended. Afternoon continuation on Ambositra, the artisanal capital. Hotel installation and night. (340km stage, 8 hours drive).  Artisan Hôtel.

Visit Ambositra famous for its branding crafts. Highland road via terraced rice fields, a legacy of Indonesian culture to Ranomafana which is a reserve in primary forest. Hotel installation. Middle afternoon, visit of a Vanilla Plantation (140km, 5hours ). Accommodation  Ny Tamana Hôtel.

Guided visit of Ranomafana National Park in the morning ( primary forest ); then road via Fianarantsoa to Ambalavao Possibility of visiting the factory Antaimoro paper. Installation at the lodge. Ambalavao is located on the  borders of Highlands and of the Betsileo country, nestled in a valley surrounded by granite mountains and dominated by the massif of Andringitra and Boby peak. This is the starting point for the trek to the boby Peak. (Step 115 Kms – 4 hours ). Accommodation  Betsileo Coutry Lodge.

Visit of the Anja reserve which is near to the road and it is run by a villagers association. We discover many species of lemurs. Then we descend to the south through the plateau of Horombe and Bara country, known for breeding Zebu. Arrival in the afternoon at the massif of Isalo. Accommodation at the hotel. ( 215 kms / 5 hours ). Hotel Isalo Ranch.

The Isalo National Park, criss-crossed by rivers and tributaries, covers 81,540 hectares. This ruiniform massif is a plateau of continental sandstone dating from the Jurassic. Heavily eroded, only witnesses fragmented by the sandy valleys and canyons remained. A truly exceptional show! There are several possible walking tours in the park. For example, you can take a walk in the morning and another in the afternoon or even make a complete loop during the day, a village association can prepare you a lunch in the middle of nature. We include for you 2 circuits that can be combined including:
– The natural pool ( Piscine Nturelle ): easy level, takes place in half a day, the water is very clear, you can swim there (fresh from June to August). From the pool, the park guide will take you to a lookout 10 minutes from the site (panoramic view of the Isalo)
– The waterfall of the Nymphs ( Cascade des Nymphes ): easy level up to the waterfall, it can be extended via rugged paths to the black and blue pools in the heart of lush vegetation.

Early morning departure towards Tulear, desert landscape where thorny plants emerge. Crossing villages gems of researchers which the more known is Ilakaka, which is Sapphire’s city. First glimpse of Baobabs and passing by Mahafaly country’s, overlooking the famous tombs of the same name, topped by large carved posts called ”Aloalo”. You will visit the Arboretum of Antsokay which is located at the entrance to the South Tulear grouping typical flora and many endemic medicinal plants in Madagascar. Lunch advised at Tulear. It remains one small hour to reach the seaside resort of Ifaty. (Step 250 kms – 5h30). Accomodation Hotel Ifaty Beach.

Seaside stay to the hotel which offers various activities: visiting a baobab forest, output Vezo dugout along the coral reef, diving, fishing, snorkelling, quad biking, turtle village … All these activities can be arranged on site.

Transfer to the airport to catch the flight to Tananarive. Transfer to Hotel Belvédère.

City tour in Antananarivo, beginning with the high town, where there is the Queen palace, continuing to the independence avenue, which is limited by the rail station. After Lunch visit of the flowers market and ended by the handicraft shop to buy some souvenirs. Assistance at the airport to fly back home. End of our services.