Color of south – 12 days

This itinerary is a trip to the far south of Madagascar.
From the capital, we descend to Tulear with a detour to visit the lemurs in Ranomafana.

The Isalo plateau will be a happy pretext for a nice hike in a grandiose setting. The relaxing stay by the lagoon of Ifaty allows us to discover the sweetness and moods of theMozambique Channel.

We are then flying over the dry region of Madagascar; the Androy, to reach the far south of Madagascar. Near Fort Dauphin, we visit the private reserve of Berenty and its numerous lemurs. This region between lagoons and mountains, is among the most beautiful and spectacular of the country.

Highlights

D 1: Antananarivo > Antsirabe

Meeting with your guide.
We have breakfast in the hotel and start heading south passing through Antananarivo.
Rice fields and typical villages of the Highlands represent the landscape right after Antananarivo.
We stop in Ambatolampy to discover the rather amazing work of aluminum to make cooking pot for the whole country.
We take lunch in town. Continuation towards Antsirabe in the afternoon.
We take our time for a city tour and experience “pousse-pousse” (rick shaw) riding for those who want, it is the main transport for locals.

D 2: Antsirabe > Ranomafana

We stay on road N7 and progress towards the south. At Ambositra, we shop around and visit Zafimaniry artisans workshop, trying to find carved wood or a piece of marquetery box minutely done. We stroll around in town and then head to Ranomafana. We are in the heart of Betsileo tribe area. We are on the highest part  of Madagascar Highlands and the road is more and more winding. We turn off to the east and arrive in the rainforest in late afternoon.

• Duration: +/- 5 heures
• Distance: 230 km
• Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner not included

• Your hotel: Ranomafana. Centrest hotel .

  Built on a green hill near the National Park and the Thermal station, the hotel gives high standard guestrooms and bungalows with private bathroom and hot water. Different French and local dishes proposal on the restaurant’s menu. The hotel owns a botanical garden (at 12km) and a private protected reserve (at 6km) on the way east.

D 3: Ranomafana Park > Fianarantsoa

We get in Ranomafana National Park office after a drive. This is one of the most beautiful sites that the primary forest and rain forest in Madagascar can offer. We walk into the park with a local guide in this very humid environment. You should take you waterproofs for the visit. We can find many species of lemurs as the Golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus), the red-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus), red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer) and we can meet also some rare and endangered species as the Greater bamboo lemur (Hapalemur simus). In botanical terms, the park is the a genetic reservoir of some rare and endemic plant species, but also many medicinal plants. We drive back to the main road N7 after to reach Fianarantsoa town.

D 4: Fianarantsoa > Ranohira

We leave the highlands soon . At Ambalavao, we visit the Antemoro paper factory .
The secular process to make this paper by the bark of mulberry tree Avoha (Bosqueia danguyana) was introduced in Madagascar in the XVth century by the first Arabic migrants to retranscribe the Koran.
It is still made to the same processes in Ambalavao.
Meet some lemurs in Anja small Reserve at these huge granite rock foothill.
We continue towards the southwest and enter Barâ region. We cross the largest plateau of Madagascar constituted by a beautiful herbaceous steppe, topped with huge termite nests: it is IHorombe.
We arrive in the village of Ranohira which is close to Isalo massif and the National Park entrance.

D 5: visit of Isalo National Park

A short drive to join Isalo foothill.

We start the walk quietly with a small rucksack, through impressive landscape, canyons, natural pool and magic rock erosions.
Isalo ruin form massif is a continental sandstone plateau from Jurassic period.
There are many rock formations with different shapes here. The nature has adapted to dry climate.
This park has a different ecosystem, endemic rupicolous flora such as Aloe, Euphorbia, Pachypodium and Kalanchoe … We picnic in the Tapia forest. Some walks are possible around, going up to summits gives splendid view.

NB: Walk pace and duration depend on clients (minimum 2h). The guide will advise you.

D 6: Ranohira > Tuléar > Ifaty

We progress to the south west towards the Mozambique Channel.
Drive on 245 km from Ranohira to Tuléar through different botanical settings in the morning.
We stop on the way to see Mahafaly tribe typical tombs so nicely painted and decorated, on which are erected some amazing wooden sculptures. The sea can be seen from far away before we reach Tuléar.
Walk around to the market before taking lunch.
Sandy road along the coast leads us to Ifaty. Installation to the hotel, almost feet in the water.

D 7 and 8: Day at leisure at Ifaty

You can explore different activities from the hotel during the day at leisure on the edges of Mozambique channel. If you want to take advantage of the sea and lagoon: diving, dugout ride with Vezo fishermen, swim or just idleness. Hikers can discover inside land, a specific and extraordinary vegetation composed of euphorbia, baobab, didieracea, aloes … In the south, the thorny are kings.

D 9: Ifaty > Tulear > Fort Dauphin

Have breakfast in the hotel and then transfer to the airport of Tulear.
Make a short stop at the market or to the beach.Meet your guide in the airport of Fort Dauphin (Taolagnaro).
Fort Dauphin is like an end of the world, with the immensity of the ocean and the mountain range behind. The very first foreigners from Portugal accosted there in the 15th century.
Stroll around town and afternoon at leisure.

NB: The program might change depending on the flight schedule.

D 10: Fort Dauphin > Berenty Reserve

Drive towards Berenty reserve. Thirty kilometres from Fort Dauphin, we change abruptly from the green area of the Antanosy  to the spiny vegetation of Androy just after a pass. We stop on the way to see  a endemic palm and nepenthes pitcher plant. You can discover many species of spiny bushes and trees, as aloes, euphorbia, didieracea, baobabs … We will drive through sisal plantation in Mandrare valley before getting to Berenty reserve. Visit the reserve.

D 11: Berenty Reserve > Fort Dauphin

We continue the visit of Berenty reserve.
In 1936, the De Heaulme family decides to protect resident animals in a gallery forest of centenarians tamarinds along the Mandrare river and also in an area of thicket characteristic of South Madagascar adjacent to the reserve.
Since that time, lemurs have lost partly the fear of human and let themselves to be observed. Four species are particularly very common in the south: Verreaux Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi), Ring-tailed lemur (lemur catta), Grey mouse lemur (microcebus murinus) and White footed sportive lemur (Lepilemur leucopus).
The Brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus rufus) was introduced from Morondava area but been adapted to the environment.
Turtles, chameleons, snakes and butterflies are also found there. It is a good spot for bird watching as well.
The flora is composed of tTamarind trees, Didieracea (Didiera trollii, Alluaudia procera), Euphorbiacea (Euphorbia stenoclada, Euphorbia onoclada), Apocynacea (different Pachypodium, Catharantus roseus) and Liliacea (different species of Aloe).
We drive to Fort Dauphin in the afternoon.

D 12: Fort Dauphin > Antananarivo

A leisure morning and a single transfer to the airport organised by the hotel.

End of Malagasy Tours services.

Fly to the capital.

[table]
Number of person,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,Supp single
Price per person[attr style="background: #dddddd;"],1 342 €,1 093 €,1 106 €,924 €,874 €,838 €,816 €,808 €,798 €,782 €,767 €,246 €[/table]