South with Ampefy

Meeting at Ivato international airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel

(125 Km about 3 hours’ drive)
After breakfast drive with many photo opportunities on the National Road 1 towards “Wild West”. After 21 km stop to visit the Lemur Park, where 7 species of lemurs jump around freely on 5 hectares. Via Miarinarivo you will then reach the day’s destination, Ampefy with its lake Itasy, rich in fish. Tomatoes, pineapples, papayas and avocados are mainly grown in the area.  Overnight stay near Lake Kavitaha in the hotel.

Visit of the surroundings, and the 22m high waterfall of the Lily River, maybe more waterfalls further down the river. Visit of the cold-water geysers at Analavory in beautiful volcanic surroundings. Overnight stay in the same hotel.

(155 Km  about 5 hours’ drive)
Drive through one of the coldest areas of Madagascar on a newly renovated road through mountainous terrain via Soavinandriana to Faratsiho, then continue on a good dirt road (this section of the road will soon be tarred) to Sambaina, where the road joins National Road No. 7. There is also a lot of rice cultivation in this area, partly in artfully laid out terraced rice fields on the slopes. Then drive to Antsirabe (37km). Sightseeing tour of Antsirabe, a city also called the “city of water” because of its many hot water springs, but also because of its two crater lakes. There are also many rickshaws in Antsirabe. Overnight stay at the hotel.

(240 Km about 8 hours’ drive)
After breakfast departure to Ranomafana. A good 20 kilometres before the first stop in Ambositra we cross the new Fatihita Bridge and have a good view (right side) of the stone bridge over the river, which was blown up by supporters of the ex-dictator Didier Ratsiraka during political unrest in 2002 to separate the capital from the surrounding area. A short break in Ambositra to visit some of the studios and boutiques of the wood carvers of the local Zafimaniry tribe. They are specialists in marquetry work, wooden sculptures and figures of all kinds. You can also buy beautiful silk scarves from Soatanana and the surrounding area. Trading is common. The eye-catcher in the centre is a mighty Benedictine monastery opposite the cathedral. On Saturdays there is a big weekly market. Also the farmers from the surrounding area offer their goods here, mostly agricultural or from the village blacksmith. Here you can stroll peacefully without being disturbed. Drive on to Ranomafana (another 150 km, the name means “hot water”), then check into the hotel. Before dinner possibility for a walk with flashlights along the road to look for nocturnal animals. With a bit of luck you will discover fast moving brown mouse lemurs, sleeping chameleon species in all sizes, lively frogs etc.  Back to the hotel.

(85 Km about 2 hours’ drive)
Breakfast, followed by a morning visit with a well-trained local nature guide to the 41’601-hectare national park on the Namorona River with its extraordinary flora and fauna up to 1400 metres above sea level, including the Red-bellied lemur, the Red-fronted lemur, and the Golden Bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus), which was only discovered in 1986. In this magnificent national park with mountain rainforest, founded in 1991, there are over 100 bird species, 68 of which only occur in Madagascar, then various species of ferns, mosses, orchids and giant bamboo. This hike takes about three to four hours and is quite strenuous as it goes over rough and smooth, up and downhill and on narrow forest paths. It requires endurance, fitness and surefootedness. Take your time for the trail and observations along the way.  Then departure towards Fianarantsoa. Overnight stay at the hotel.

(295 Km about 7,5 hours’ drive)
After breakfast drive to Ranohira with a stop in Ambalavao after about 56 km. Visit of the manufactory of the Antemoro paper: a paper made from the bark of the Havoha tree, according to a method probably left by Arabs (on weekends it is often not possible to visit, but sometimes a woman works for demonstration purposes). Wednesday and Thursday morning is the island-wide known big market day for zebu cattle at the southern edge of the village. About 12 km after Ambalavao there is another stop to visit the small reserve Anja, which was founded in 1999 by more than one hundred inhabitants and the surrounding villages. It lies at the foot of the rock formation called “Three Sisters”. Several hundred catta lemurs can be observed there in numerous family groups in their natural environment while resting, climbing or feeding. Finally, we continue on a quite good road via Ihosy, the centre of the Bara tribe, and the plateau of Horombe, which is an endless pasture for cattle, to Ranohira. Grass steppes are interrupted by gigantic granite rocks and river courses, in which villages surrounded by greenery spread out under mango trees. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Morning hike of about 3 to 5 hours (on mostly rocky paths, sometimes a bit steep) with a local guide in the 81,540-hectare Isalo National Park: rugged sandstone rock massifs, an exceptional flora and fauna, including Pachypodium – which translates as elephant paw, gorges, various endemic plants, but also lemurs (kattas, sifakas, brown lemurs) are among the attractions. Visit of the ” natural swimming pool”, where you can cool down and refresh yourself, if it is not filled with sand after heavy rainfalls. There are numerous hiking and trekking possibilities in the valley of the monkeys and rats and around it. In a part of the park there are also trails that are also passable by mountain bike, and camping is possible, but the infrastructure is very simple. The office of Madagascar National Parks for tour registration and ticket purchase is in the centre of Ranohira next to the police. Overnight stay at the hotel.

(240 Km about 6 hours’ drive + 27 Km about 1 hours’ drive)
After breakfast, drive along a mostly straight road, past tall bushes and small cactus forests, interrupted by typical Mahafali tombs, partly decorated with motifs and wooden steles, and mighty baobab trees. In Ilakaka you can still get an impression of the lively and also dangerous life of a once huge sapphire digger city. In Tulear, visit of the Arboretum of Antsokay, a collection of endemic plants of Madagascar, especially many succulents, which was established decades ago by a Swiss man named Petignat. The son continues to run the 40 hectare site with 1000 species of the south. In Tuléar maybe a short break, then transfer to Ifaty, a beautiful, gently sloping beach, which lies about 26 km north of Tulear and is protected by a coral reef. On the way you can see various endemic thorn bush species and mangroves. Overnight stay in a hotel.

Free days resting on the beach, possibility of water sports (diving and snorkeling excursions on the coral reef, surfing, etc.) or walks in the surroundings; there are many interesting plants (didiera madagascariensis, euphorbiacées, jujubiers, cactus…) and also birds to see. Optionally, you can also visit the 60 hectare Reniala reserve with its mighty baobabs in the immediate vicinity of the turtle sanctuary. There are two hiking trails of 1.5 and 2.5 hours length. The park is open daily from 5.30 a.m. (for ornithologists) to 4.30 p.m. Overnight stay again in the same hotel.

(27 Km about 1 hours’ drive)

Back to Tuléar and transfer to the airport for the flight to Tana. Meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel, night at the hotel.

Depending on the departure time of your international flight, you may be able to visit the historical sites of Ambohimanga (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001). It is the holy city of Merina, and was once the residence of the most powerful of all Merina princes, King Andrianampoinimerina. Until the conquest and final subjugation by the French in 1896, no foreigner was allowed to enter it. It had seven city gates, and the most powerful of them still serves as the entrance gate to the place today. Next to the gate there is a huge, smoothly polished and almost circular stone slab. In former times it was rolled every evening in front of the entrance gate. From the top of the “Blue Hill” – that is the translation of Ambohimanga – at 1468 meters of altitude, you have a beautiful view of Tana and the surrounding area.

Afterwards visit a market with Malagasy handicrafts to buy last souvenirs and, if the flight is late in the evening, day use of a room in the hotel. Afterwards transfer to the airport and check-in for departure for the flight home.

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