22 days Grand boucle West and Sud

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ANTANANARIVO (CAPITAL OF MADAGASCAR).

At the airport, after completing visa formalities, our representative will be there to welcome you with a sign bearing your name. It will take you to your hotel. Depending on the time of your arrival, you may already enjoy the life of the capital’s inhabitants.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 2: ANTANANARIVO – ANTSIRABE

We are heading to Antsirabe to participate in the great circuit of Madagascar. On the road, you can admire from afar the rice terraces and tombs of the high land of Madagascar. Our destination is Behenjy for lunch. Stop to visit a craft aluminum pot factory in Ambatolampy and explore the city. Upon our arrival in Antsirabe in the afternoon, we can go to discover the water city and visit some workshops specialized in artisanal manufacture.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 3: ANTSIRABE – TRITRIVA – MIANDRIVAZO

In the morning we leave for Miandrivazo, which is about 250 km from Antsirabe. In the morning, we leave the hotel to explore the desert landscapes of western Madagascar. We head to the village of Miandrivazo, which is located on the banks of the Tsiribihina River. Free end of the afternoon to visit the city and night at the hotel Princesse du Tribihina.

DAY 4: MIANDRIVAZO – DESCENT OF THE TSIRIBIHINA

We go down the river and approach the gorge of Bemaraha. The landscape is really beautiful. Discovery of a variety of waterbirds and interactions with local inhabitants of surrounding villages. Picnic lunch. Overnight camping by the river.

DAY 5: DESCENT ON THE TSIRIBIHINA

Breakfast, then swimming in the natural pool called ‘Cascade’. Then, continuation of the crossing: discovery of charming typical villages, with the possibility to see lemurs. Picnic meals and bivouac installation on the river.

DAY 6: BELO SUR TSIRIBIHINA – BEKOPAKA

Continue the adventure: eat in Belo sur Tsiribihina and go to Bekopaka (Tsingy Park of Bemaraha). Arriving late in the afternoon, we settled down at the hotel.

DAY 7: BEKOPAKA

Breakfast at the hotel.

The visit to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is scheduled for this day. It is important to mention that this park is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At dawn, we go to Tsingy for a visit of at least 4 hours to contemplate and admire the great Tsingy. In the afternoon, a visit is scheduled from 1h to 1h30 to explore the Petit Tsingy.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 8: BEKOPAKA – MORONDAVA

Breakfast at the hotel.

The departure is scheduled early in the morning to return to Belo sur Tsiribihina. Then, transfer by ferry to Tsimafana, then we follow a dirt track to Morondava. Arriving in Morondava in the late afternoon, we can admire the sunset on the famous avenue of baobabs.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 9: MORONDAVA – BELO SUR MER

Departure in the morning after breakfast from Morondava for the direction of Belo-sur-Mer. Following the road, we can see varied landscapes, but mostly a little desert in general. We will see Baobabs. Installation at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 10: BELO SUR MER

Belo, a small town founded by fishermen, has about 12,000 inhabitants. The Malagasy sailing boats called “Botre or Botry in Malagasy” are very famous and deserve to be visited. The temperature is always high and there is always wind, except from December to March. The sea is a bright turquoise blue. The sunset is beautiful. The atmosphere is peaceful and relaxed. Excursions will be to choose, especially because Belo is very famous for its different activities.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 11: BELO SUR MER – MOROMBE

We follow along this coast, still west of Madagascar, to contemplate the different landscapes and continue towards the Mozambique Channel, a very beautiful sea. The area of ‘VEZO’ is also known as the sea people. We will organize a traditional canoe excursion, which will often be the first time for Europeans. Explore again the plantations of large Baobabs.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 12: MOROMBE – SALARY

Salary is located in the south of Madagascar, another little piece of paradise. To be more precise, this famous tourist site is located about 108 km north of the city of Toliara, following the coastal road parallel with the RN9. This resort is particularly quiet. During your stay, make the most of the beach. We have a choice of different activities, whether at sea, such as the underwater reserve or land.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 13: SALARY, AMBATOMILO OR ANKASY

An extra day of relaxation at the beach. Several sea excursions are offered, which will not be included in our service.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 14: SALARY – RANOHIRA

Along the way, we will see, as usual, these different small villages that will certainly have a difference compared to the area already explored. The huts are built using raw materials that depend heavily on the area where they live.

Visit the sapphire mining village in Ilakaka.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel

DAY 15: RANOHIRA

Breakfast at the hotel.

By car, we head to the Isalo National Park. Enjoy a day to explore the park’s flora and fauna, while swimming in the natural pool, the black and blue pool. The park is also famous for its canyon. The famous ‘Window of Isalo’ in the late afternoon offers us the chance to see the sunset.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 16: RANOHIRA – FIANARANTSOA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Leave Ranohira at sunrise. Anja’s reserve in Ambalavao offers a breathtaking view of the famous lemur Maki Catta from Madagascar. Then we go to the Antemoro paper-making workshop in Ambalavao, where we learn how to weave silk. In the late afternoon, we arrive at the capital Betsileo.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 17: FIANARANTSOA – MANANKARA

For this trip, you can choose between travelling by train or car. For the train, it takes at least 8 to 12 hours. By car, it is 4 hours drive. You can find beautiful beaches lined with coconut trees. The visit of the City and the Market is a must.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 18: MANANKARA – RANOMAFANA

During this tour, it is possible to take a half-day trip to Vohipeno and admire the Tombaux of the Antemoro Kings, which are the cultural capital of the Antemoro.

The return to Ranomafana is scheduled for the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 19: RANOMAFANA

A day dedicated to the discovery of Ranomafana National Park. A World Heritage listed terrestrial national park, characterized by its dense and evergreen humid forests that form the majority of the park. We will see many bamboo plantations, its swamp or plant and animal species such pandanus, Ecrevisses choose as habitat, freshwater fish, insects, butterflies, crustaceans, amphibians, birds of Madagascar whose majority are endemic, 12 species of Lemurs, carnivorous and insectivorous mammals.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 20: RANOMAFANA – ANTSIRABE

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure towards Antsirabe. On the way, we can contemplate the landscape with its typical architecture of the ethnic Betsileo and rice fields. Once we arrive in Ambositra, we will visit some craft shops. Ambositra is renowned for its Malagasy crafts and wood carving. Afterwards, we will continue our journey to Antsirabe, in order to discover the avenue of Antsirabe by rickshaw.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 21: ANTSIRABE – ANTANANARIVO

Breakfast at the hotel.

Return to the Malagasy capital. We will have the opportunity to visit the craft market, the largest market in the city and the historical sites of Antananarivo, to discover the history of the Malagasy kingdom.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

DAY 22: ANTANANARIVO – RETURN FLIGHT

Transfer to Ivato airport for boarding the international flight.