DISCOVER MADAGASCAR ITINERARY

Day 01
Depart Cape Town or other centres flying to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport. Transfer to International departures for your flight to Antananarivo. On arrival you will be met by our agent and transferred to Shangai Hotel on a bed & breakfast basis for today.



Day 02: ANTANANARIVO
After breakfast, we go on an intriguing city tour, visiting the upper town to learn something about the history through the monuments and architecture. We see the Queen's Palace and the old Palace of the Prime Minister with striking panoramic views, and then descend towards the lower city where we see the flower market in Anosy, and different administrations. Afterwards, visit the botanical and zoological museum of Tsimbazaza: lemurs, various reptiles, and a botanical path giving an outline of the various types of vegetation. The zoo is also an archaeological and palaeontological museum where several fossils and animals are housed. Optional lunch. In the afternoon, a tour to the Queen's Palace at Ambohimanga which is the cradle of the Merina Kingdom. The blue hill offers among others several curiosities that evoke the civilizations of the Merina during the XIXth century (architecture, fortifications…) Breakfast and dinner at Shangai Hotel.



Day 03: ANTANANARIVO - ANTSIRABE
Travel towards Antsirabe, stop in Ambatolampy to visit and view the work of local craftsmen. Optional lunch. Antsirabe is a unique industrial town (textile, tobacco…), an agricultural town - the communities are mainly rural. There are numerous sights as well as hot springs. You can enjoy and admire this typical and fabulous Highland landscape as well as the Merina population with their Asian features. Breakfast and dinner at Hasina Hotel.





Day 04: ANTSIRABE - FIANARANTSOA
After a city tour and seeing traditional crafts workshops, we leave Antsirabe, drive through typical highland scenery of rice paddies and low hills and the spectacular tapia forest. Stop in Ambositra, the centre of Madagascar's wood carving industry especially marquetry. Optional lunch. From Ambositra, the scenery becomes increasingly spectacular and we pass remnants of the western limit of the rainforest. The road runs up and down steep hills, past neat Betsileo rice paddies interspersed with eucalyptus and pine groves. Breakfast and dinner at Tombotsoa Hotel.



Day 05: FIANARANTSOA - RANOHIRA
Drive through rice, corn, potatoes, vegetable, coffee and wine field to arrive in Ambalavao, reputed for the manufacture of Antaimoro paper, and natural silk weaving region. Optional lunch. There is a visit to the village project of Anja Park to see ring-tailed lemurs before continuing to our hotel. This afternoon we drive to Ranohira through an awesome landscape. Here we may see 'sebu herds' of the Bara tribe. Go southwards passing through the huge and boundless savannas of Horombe, arrive in the village of Ranohira Breakfast and dinner at Orchidee de L'Isalo.





Day 06: RANOHIRA
We have the whole day to discover the extraordinary dense and massive Isalo National Park. In the morning, we walk through varicoloured sandstone cliffs and gorges, reminiscent of the American Southwest, hosting rare Pachypodiums, Aloes and other succulents inside the labyrinth of canyons. We can photograph flowers and look out for the unique wildlife sifakas, brown lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs before continuing to our hotel. The park also protects sacred burial sites of the Bara tribe. In the afternoon we trek to the spectacular natural swimming pool - a cool, clean and deep pool, surrounded by overhanging pandanus trees. It is wonderfully refreshing after the hot walk. We end the day watching the sunset at the natural “Fenetre de l'Isalo”. There are various optional tours available on the spot. Breakfast and dinner at Orchidee de L'Isalo.



Day 07: RANOHIRA - TOLIARY - IFATY
Today we leave Isalo going towards the south-western coast. On the way we discover the first baobabs and many Mahafaly tombs. There are some charming villages on the route as the rugged mountains give way to grasslands and we pass through the cotton-growing area. Optional lunch. The scenery changes as we pass among the dry forests and the spiny desert of the south. On arrival in Toliary, we have a guided visit and explore the Arboretum of Antsokay Park. The botanical path will illustrate the ingenuity of the diverse flora that has adapted, sometimes in extraordinary ways, to the heat and drought of this region. A museum is worth a visit, also possibly visit the Ades, a Swiss project about solar stoves. Carry on northwards to Ifaty. Breakfast and dinner at Mangily Hotel.



Days 08, 09, 10: IFATY
Ifaty is a small village with in fine white beaches and is in the Vezo territory, a people of sailors and nomad fishermen. Its coral reefs and mangroves biodiversity are still exceptionally rich.





Days are at leisure with many excursions available . Apnea and bottle diving as sea excursions. For nature lovers, bird watching is very spectacular at “Reniala Private Reserve” inside the spiny bush. For social interests, visit a local school and also experience the Vezo Fishermen's way of life, especially after coming back from fishing. Breakfast and dinner at Mangily Hotel.



Day 11: IFATY - TULEAR - ANTANANARIVO
Today we transfer to Tulear airport, fly to the capital Antananarivo to take your flight to Johannesburg and other connections home.