Classic of tour itineraries in Madagascar, this is the tour which highlights all what the island of Madagascar is famed for, iconic lemurs, baobabs and beaches. The route underwent the best and most extensive development undertaken by the private and public sectors in the improvement and multiplication of infrastructure to serve and accommodate westerner tourists in a business foreseen to grow. Moreover, in a frame of a week-time, a hustled visitor will “fully experiment” most facets of the culture, landscape and nature of Madagascar. It comes with little surprise that this classic tour of Madagascar is the most sought and consequently crowded route for holiday makers.

Highlights

The trail winds over most part of the high plateau along the route national n°7 which connects the capital Antananarivo to the main town of Toliara short of one thousand kilometres away in the south west. In a perpetual change of landscape, the visitor will successively travel across the rugged high plateau of the central highland characterised by villages of ochre two-story brick houses and rice paddies on hillsides or in valleys. Winding in mountainous area, tourist will reach Ranomafana National Park and its high and mid altitude rainforest home to bamboo lemurs, birds, frogs and reptiles. Proceeding southwards, the track brings to ANJA community reserve and its dry forest, the further north area where the most famous lemur of Madagascar, the ring tailed lemur, Lemur catta, is encountered. Still further southwards, the valley of Tsaranoro showcases the geologic formation of the Andringitra national park and its hiking and trekking trails. Then comes the village of Ranohira and the Isalo National Park and the conspicuous massifs ruiniformes, its deep canyons and the bottle like plants which wonderfully conquered the extreme climates of the area. About one hundred kilometers after Ranohira stand out the first baobabs, Adansonia za, the most widely distributed and the second tallest baobab amongst the six species endemic to Madagascar. The first memorable encounter the traveller will have with the baobab will materialise with the specimen of the species at the Zombitse-Vohibasia national park, a less known national park although particular for the population of birds and lemurs. The Arboretum of Antsokay, the reserves of Tsinjoriake, Reniala and Honko are protected areas displaying the diversity and richness of a unique fauna and flora specific to arid and semi-arid coastal areas in the south and south west. Turquoise waters, endless sand beaches, coral reefs, fishes and marine mammals in the Mozambique channel complete the wonders of this classic tour of Madagascar.

Recommended Duration Of Stay

Four-day drive is the shortest alternative we would work on for our endeared guests who clearly have to make do with only a few days to experiment Madagascar. Honestly, this breaks our heart as you would miss a lot on the way while you would run the risk of accumulating more fatigue on long day drives. The ideal is a six-day drive tour followed by a couple of days rest at the beach. Of course, if you would have more days at your disposal to extensively explore the route, many more alternatives could be included in your itinerary to complete your experience of Madagascar. Alternatives will soon be available.

What to see and do?

Antoetra

Ranomafana National Park

ANJA Preserve

Valley of Tsaranoro

Isalo National Park

Zombitse National Park