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Join our Madagascar group to discover the best of the RN7 within Six Days. The group will meet in the morning at the Avenue of independence before heading to Antsirabe. Visit Antsirabe city and its beautiful colonial city, the independence avenue decorated by the stele including the 18 tribes, the oldest three stars hotel in Madagascar, the old train station, post office and some workshops. The capital of Zafimaniry region is known worldwide with the woodcarving at Ambositra. Ranomafana National Park is one of the green national parks of the Atsinanana or Eastern forest with a very exceptional biodiversity. Discover the old technic to make a paper antemoro, natural silk. As you will be there on Wednesday, you may visit the market of zebu. The reserve of ANJA is a natural habitat and the best place to see the famous ring-tailed Lemurs. Traveling across the plateau of Ihorombe until Isalo National Park, you will feel the disaster due to the deforestation and bush fire. The most attractive landscape of the south is the massif of Isalo National Park and it’s the deep canyons, and natural swimming pools with different shape of natural statutes. On the last day, you will go past the village of Ilakaka and Sakaraha where you can feel the atmosphere of the Gold Rush Time and gem’s market. You will see some well decorated Mahafaly Tombs with different drawing. In addition to the baobab trees next to the National Road, we will dedicate few hours to visit the Spiny Forest to touch big baobab trees at Renala reserve and learn more about Madagascar tortoise before the drop-off at the hotel of your choice.
You are expected at the departure point at 8:00AM. Normally, the departure point is in front of La Potinière but it may change according to the circumstance. You can pay for supplement and we will send a car to pick you up at your hotel if necessary. You may have a breakfast (on your charge) at La Potinière if you want. At 8:30, we start to drive towards Antsirabe with stop on the way to take some photos of the beautiful scenery, rice paddies and red hills. People build red bricks for house construction from the rice paddies. Upon arrival in Antsirabe, check in at your hotel and then visit the city by vehicle or Rickshaw, discover the oldest three stars hotel in Madagascar, continue to the independence avenue, its beautiful garden, rail station and the old post office. Continuation to various workshops including the Atelier Mamy with his miniaturized craft made from recycled object, the embroider workshop, and the atelier Maminirina to discover different process while working on horn of zebu. After the visit, drive back to your hotel. Night at the Antsirabe Hotel or Trianom or Green Park or Similar
Breakfast at the hotel. Then, we continue to Ambositra. This is the biggest city next to the Zafimaniry villages who are very talented on woodcarving and all handicraft made of wood. You will stop to see how they work on it before visiting the market of 100 shops for more or less same articles. At noon, we drive to the restaurant Artisan for lunch (on your expense) in Ambositra and there may be the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Malagasy meal while enjoying a show about high-land folk dance from Imerina and Betsileo. Continuation to reach Ranomafana National Park. You leave the highland landscape and enter to the rainy forest. Depending on the arrival time, we will check in at your hotel first before going to nightwalk or do the Nightwalk before heading to your hotel. The nightwalk is along the asphalted road that separate the National Park in two parts. This is the best place to see mouse lemurs, frogs, chameleons and birds Night at the Hotel Gaspar or Grenat or Cristo or similar
Transfer to Ranomafana National Park: in this misty rainforest, covering elevations of 500–1,500 metres, numerous endangered lemur species can be found here, including the Milne-Edwards’ sifaka, different species of bamboo lemurs and black-and-white ruffed lemurs. A variety of other animals also exist in this cloudy forest, such as satanic leaf-tailed geckos, elusive ground rollers and streaked tenrecs. Note that Ranomafana National Park homes more than 100 birds. Five species of viverrids, reptiles, lizards, butterflies, and other insects have been recorded in this park. Departure to Fianarnatsoa in afternoon. Night at the hotel Three Palms or Petite Bouffe or similar
After breakfast, drive to Ambalavao. You will discover the beautiful colonial architecture well known for its veranda; the famous Antemoro paper, embroidery, and silk workshops. As we will be there on Wednesday, you will see the market of zebu which is the 2nd biggest zebus’ market of Madagascar. Then we will drive to Anja Community Reserve which is located at 12km south of Ambalavao: a forest of ficus, lianas and orchids developed in between a spectacular rock forming caves used as shelter by animals. The rocky slopes have been colonized by succulent plants such as kalanchoes and pachypodiums. In this lush green paradise live in small colonies the ringtailed lemurs, the symbol of Madagascar. They are easy to find and to make close-up photo as they spend a lot of time on the ground, on the rocks and on trees. The profit of Anja's reserve are managed by the AMI (Anja Miray) organization, and are donated to finance social and economical projects, which purposes are to improve crop yield, crafts development, health and education. Continuation to the south and arrival to Bara ethnic group territory in Ihosy. From there, we cross the largest plateau of Ihorombe after being in Ranomafana green forest the day before. This is an evidence that Madagascar is a very big island. Arrival to Ranohira late in the afternoon and we have a briefing with the local guide at the hotel or at the office of the national park. Night at the hotel H1 or Chez Alice or Ochidée or similar
Today, you are going to visit Isalo National Park : This Park was created in 1962. It is large of 100 km from North to South and unique in Madagascar thanks to its geological formation, dating from the Jurassic time. You can also find there an exceptionally rich fauna including natives rock reptiles. You will be able to spot endemic species of lemurs, birds, reptiles, plants and butterflies. The main ethnic group in this region is the Bara, living essentially of farming zebus and agriculture. Considered as descendent of the Bantu, the Bara are livestock breeders but also fierce warriors, proud and ready to give up their life to defend their freedom. Night at the hotel H1 or Chez Alice or Ochidée or similar
This is our last day along the RN7. The temperature rises as we lose height and head for the coast through savannah plain. We drive across the villages of Ilakaka and Sakaraha, small towns which used to be quiet, until a huge sapphire reservoir was discovered there, turning these quiet towns into mining cities worthy of the American Far West Gold Rush. We continue our trip passing by few baobab trees and a number of fascinating Mahafaly Tombs. Lunch (on your expense) in Toliara. In afternoon, you go to Ifaty to visit the reniala baobab forest : Reniala is a malagasy name of baobab tree. The place is known as home of many species of baobabs within just 60 ha. You will learn more about the Baobab and other endemic vegetal species in the dry area of the South or in spinny forest. If you are lucky enough you might taste baobab fruit. But the highlights of the day is to be in front of the biggest baobab of Ifaty Mangily area that looks like a coffee pot. This biggest baobab has over 1200 years with 7 meters of height and 12 meters of circumference. It belongs to the species of “Adansonia robrostipa” called also “Baobab FONY”. During your visit you’ll meet many endemic birds including Uratelornis and Monias, lemurs, reptiles, lizards that has the head of dinosaur and caiman’tail, and also turtles. Next to Reniala reserve, we will stop at Village des Tortues which is a special place to sensitize people to protect the tortoise and turtle. After the visit, you will join the car by the typical local means of transportation Charette of Zebu. Our driver will drop you one by one at each of your hotel in Ifaty, Mangily or Toliara. Our service is over when you arrive to your hotel. Hotel is NOT INCLUDED
INCLUDED:
• No AC Vehicle – 4x4 or Minivan or Bus depending to the number of participants
• Fuel
• National Tour guide speaking English who may act as a driver as well
• Entrance and Nature Guide at the listed parks (Ranomafana, Isalo) and reserves (ANJA, Reniala, Village of tortoise)
• Accommodations and breakfast (BB) in shared occupancy room – double or twin or Triple room – with private sanitary and hot water
NOT INCLUDED:
• International flight and visa fees
• Breakfast on Day 01
• lunch, picnic, diner
• beverage and alcohol
• additional activities
• personal expense and none specified items
• Insurance
• tips
- Contact us for further detail.
