THE GREAT SOUTH FULL OF SENSATIONS  

Welcome and transfer to hotel Antananarivo, the capital and beating heart of Madagascar. The "City of a Thousand Cities" is the country's largest economic, political, historical and cultural hub. Antananarivo is a stopover not to be missed, as its undeniable tourist appeal is not always apparent at first glance. The palaces, streets, squares and houses of the upper town tell of a fascinating past. Welcome on arrival and transfer to hotel.

150KMS +/- 3h30 drive

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Andasibe and visit the Mandraka Butterfly Farm en route. Here you'll encounter an impressive concentration of chameleons, geckos, lizards and, of course, butterflies.
Arrival in the village of Andasibe in the afternoon and check in to your hotel, in bungalows located right on the edge of the forest.

After breakfast, departure for a guided tour of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park or Analamazaotra. A 3-hour forest hike to discover the park's flora and fauna, including the Indri Indri, the largest and most advanced species of lemur.
In the afternoon, visit the VOI village park, where you'll discover the famous Indri Indri lemurs, the largest in Madagascar.
Night at the hotel.

300 KMS +/- 7h drive
Breakfast at hotel and departure for the capital, go on to the south. As soon as you leave Antananarivo, rice paddies and villages characteristic of Madagascar's central highlands take shape.
In Ambatolampy, a stopover to discover the amazing work of the aluminum casserole makers, found all over Madagascar.
Night at the hotel.

240 KMS +/- 5h drive
Still on the Nationale 7, we head south. In the village of Ambositra, we visit the stores of Zafimaniry craftsmen, in search of a piece of carved wood or a finely worked square of marquetry. After a stroll through the village and lunch in a restaurant serving Malagasy specialities, we continue to Fianarantsoa, entering Betsileo country. Here, the road becomes increasingly winding, taking us to the highest points of Madagascar's High Plateaux. Arrival late afternoon. Night at your hotel

Departure for Ranohira.
On the way, visit the Sahambavy plantation. Stop to visit the Anja village reserve, where you can get up close and personal with lemurs. Anja is home to the most northerly population of the best-known lemur: the ring-tailed lemur. After the visit, the road opens out into the wide open spaces of the south, crossing the Ihorombe Plateau, a vast steppe frequented by herds of cattle that stretches to the foothills of the Isalo massif.
Night at your hotel.

Isalo National Park is located in the Ihorombe region, around 700 km from Antananarivo. It adjoins the commune of Ranohira, which serves as its entry point, and covers an area of some 80,000 hectares. Visitors are enchanted by its natural pools, majestic canyons and caves formed in rocks dating back to the Jurassic period. Every effort has been made to ensure that visitors enjoy their stay in the park to the full. Numerous hotels, apartments, villas and bungalows are available for a pleasant stay in the wilderness. Dinner and overnight in hotel

240 KMS +/- 6h drive
Departure for Tuléar after breakfast. Passage to Ilakaka, a jungle mining town on the RN7, bursting with colors, smells and entertainment. A cosmopolitan, multicultural town, Ilakaka deserves special attention. It's an opportunity to discover the mysteries and enigmas of the blue-green stone known by its chemical symbol Al²O3, Sapphire. First glimpse of the baobabs rising majestically from the savannah. Along the way, you'll be impressed by the magnificent Mahafaly and Antandroy tombs. Here, funeral rites last several months, depending on the family's availability. We'll then arrive on Madagascar's Côte d'Azur at lunchtime. Lunch is at your own expense.
In the afternoon, visit the old colonial buildings and the market. This market is characterized by its stalls of medicinal plants: roots, leaves, rootlets and tree bark from at least four hundred varieties. Overnight at the hotel in bed and breakfast accommodation.

Transfer by boat to Anakao, check-in at the hotel.
Free afternoon in Anakao, where we enjoy the lagoon landscape and the white sandy beach.
Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for the Nosy ve excursion. Nosy ve excursion: The main interest of this island is the presence of a colony of endemic birds, the red-tailed phaetons, generally referred to as "straw-tailed". Some people come from far and wide to photograph these birds, whose tails are made up of two thin red strands. Nosy Ve is said to be the only breeding ground for this species. The young, white balls of down, can be seen on the sand beneath the bushes. The colony has been known since the late 70's. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel
Pick-up at Anakao, then a beautiful sandy track that takes just a few hours to reach the village of Ambola, nestled between a magnificent lagoon and the Tsimanampesotsa National Park. Afternoon at leisure: relax, visit the Vezo fishing village of Ambola, beach, snorkeling, dugout canoeing, underwater fishing... This area is home to different ethnic groups: the Vezo, who are fishermen, the Tanalana, who work the land, the Mahafaly and the Antandroy. This area is home to a variety of ethnic groups: the Vezo, who are fishermen, the Tanalana, who work the land, the Mahafaly and the Antandroy, each speaking a very different dialect, making this area a mosaic of cultures.
Night in hotel

80 KMS +/-3h track
Departure south to Beheloka. We discover the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, a lake saturated with lime sulfate. We set off on a 2-hour tour of the beamilieu of the Mahalafy limestone plateau. We enter a baobab forest, home to a variety of specimens, including giant baobabs. Pachypodiums and other plants endemic to this region also dot our route. Observing these plants shows us the different techniques they have developed to cope with the drought. We also discover caves, some of which contain Typhleotris madagascariensis or blind fish, living in dimly-lit crevices. The pac is home to an abundance of fauna, including numerous species of land birds, reptiles and turtles, and we may even be lucky enough to come across the famous radiata turtle. Lunch at leisure before continuing our journey to Itampolo. This village is situated on one of the most beautiful beaches on the south-west coast, stretching for miles on fine white sand, bordered by the turquoise lagoon. Behind the dunes, the savannah stretches inland as far as the eye can see.

Take advantage of this day to relax or explore the village.
Overnight at the hotel.

A long, dusty drive awaits us on the National 10 to reach Ampanihy, a village renowned for its mohair carpets.
Overnight at hotel.

Day trip to Cape Sainte Marie.
We enjoy landscapes from the ends of the earth, and experience unforgettable moments in an idyllic setting in Madagascar's far south. Visit the Cap Sainte Marie Special Reserve, Madagascar's southernmost region. It is dedicated to the protection of certain species of flora and fauna. The vegetation of the Cape will astonish you with its tendency to dwarfism, which is not considered here as a malformation but as a necessary adaptation to the arid climate. And it is this dwarf flora that attracts the most attention in the reserve. It is also home to Madagascar's largest turtle colony. Overnight at hotel.

Take advantage of the day to relax or explore the village.
Overnight at the hotel.

185KMS +/-5h track

Breakfast at the hotel, then on to Faux Cap, which we reach in the early afternoon. A day through the extraordinary panorama of southern Madagascar. The arid landscapes and bushes so typical of the southern region are gradually giving way to a much greener environment. Arrival in Berenty in the afternoon,
Overnight at the hotel on a half-board basis.

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a visit to the Berenty Reserve, a small private reserve consisting of a gallery forest in the thorny thickets of Madagascar's far south. The reserve is a prime location for observing endemic species of birds such as couas. Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight half-board at the hotel.

85KMS +/-3h track
Breakfast at the hotel, go on to Fort-Dauphin, a town with one of the most pleasant climates on the east coast, but one that varies from place to place. The region's natural beauty is unrivalled, with its lush forests and thorny bushes, its rivers and contrasting mountains, and its preservation from large-scale tourism.

Free day in Fort Dauphin
A true paradise for nature lovers, the Fort Dauphin region offers an extremely rich biodiversity. You can visit the many reserves in the area, watch humpback whales pass close to the coast before heading upstream to Sainte Marie. Lovers of hiking and discovery will appreciate a trip to Lac d'Amparihy, a legendary lake where, years ago, villagers were said to have been turned into crocodiles. Fort Dauphin is also a renowned surfing spot, where you can enjoy the exceptional waves. And for the more adventurous, there's the chance to trek up to Pic Saint Louis, for an incredible view of the entire coastline.

Free day

After a final dip in the crystal-clear waters of the southern Indian Ocean and a delicious breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport. Lunch at leisure in Fort Dauphin or Antananarivo (according the schedule flight of Tsaradia).

If we have time, we stop off at the craft market to do some shopping.
Transfer and assistance to the airport.