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| Viewing: Road to the South – in another way |
Package ID: 1285 |
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| Road to the South – in another way |
Highlights:
Ibity Mountain –
Ranomafana NP –
Anja Private Park –
Andringitra NP –
Isalo NP –
Zombitse NP –
Ifaty Beach –
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We learn to know the about 1000 km from Antananarivo to Toliara (Tuléar) in another way.
Culturally Madagascar ranks as a unique place. It was colonized by the most adventuresome of the sea farers, the indo-Polynesians. These sea farers reached Madagascar in their distinctive twin hulled outriggers. They brought the coconut palm trees with them, as well as their Indonesian yams, which became significant crop contributions to the food staples. Driven out of eastern Africa by the Bantu expansion in the 9th century, the proto Malagasy, as the natives of the island are called nowadays, took refuge in Madagascar. Today there is a rough 50/50 blend of African and Indonesian gene pool. This has been reinforced by slaves brought from Africa. Culturally, though, the language, the food, and the primary customs are of Asiatic origin: customs like universal circumcision, special venerations of ancestors (razana, some of who, after diverse ceremonies that might involve digging them up and vesting them once again, are venerated as minor divinities), the construction of their homes, the building of rice terraces, the sacrifices of bulls and the taboos (called fady in Magalasy) are all related to Polynesian and Indonesian traits.
Antseranantsoa is a common project of Malagasy association NY HARY Madagasikara and German NGO NY HARY Deutschland e.V. Its aim is to give access to education for children living in rural regions of the mid-west of Madagascar. The centre provides housing, proper drinking water, healthy nutrition, hygienic conditions and medical surveillance. By satisfying the basic needs of the children they are enabled to study up to 200km afar from their home villages where the schools attended do not exist. The project Antseranantsoa wants to improve the living-conditions of these children. And we want to give school kids the possibility to continue their education after primary school as an alternative to child labour. And the name Antseranantsoa is as well the aim: to provide a save harbour where the children can become fit for live. We donate 100 Euro per visitor coming with us to see their project.
Day 1
Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. Upon arrival in Antananarivo you will be greeted by your tour leader and transferred to the Cheval Blanc hotel. A short city tour of Madagascar's capital city, Antananarivo, can be arranged.
Included meals: dinner
Day 2
Ambatolampy is south of Tana on the National road 7 in a fertile agricultural region, backed by the volcanic mountains of Ankaratra. Some km away is the forest station of Manjakatompo with a huge primary forest where we hike to the nearby cold lake. Ambatolampy is a busy town. The people follow traditional ways of living. Later in the afternoon we have a look at the first economic activity, making aluminium cooking pots. We stay the night in La Pineta.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3
Driving southward to Antsirabe, known as the 'city where we can find much minerals. Antsirabe is a memorable town to visit. The drive takes us across the highland landscape with its beautiful rice fields and its spectacular eroded hills called ‘lavaka’ and through a green landscape where vegetables and fruits are farmed. En-route we stop in Ambatolampy for a short visit. Night at Hotel des Thermes, an architecturally amazing building surrounded by elegant gardens where in earlier years the farmers from the east coast relaxed.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 4
Antsirabe, from where we start, is a lovely town and a stroll around its streets will bring you in contact with some fantastic little shops selling Malagasy artefacts and handicrafts. It is a very peculiar town because of its charming characteristics. Industrial town – agricultural town – tourist town. Excursion to the legendary Lac Tritriva. Visit the king's tomb at the highland town of Betafo and Andraikiba Lake. We also visit the town of Antsirabe including some artisan production.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 5
We start our tour to the Mount Ibity that lies in a quartzite massif, south of Antsirabe, to meet the gem prospector. The region is not only known for the gems but as well for its flora like orchids, (Angraecum, Jumellea, Aerangis et Cynorkis) or the Pachypodium brevicaule (Apocynacées) that is endemic to Ibity massif. Night in the small village of Manandona in a Gîte d'etappe on the countryside.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6
We pass several small villages to get an impression of the rural life in the Malagasy highlands. We visit para-agriculture silk production and miners looking for their chance. After lunch we take a short drive to the town of Ambositra, where we will see some artwork of the Zafimaniry woodcarvers. Their carvings got recently UNESCO cultural heritage. There is the arts and crafts centre for Zafimaniry artwork and woodcarving. In the morning we visit ateliers and shops for woodcarvings, raffia baskets, coloured wood collages, paintings and polished stones. Two nights in Angelino hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day 7
Starting from Ambositra we join the village of Antoetra. Deep in the heart of the Tanala forests in southeast Madagascar, Antoetra lives in drizzle and fog for much of the year. Antoetra is the main gateway to Zafimaniry country, an area of about 100 villages. This community is the last to practice woodcraft, previously widespread on the island. Antoetra is linked by forest tracks to the other villages. We continue to Ifasina. Later in the afternoon we come back to Ambositra.
Included meals: breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day 8
From Ambositra we continue south. Our next destination is Ranomafana National Park, where we will spend two nights. The landscape is dominated by rice fields, forests of pine and eucalyptus and rocky mountains. Ranomafana, literally meaning hot water, is a very pretty village surrounded by hills and the Namorona River. Two nights in Tropic village.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 9
Visit of the Ranomafana rainforest. Probably we will find lots of birds, frogs, lemurs and other species. We hope to see red-bellied lemurs, red-fronted lemurs, and diadema sifakas. Although present, the golden bamboo Lemur and the broad-nosed gentle Lemur, are more difficult to find. The park is also flora rich with orchids, tree ferns, palms mosses, trumpet flowers and stands of giant bamboo. Here we will enjoy a day walk in the park. Later we embark on a trek in the Reserve, coming across many nocturnal rainforest species, for example the tiny Mousemaki, or Fossa, a predator about the size of a cat.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 10
Leaving Ranomafana we drive through a number of small villages before reaching Ambalavao, with its brightly painted buildings, is one of Madagascar's most beautiful towns. In Ambalavao we visit Soavita vineyard for wine tasting as well as the ‘Antaimoro Paper factory'. The paper factory is a vestige of the Arabian civilisation in the island. Here paper is made from scratch using the bark of the avoha bush. After a series of steps, fresh flowers are pressed into the paper to make attractive cards, envelopes and picture frames. Night at hotel aux Bougainvillées.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 11
Continuing on we stop south of Ambalavao at Anja Private Park with superb scenery, plants, Betsileo history, caves and tombs and ring-tailed lemurs. We take a one-hour walk into the park before continuing along the road to south direction to Andringitra National park. Night in Camp Catta.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 12
The Andringitra massive is one of the highest mountain chains of Madagascar. The chain of this mountains runs in the central highland south of the village Ambalavao. The chain consists of granite and on behalf of his scenic beauty and the appearance of many endemic species of plants it was declared National Park. In the morning we leave the Camp Catta to explore the Andringitra NP. Passing a River we arrive at a small village. We pass some forests with ferns and palms before arriving at a natural pool.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 13
Passing the sleepy town of Ihosy that is the capital of the ethnic group of the Bara people. Ihosy serves as a transition between the green highlands of central Madagascar and the dry south. Reaching Ranohira we try to have sunset on the window of Isalo. This natural rock window, covered with green and orange lichen, offers views over the surrounding plain. Three nights in Hotel Le Joyau de l’Isalo.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 14
Our adventure begins with an trek in the Park. We trek through landscapes formed by centuries of erosion and fascinating sandstone formations. We walk to the canyon des singes and the canyon des rats to look for ring-tailed and other lemurs. In the afternoon we pass the piscine naturelle for a bath.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 15
Today we visit to Isalo National Park, taking a day hike in this surreal park. This park is fiercely beautiful with golden plains punctuated by craggy pinnacles of terracotta rock, valleys, canyons and waterfalls. The Isalo National Park comprises the entire stretch of the Isalo massif. This huge mountain is spectacular with its eroded sandstone mountain. On our trek we can refresh ourselves on the way at a waterfall or the blue and the black lake.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 16
Drive to Toliara (Tuléar), the terminal of the National road N° 7. We experience new scenery that is comprised of the dry forest of the west, the spiny desert of the south and the spectacular baobabs. Tuléar, the biggest province in Madagascar, is the driest part of the country. The landscape is dominated by spiny forest-like cactus and different euphorbia plants. We stop at the Mahafaly and Antandroy tombs. These tombs are works of art, constructed by the community, to honour the deceased. Close to the Mozambique Canal, Toliara, is built on the Tropic of Capricorn. The town is painted in light colours. That is the reason why the people from the highlands call it the white city. The approach to the city is exceptional: you can see large sand dunes that run along the coast.. Hotel Chez Alain for three nights.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 17
From Tuléar we take a drive north along the coast to beach of Ifaty. Here we have a break. The coral reef represents an exceptional spot. In the western area you can find the local fauna and flora like baobabs, birds… We visit also a natural park near the lagoon of Ranobe, the ‘village of the tortoises’. Ifaty the offers us the opportunity to explore the coral reef for snorkelling. We also discover spiky bush in which will come across didieracees, euphorbias, cactacea and enormous baobabs. Ifaty’s reef is called ‘the coral garden’ as it mixes together with channels that link the open sea to an exceptionally attractive lagoon.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 18
We will drive to the Grotte de Sarodrano. This natural rock pool cave, just beside from the sea, is of fresh water. We continue the cobbled road towards St. Augustin, a small fisher village. St. Augustin is full of history, and was the site of pirates. Later we take a pirogue for a two hours tour on the Onilahy River.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 19
Transfer to the airport of Toliara (Tuléar) and we board our one-hour flight that will take us across to Antananarivo. Two nights in Le Relais de Plateaux.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 20
Excursion to Miarinarivo. Here we visit the Ny Hary NGO. Their project, Antseranantsoa – a save harbour. Its aim is to give access to education for children living in rural regions of the mid-west of Madagascar. The centre provides housing, proper drinking water, healthy nutrition, hygienic conditions and medical surveillance. By satisfying the basic needs of the children they are enabled to study up to 200km afar from their home villages where the schools attended do not exist. The centre is placed on a hillside and is in short reach from all schools and the central marketplace. It is 148-acre surface contents rice-fields, fruit- and vegetable gardens, a basketball- and volleyball court and several fishponds. We donate 100 Euro per visitor coming with us to visit their project.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 21
In the morning visit of the Croc farm where you will find hundreds of crocodiles and other reptiles. In the afternoon you can relax in your hotel room before transfer to the airport.
Included meals: breakfast
Complementary information:
Duration of the tour: 21 days
Car or minibus: 6 days plus transfers
Trekking: days plus several excursions
Pirogue: Two hours
Included:
overnight in the hotels in double room, except Manandona, dormitory, meals as mentioned (including 1 ½ l of mineral water per person per day), going by car or minibus, all transfers, all entrance fees, English speaking tour leader, local guides in all visited parks, tip for drivers, local guides, waiters, porters. The tour can be changed according to circumstances.
Not included:
flights, drinks except mentioned, private expenses.
Please note:
for this tour is one inbound flight required that is not included in the tour price.
This tour is customisable.
Prices in Euro per person.
2 persons 3950
3 persons 3800
4 persons 3500
5 persons 3400
6 persons 3300
7 or 8 persons 2800
9 or 10 persons 2600
11 or 12 persons 2400
single room surcharge 600
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