The secrets of Madagascar's National Road 7

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Tana.

  Landing at Ivato airport in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. Welcome or "tongasoa"! Our driver will take you to your hotel, a guesthouse near the airport, so you can relax and have dinner after your long flight. On the way to the hotel, you will already be able to admire the view overlooking the rice fields, characteristic of the highlands! Your journey begins!

• day 2

  Antananarivo - Andasibe - Vohimana (B, D)

  

  After your breakfast at the hotel, you will head east towards Andasibe. The journey will take about three and a half hours for a distance of 138 kilometers. If you wish, you can have lunch near the village of Andasibe and visit the VOI community reserve. After this visit, you will continue east on the RN2 for about 30 minutes, from where you will take a short walk. You will visit the ecolodge of the Vohimana reserve on foot with a local guide. This reserve is a jewel of biodiversity, with 22 species of lemurs, more than 70 species of frogs, and 79 species of orchids. Established as a private reserve in 2001, it is managed by the NGO "L’homme et l’environnement," which has developed it as an ecotourism site in conjunction with their conservation work. In the Vohimana reserve, men and women work every day to improve the living conditions of the villagers while protecting their forest. The local guides have been trained on certain interesting circuits highlighting topics such as medicinal plants. They also have a distillery for the production of essential oils, for which they have some famous clients, including the perfume house Chanel. The Indri (Indri indri), the largest of the lemurs and one of the few primates that emits a song, can be observed in this private reserve. Also note the presence of Calummagallus, a very rare chameleon with a very limited distribution, as well as endangered birds.

• day 3

  Vohimana (B, L, D)

  

  Today, you will have plenty of time to visit the Vohimana reserve. Take the opportunity to spot the Indri! Take a guided tour in the heart of the eastern Madagascar forest corridor, where the charms of the biodiversity of the fauna and flora of the Vohimana reserve are numerous.

• day 4

  Vohimana - Antananarivo - Antsirabe (B, D)

  

  Today, you will begin your Southern adventure with seven hours of driving towards Antsirabe. The driver will take you back to the capital to join the famous National Road 7. You will discover Ambatolampy, a small town located at 1,500 m altitude, considered the coldest city in Madagascar due to the Ankaratra mountain range. It will be possible to visit a small family factory that produces aluminum pots and other kitchen utensils, which you can then find sold all over the red island. Arrival in Antsirabe at the end of the afternoon. Overnight in a simple but charming hotel.

• day 5

  Antsirabe - Fiadanana (B, L, D)

  

  Experience a day spent in the Antsirabe hinterland. Today, you will head towards the village of Fiadanana, located about 30 km from the city of Antsirabe. The car will drop you off in a small town to the west and, from there, you will start an easy hike to Fiadanana. In Fiadanana, you will take a tour of the village to discover the lifestyle of the rural population as well as their customs. After visiting the rice fields of Fiadanana, you will go to the rural guesthouse (a very simple local place) where you will spend the night. After a picnic lunch, you will continue your tour through different villages, passing rice fields, vegetable fields, mountains, and so on. These are villages that all have their specialties, such as blacksmiths, various crafts, etc.

• day 6

  Fiadanana – Antsirabe - Ranomafana (B, D)

  

  After an early morning wake-up with the local village sounds and after breakfast, you will take a short walk of about 30 minutes to return to the RN 34. Your driver will be waiting for you there, with the car. You will continue your journey on the winding road (National Road No. 7) towards Ambositra, the city of Malagasy craftsmen. You can visit the sculptors during their working hours. They are the "Zafimaniry", an ethnic group of Asian origin, particularly known for their beautiful wood carvings and marquetry. You can also have lunch here. Afterwards, you will drive about 150 km further southeast to reach Ranomafana, with its tropical forest rich in endemic flora and fauna. Ranomafana has a national park with impressive waterfalls, hot springs, lemurs, and birds. Ranomafana is one of the most important parks in Madagascar for scientists. This is also the reason why an international scientific center by the world-renowned primatologist Patricia Wright was created there. It is a unique research and conservation center that has been working closely with Madagascar National Park for over 26 years. The CVB facilitates research and manages many projects, including development, reforestation, and biodiversity monitoring. Their main goal is to improve the health and well-being of the Malagasy people, while preserving the surrounding ecosystem and its biodiversity.

• day 7

  Ranomafana (B, D)

  

  Today, you will visit the Ranomafana National Park, a tropical forest where you will have several walking options, from 2 to 6 hours. Ranomafana was known for its hot springs in ancient times, but over the past 2 decades, it has become more famous for its 41,601 ha of mid-altitude tropical rainforest national park, with an incredible and unmatched diversity of endemic flora and fauna. There are 12 species of lemurs, 115 species of birds, 58 species of reptiles, 98 species of amphibians, 90 species of butterflies, and more than 200 species of spiders to discover, as well as a diversity of lush plants to admire. It is no wonder that in 2007, Ranomafana was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here, we are hosted by the Centre ValBio (CVB), a unique research and conservation center that has been working closely with Madagascar National Park for over 26 years. The CVB facilitates research and manages numerous projects, including development, reforestation, and biodiversity monitoring. Their main goal is to improve the health and well-being of the Malagasy people while preserving the surrounding ecosystem and its biodiversity. If you wish, you can also visit a silk workshop run by women in the vicinity of the village during your stay.

• day 8

  Ranomafana - Fianarantsoa (B, D)

  

  Early in the morning, we will head towards our next destination, Fianarantsoa, the capital of Betsileo with its 1001 churches. Fianarantsoa is a remarkable old city, listed as a World Heritage site. You can visit the city as soon as you arrive. It is surrounded by vineyards and the only tea plantation in Madagascar. The terrain has favored the development of terraced rice fields. Upon your arrival, you will stop by the Hotel School, La Rizière, a private hotel school that allows young people to acquire professional skills suited to the expectations of the hospitality industry. It offers three specialties: kitchen assistant, chambermaid, waiter-barman or concierge. A high-quality hotel-restaurant, supported by the hotel school, allows students to practice in real conditions and thus increases their chances of finding a job at the end of their training. In the afternoon, we suggest a visit to the social enterprise Karenjy, where you can discover a project for waste collection and treatment, the collection and treatment of second-hand clothes, as well as the place where the Malagasy car Mazana II is produced. This social enterprise can really stimulate a part of the Malagasy economy. What do you think of this local car? Let us know!

• day 9

  Fianarantsoa - Ambalavao – Ranohira (B)

  

  Today, you will drive to Ranohira, a journey of ± 250 km that will take 4.5 hours. But first, you will go to Ambalavao (less than 1 hour away) and, just a few minutes by car from Ambalavao, you will stop to visit the private lemur park, called Anjà Parc. This is a reserve managed by the local community that hides many historical and cultural remains. The wildlife is mainly represented by a large colony of ring-tailed lemurs (about 300, whereas they had almost disappeared 20 years ago), as well as many birds and chameleons. Royal carp abound in the water. The view from a rocky promontory is incredible. A good breath of fresh air! After the visit, you will head towards Ranohira, a village located near Isalo National Park. The landscape you will cross today becomes drier and will lead you through a steppe-like area, until you reach the beautiful mountains of the Isalo Massif.

• day 10

  Ranohira - Isalo National Park (B)

  

  This day is dedicated to visiting Isalo National Park, a park that covers 81,540 hectares and is made up of sandstone rocks cut by deep canyons, eroded into bizarre shapes. In these canyons, the local wildlife lives in gallery forests that form corridors along the small streams. The ring-tailed lemur, Verreaux's sifaka, and the brown lemur, as well as birds and chameleons, are commonly seen in the Canyon of the Makis and the Canyon of the Rats. You can also take the small Namaza trail which takes you along a scenic route to a beautiful natural pool where you can simply relax and swim. The ITC Lodge is committed, through an association called Soa Zara, to a reforestation project that we will visit and to which we will contribute ourselves by planting a few trees. Not even 50 years ago, small patches of primary forest surrounded the base of Isalo National Park. Unfortunately, nowadays, all these trees have been cut down, leaving a desert landscape leading into the deep gorges and rocky cliffs. However, Soa Zara is working to change this reality by creating a natural forest outside the park. With a small plot of land managed by the community, the association actively plants trees and offers visitors the chance to participate, doing good for the future of their local environment. Soa Zara is building this natural forest to provide energy resources to the local population, offer a refuge for lemur species, and redevelop the severely damaged land.

• day 11

  Ranohira – Tuléar – Ifaty (B, D)

  

  Today, we will leave early and depart from Ranohira to reach the coastal city of Tuléar, where the National Road RN7 ends. The first baobabs along the road indicate that we are entering a much drier area. After Tuléar, we will continue north for about 30 minutes to the coastal village of Ifaty/Mangily, well known for its beach. Today, you can visit the city's botanical garden and have lunch there, if you wish. Another option is to visit, on the way to Ifaty, the Honko mangrove. However, please check the tide for the day and if the visit is possible, with the driver early in the morning. The Honko community mangrove reserve is an important area of marshes and mangroves. The site was created by an NGO that decided to restore the mangroves by working closely with local communities. You can take a 2-hour guided kayak tour to observe the 7 species of mangroves and several species of rare birds.

• day 12

  Ifaty (B, D)

  

  In Ifaty and the surrounding areas, you will be able to organize activities yourself. You are free to do whatever you want! The hotel is located close to the village and you can walk to the famous Spiny Forest. It is really worth a visit with its very beautiful baobabs. Next to Spiny Forest is the turtle village, which is also worth a visit. In the village, in addition to the turtles, you can also spot mouse lemurs and see the baobabs. Other options exist, such as snorkeling excursions. Ask the hotel to provide you with the best boat and the perfect equipment to make your snorkeling trip a success. Diving is also possible and the hotel can show you the right place for that. But visiting the hotels' agricultural school projects, with many different disciplines, is also a very nice experience.

• day 13

  Ifaty (B, D)

  

  Another free day in Ifaty.

• day 14

  Ifaty - Tuléar - Antananarivo (B)

  

  Today, depending on your domestic flight schedule, you will be transferred to Tulear airport. There, you will take your return flight to Antananarivo. Upon your arrival in the capital, you will be transferred to a hotel near the airport for a day-use. Afterwards, you will be taken back to Ivato International Airport and will leave Madagascar with, hopefully, unforgettable memories. Veloma - Goodbye!