Discovering Madagascar from West to East

Flight arrival to Antananarivo

A member of the Détours Madagascar team welcomes you upon arrival at Ivato Antananarivo international airport. Transfer and check-in at your hotel in the city center

Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar, located in the Central Highlands region of the island. Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, is often the unavoidable first stop for any European visiting the country. From the moment you arrive in Antananarivo, as it is called here, the sense of discovery is immediate. European reference points disappear, giving way to a mixture of amazement and emotion, marking the beginning of a new adventure.

Early in the morning, we head towardsAntsirabe located at 180km from Antananarivo.
Crossing through the landscapes of the Highlands along a winding road bordered by a mosaic of various crop fields and terraced rice paddies.

Several stops along the way to meet the local farmers and villages along National Route 7.

Head due west towards Miandrivazo.
The journey is enhanced by visits to markets in the villages you pass through.
Gradually, the mosaic of terraced rice paddies and various crops, with hills overlooked by red brick houses of the Central Highlands gives way to the arid landscape of the Middle West Sakalava and the "bare" mountains jagged by erosion in the south of the Bongolava massif.

We reach the town of Miandrivazo in mid-afternoon on the banks of the Tsiribihina river.

We are heading to Kirindy, 65km North of Morondava in the heart of the Menabe region, on the road towards Bekopaka and the Tsingy de Bemaraha.

The Kirindy reserve is a dry deciduous forest managed by a Swiss scientific organization. It is also a national center for forestry training. You will find lemurs, mongooses, chameleons and other reptiles, the jumping rat also endemic to Madagascar, and many bird species. Kirindy Forest is renowned as the place where you can observe in complete tranquility and in its natural habitat the Fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox), the largest carnivore of Madagascar.

Day and night visits to the reserve are possible on site, to fully appreciate the diversity of endemic species, animal and plant, of this site.

After visiting the Kirindy reserve, we head towards Belo sur Tsiribihina. The dusty track winds through the dry forests of western Madagascar, scattered with baobabs. Many villages, markets, and people encountered; meetings are numerous and exchanges are rich.

Almost at the end of a morning's journey, we discover the first village in the Centre West of the Menabe region: Tsimafana. This is the embarkation point to take the first ferry and discover this abundant territory of the Tsiribihina river, a journey punctuated by groups of birds. We reach the town of Belo sur Tsiribihina and have lunch there. We strongly recommend the local restaurant Mad Zébu, of surprising quality, which will delight the finest gourmets.

To reach the entrance of Bekopaka, we take the second ferry on the Manambolo river. The beauty of the landscape is so breathtaking that it would be capable of keeping us longer on this river and stopping time. High steep cliffs surround us, this intoxicating discovery, these grandiose landscapes and this particular sensation of traversing the immensity are worth the detour by themselves.

We reach Bekopaka at the end of the day, at the foot of the Tsingy de Bemaraha massif, classified as Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Hotel check-in.

Departure for Tsangajoly, we cross two ferries because of the two rivers that cut across the track to the west.
On the road, you feel the arid landscape of the west, heat and dust are on the agenda.
Upon your arrival, you take possession of your accommodation nestled in a preserved natural setting. After this journey, it's time to relax and enjoy free activities to make the most of the site.

Free activities in Tsangajoly

• Nature walk: explore the surroundings of the lodge on foot, observe the endemic flora and savanna landscapes.

• Wildlife observation: with a bit of luck, you may spot rare birds or lemurs in their natural habitat.

• Relaxation moments: enjoy the calm of the lodge, settle on the terrace to admire the sunset or simply savor the serenity of the place.

• Local meeting: opportunity to chat with the inhabitants of the neighboring village to discover their daily life and traditions.

• The evening promises to be peaceful, lulled by the sounds of the surrounding nature, before continuing your adventure the next day.

In the morning, it is possible to visit the salt pans and then continue to Morondava in the afternoon.

Morondava is a coastal town nestled by the Mozambique Channel under a blue sky with its fine beach and calm sea.

We pass through the famous Avenue of the Baobabs and arrive in Morondava in the evening.

According to the flight schedule to the capital, we take a short city tour and transfer to the airport to take the flight between Morondava and Antananarivo.

Upon your arrival at Ivato airport in Antananarivo, a member of the Détours team welcomes you at the airport.

Transfer to your hotel for the night before continuing this beautiful journey.

Departure for Andasibe, due East, on National Route 2 which connects the capital to Tamatave, Madagascar's main port. Several possible stops along the way to stroll around, visit villages or discover the local fauna and flora, lush and exuberant in this region of the Great Island.

Arrival in early afternoon at Andasibe and hotel check-in. Walks in the village are possible, on the edges of the National Park which we will visit tomorrow morning. Night visits to the surrounding private or village reserves are also possible (not included).

We continue our journey towards the East. Arrival in Manambato, on the shores of Lake Rasoabe, where we say goodbye to our driver-guide who returns here to the capital.

We set off by boat for a short hour of navigation on the Pangalanes Canal: a heritage of great valuetowards Akanin'ny Nofy, "the nest of dreams" on the shores of Lake Ampitabe.

Day of navigation on the Canal towards Tamatave.

On this waterway boulevard, we encounter barges, "bush boats" (river taxis), pirogues, local transport… Spontaneous greetings between navigators… The joyful cries of children on the banks accompany us throughout our navigation. We are spectators to unusual and unforgettable scenes of life.

Arrival in Tamatave in mid-afternoon.

We continue along the road hugging the coast lined with coconut trees towards Mahambo, located 90 km north of Tamatave.
Mahambo is an authentic village in the heart of preserved nature and is located in the Analanjirofo region. It is bordered on one side by dense forest and on the other by the lagoon enclosed by the coral barrier

We resume our journey along the coast towards Soanierana-Ivongo, a small port town on the East coast of Madagascar, departure point for shuttles to Sainte-Marie.

From its pier, we take the boat to Ambodifotatra, on Île Sainte-Marie.
We reach our hotel by the sea where we can enjoy paradisiacal beaches.

More time on Sainte Marie island depending on flight schedules.

A transfer to the airport is planned. You will fly over the sky of the main island with Tsaradia, the national airline heading to the Capital.

Upon your arrival, we welcome you at Ivato Antananarivo airport. Transfer to your hotel in the city center.
Rest of the day at leisure

If time permits, we will visit the city and the craft market.
Evening transfer to the airport, assistance with boarding on the flight to Paris, night flight.