Somaina, Andringitra & Isalo
€1100 per person
After an immersion in the lush forest of Ranomafana located in the highlands, the journey continues further south with a unique trek in the Betsileo countryside crossing a succession of picturesque villages and landscapes of astonishing diversity. From there, head to the immense granite cliffs of the Andringitra massif for a beautiful crossing trek, culminating in the ascent of Pic Boby (2658 m), the island’s second peak. Our tour ends in Isalo, the most visited park of Madagascar.
Highlights
Ranomafana National Park, Somaina Region, Andringitra National Park and Isalo National Park.
Departure/Arrival
Antananarivo/Toliara
When to Go
April - November
Included
Private Car Throughout The Tour with English speaking driver | All Fees of Mentioned Excursions/Visits | All camping material | Mentioned hotels or similar | All meals from day 1 to day 12 | HB basis on day 13/14 | Local guides for the treks
Not Included
Domestic flight | Drinks | Personal Expenses | Anything not Mentioned in Included |
What to Bring
Comfortable athletic clothing, hiking shoes, Sleeping bag, hat and warm light jacket and light trench coat.
Options
Add an expert guide for €450, from day 1 to day 13
Prices per person
- 1 Traveler €2000, 1 single
- 2 Travelers €1600, 1 tw/dbl
- 3 Travelers €1450, 1 tpl
- 4 Travelers €1300, 2 tw/dbl
- 5 Travelers €1200, 2 tw/dbl
- 6 Travelers €1100, 2 tw/dbl
For more options, please contact us
14 Days
From Our Gallery
Be our gest and see it for your self
Some of the sights waiting for you
1
Day 1 Antananarivo - Ambositra 260 km, 6 hours' drive
Meet & greet with your driver at your hotel in Antananarivo by 8.30AM. After a short briefing we begin the trip to the south. Departure along the famous Route Nationale 7, which serves as a common thread through the Highlands. Immersion in the Malagasy atmosphere is immediate; the first typical villages of the plateaus follow one another and the terraced rice fields sculpting the landscape remind us of the Indonesian origins of the Merina people, the main ethnic group in Madagascar. We'll stop in Antsirabe in a typical Malagasy restaurant for lunch. After lunch, we'll visit the main market, Tsara Sabotsy, and tour the town on a rickshaw, the symbol of Antsirabe. Then we continue to the small town of Ambositra, known for its craftsmanship and woodworking. Hotel Artisan or similar.
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Day 2 Ambositra - Ranomafana 140 km, 4 hours' drive
We start our day by visiting the workshops of sculptors in Ambositra making decorative objects in precious wood. By 10AM we continue South along a magnificent hilly road to reach the Ranomafana National Park, one of the last vestiges of dense humid forest in the highlands. Lunch in a small local restaurant along the route. In the afternoon, we visit the Arboretum of Ranomafana, a botanical garden dedicated to the conservation of several endemic plants and trees of Madagascar. We then end the afternoon visiting on foot the small village of Ranomafana. Hotel Karibotel or similar.
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Day 3 Ranomafana - Fianarantsoa 60 km, 1 hour drive
Morning dedicated to the discovery of Ranomafana National Park where a multitude of rivers crisscross the wooded hills. The park is home to 12 species of lemurs, one of which is endemic to Ranomafana, as well as around 100 species of birds and many brightly colored chameleons, geckos and frogs. The flora is no less impressive: tree ferns, orchids, palm trees, giant bamboos and many medicinal plants. The hike will last about 4 hours. We will have lunch in Ranomafana before heading south to Fianarantsoa. In Fianarantsoa, we will visit this lovely town, with a local guide we will walk the street of the "haute ville" with its many churches, old typical Malagasy houses and admire amazing views over the local countryside.
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Day 4 Fianarantsoa - Trek Somaina 20km, 1 hour drive and 15km hike, 6/7 hours
In the morning short driving to the south of Fianarantsoa to begin our first real day of trek. We will meet our local guide and team of porters. Through many picturesque villages and landscapes of astonishing diversity, these three days of trek allow a deep immersion in Betsileo country, by emphasizing real encounters with the local populations and unforgettable scenes of peasant life. This first day begins with a climb on a cultivated plateau (cassava and sweet potatoes) at the foot of Somaina mountain. We will be welcomed by the children and the villagers with incredible smiles! Many rice terraces surround the villages: the cultivation of rice punctuates the life of an entire population. Passage on large granite slabs, several blocks are scattered along the path. We continue towards a pass before reaching our camping site by the foot of a beautiful rock face. Overnight camping.
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Day 5 Trek Somaina 10 km hike, 5 hours
We leave our camp with a climb to a first pass. Along the way, discover a tatao, a stelae erected in honor of the ancestors. On a well marked path, we continue towards the beautiful cliff of Vohimarina which we then bypass to the north to finally reach the main town of the region. Crossing of some villages and continuation in the arid valley of Vohibe "the great mountain". We pass a second pass before reaching our camp opposite typical village. Overnight camping.
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Day 6 Trek Somaina - Ambalavao 15 km hike in 5/6 hours then 1 hour taxi brousse
Last day of trekking in this beautiful region, in the heart of the Betsileo ethnic group. We climb towards two passes. We'll have a 5 hike and a gradual descent to a track where we meet a bush taxi for a short trip to the town of Ambalavao. Hotel Aux Bougainvillees or similar.
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Day 7 Ambalavao - Namoly - Andriampotsy 45 km, 3 hours' drive, 10 km hike in about 7 hours
Today we begin the second trekking of our trip and it will be the toughest day. An early departure towards thewest to reach the National Park of Andringitra and its massif range. The track is very rough, to cover 45 km it will take us almost 3 hours but, the scenery is incredible. As we arrive in Namoly Valley we enter the park. Our goal today is to reach the camping area of Andriampotsy. We have to cover over 500 mt in elevation and we expect the hike to be of around 7 hours. The camp site is located at the foot of huge granite cliffs, at 2050 m of altitude. Overnight camping in Andriampotsy.
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Day 8 Andriampotsy - Pic Boby - Iantaranomby 22 km, approx 8 hours' hike
Today we wake up extremely early we will hike to the summit, situated 600 mt above us at a distance of 6 km. It will take us about 3 hours to reach Pic Boby. We will spend about 1 hour to admire the incredible panorama, with luck we can see the eastern coast or the Isalo Massif in the South. We retour to Andriampotsy for lunch as it is on the way to Tsaranoro. At the beginning of the afternoon, we begin the second leg of the day, it will be downhill so not too hard. Going west, we reach "the plateau of aliens" a huge rocky plateau with an unbelievable lunar-like landscape. The vegetation going down will appear more often, pachypodiums, palm trees and kalanchoes are easy to see. By late afternoon we arrive in Iantaranomby, our camping site. Overnight camping in Iantaranomby.
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Day 9 Iantaranomby - Tsaranoro Valley - Ranohira 210 km, 4 hours' drive and 15 km, 5 hours' hike
Our last hiking day in Andringitra. We have about 5 hours downhill hike to our next stop, Tsaranoro Valley, where our car is waiting for us to continue the tour to the south. Tsaranoro Valley is famous for its 800 mt vertical granite wall, a world famous climbing spot. Lunch in Tsaranoro then back on the road to reach Ranohira. We will have. a 45 mins drive on dirt road followed by a very good paved road. Hotel Isalo Ranch or similar.
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Day 10 Ranohira
This morning, a very short transfer takes us to the entrance of Isalo National Park where we will meet our local guide. Composed mainly of sandstone, the Isalo massif offers a very particular landscape of cliffs and maze of peaks created by the erosion of the rock. The park has incredibly diverse landscapes, including prairie-like grasslands, mountains, deep canyons and tropical oasis with picturesque waterfalls dropping into inviting pools. We will cover around 12 km in 6 hours and we will have the chance to take a dip in a natural pool. Before sunset, we'll head to the "Window of Isalo" to take some amazing pictures. Hotel Isalo Ranch or similar.
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Day 11/13 Ranohira - Anakao 230 km, 4 hours' drive
Very early depart, by 5 AM we should be moving to be in Toliara by 9AM. In Toliara we board the direct ferry to Anakao. Arrival before midday. In Anakao we will spend the next 3 nights.
Possible activities not included in the price in Anakao: Nosy Ve, a small island in front (4 km) of Anakao. Nosy Ve is a sacred place for the Vezo people, where locals sacrifice zebu as a gift to their ancestors every year. The island is also home to a herd of red-tailed tropical birds, which attracts many bird watchers from all over the world. Endemic birds sightings, beautiful white sandy beaches and excellent snorkelling. We also suggest the magnificent Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, a place that attracts more scientists than tourists because of the very high endemicity index that goes over 75%. There are also baobabs over 1000 years old, pachypodium, banyan trees with parrots, turtles, lemurs and especially from April to October pink flamingos in the blue salty lake (saturated sulphate). Another sea excursion could be Nosy Satrana, an uninhabited island. The excursion could be done in a traditional motor boat or in a rowing canoe. The journey consists of walking along the coast through the transparent lagoon furrowed by Vezo canoes. During low tide, the island is very close to the shore, herds of di zebu come looking for their food. In season (June to September), whale watching is also a great activity not to miss in Anakao. Hotel Safari Vezo or similar.
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Day 14 Anakao - Toliara - Antananarivo
The ferry to Toliara from Anakao will leave at 7AM to be in Toliara by 8AM. From the port, transfert to the airport to catch the local flight to Antananarivo. In Antananarivo, end of our services
