SOUTH TOUR OF MADAGASCAR WITH TRAIN RIDE FOR 8 DAYS :

« Precious stones, Wooden craft, Train ride, Canoeing excursion , National Park guided walks, Mountains, Biggest waterfall, Lemurs, Vineyard, Paper factory »

TOUR ROUTES :

ANTANANARIVO – AMBATOLAMPY - ANTSIRABE - AMBOSITRA - FIANANARANTSOA – MANAKARA - RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK - AMBALAVAO - RANOHIRA – TULEAR

Day 1 :

ANTANANARIVO - ANTSIRABE .

Start the tour from Antananarivo to Antsirabe with your personal driver. The ride takes about 4 hours on a good road and twisting. On route, you will meet the beautiful landscape of the rice field and merina typical tombs, villages. Stop at Ambatolampy to visit local forging making cooking pot by aluminium (metalwork). This is the largest town between Antananarivo and Antsirabe and the good place to have lunch. When you arrive in Antsirabe, you have an option to relax or taking a walk by yourself since here is safe town. Horse riding is quite popular here too.

Recommended accommodation : overnight at hotel le royal palace . ( bed and breakfast are included )

Day 2 :

ANTSIRABE – AMBOSITRA – FIANARANTSOA .

After the morning breakfast, your driver will pick you up from the hotel to visit the highlights around Antsirabe town including precious stone factory where you can learn how they polish the stones. We then visit the natural source of the spring water at the thermal bath and then onto Andrakiba lake. You can have horse ride around Andrakiba Lake (fees is not included) and this is an optional. We then make our way to Fianarantso. After 89 km south of Antsirabe, you will pass by the centre of Malagasy hand sculptured wooden craft work called Ambositra town. There are many shops here where you can browse for souvenirs and find very good marquetery artisan with retailer price. Then continue up to Fianarantsoa. Distance from Antsirabe to Fianarantso is 243 km and it takes about 4 hours.

Recommended accommodation : overnight at Lac hotel or zomatel . ( bed and breakfast are included )

Day 3 :

TRAIN FROM FIANARANTSO TO MANAKARA.

Our driver will transfer you to the train station and you will start the adventure train from Fianarantsoa to manakara. If you are keen on train riding, certainly the trip to Manakara is well worth if you bring sufficient time and patience! The train leaves Fianarantsoa train station on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7 am and gets back from Manakara to Fianarantsoa at 6:45 am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Theoretically, the ride takes about 8 to 12 hours, but practically, it could take much longer with the distance for 163 km. The train pass 67 bridges and 48 tunnels. Do not forget to order your picnic meals from your hotel before you leave since there is no shop at the train. During the train ride, you will see amazing green landscape including different fruit trees and other carnivores plants and meet local people who see white people rarely. When you arrive in manakara, your personal driver will meet you at the train station and take you to the hotel. Even there is a marvellous beach in Manakara, remember that you cannot swim there if you have just eaten pork because it is taboo, and besides the sea looks extremely rough.

Recommended accommodation : overnight at hotel le partenya club or hotel Delice . ( bed and breakfast are included )

Day 4 :

MANAKARA TO RANOMAFANA PARK NATIONAL .

After your breakfast, our driver will introduce you your personal guide for the excursion along mpangalane channel by pirogue for half day to see vanilla plantation and essential oil, etc...............This is an option but you can skip it if you are not keen on it. Then you will take your car to Ranoamfana national park .

Recommended accommodation : overnight at setam lodge or thermal hotel or karibo hotel or centr'est hotel for luxury option and overnight at manja hotel for midrange option . ( bed and breakfast are included )

Day 5 :

TREKKING TO RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK .

After breakfast, your driver will take you to the park office, where you will meet your National Park guide. Depending on your choice, the average circuit will take a minimum of two hours. Longer walks are available. Ranoamfana (which means “hot water” in Malagasy) is doubtless one the most spectacular National Parks of Madagascar. The park contains twelve lemur species. Aside from the golden bamboo lemur, visitors can spot eastern woolly lemur, red bellied lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur, greater bamboo lemur, red-fronted brown lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur and brown mouse lemur. Other mammals include 7 species of tenrecs, 8 bats and 6 carnivorous. Several of magascar’s birds can be found here which is recommended to the bird watcher.

Day 6 :

RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK - FIANARANTSOA - AMBALAVAO - ISALO NATIONAL PARK .

Leave Ranomafana Park to ranohira or known at isalo national park. On route, Stopping at the Soavita vineyard where we learn how they produce wine from grape to glass and of course taste the finished product. zebu market in ambalavao An entrance fee is in your charge. You can also purchase bottled wine here, at factory prices. Then continue on to Ambalavao where you can visit the Antaimoro paper factory, which is bark Arabian Paper by Avoha tree. Women will demonstrate to you how they make this famous Antaimoro paper using colourful flowers by their hand. There is also a shop where you can buy the finished products. This town is the centre for Zebu (Malagasy horned cattle) trading for all the surrounding countryside. Many tribes bring their herds of cattle here to the weekly Zebu market (every Wednesday). With normally over 1000 animals here it is a fascinating and noisy experience. After the visits, we then drive to Anja Park. Here we stop for a 2-hours guided walk. This rocky park is the best place to see the troops of ring tail lemurs in their natural environment. These animals, although wild, are easy to spot and so friendly. Closed with high quality photograph is well promised. After the park, your journey continues through a range of spectacular rugged mountain tops, to arrive at Isalo national Park where you are free to relax for the rest of the day.

Recommended accommodation :overnight at isalo ranch or H1 hotel for midrange option and overnight at hotel relais de la reine or jardin du Roy hotel and rock lodge hotel for luxury option. ( bed and breakfast are included )

Day 7 :

TREK THROUGH A DOOR OPENED ON THE PAST AT ISALO NATIONAL PARK .

After breakfast, your driver will introduce you the best local guide who will explain to you your circuit options. You choose the circuit that is best for you. The price for the local guide will depend on your circuit’s option. Though wildlife is here not as prominent as in other parks since there are few of lemurs here including sifaka and brown lemurs. The park homes also approximately 80 species of birds (including the rare Benson’s rock-thrush, the knob-billed duck or the crested ibis), 35 of reptiles and several endemic frogs. The flora is indeed more interesting than the fauna. There are several local endemic plants among the 500 species which are found within Isalo, such as the elephant´s foot and some rare palms, aloe species and Pachypodiums. A natural stone cave overlooks a crystal-clear waterfall, which tumbles into a deep green pool surrounded by overhanging pandanus trees. The piscine is a true oasis in the heat of the canyons. Museum of isalo can be visited in the afternoon after your treks from the park or the next day on your route to tulear.

Day 8 :

ISALO NATIONAL PARK - TULEAR .

On the way, you can see some traditional tombs of the Mahafaly and Antandroy tribes. Each grave is decorated to tell the story of the person’s life with drawings and often animal heads. Ask your driver or assistance guide about the fady or known as taboo in English before you will take picture. On route, you will see very poor village and few of baobab trees. Then 14 km before entering to tulear, stop at Arboretum Park known as Antsokay. It is a botanical garden specialized in the flora and fauna of Southwest of Madagascar that should not be missed by anyone. There are almost 900 species of plants, 90% endemic to the region. A trained English-speaking guide takes you on a two-hour tour of the improved area, where visitors see around a hundred of species of Euphornia and 60 species of Kalanchoe, as well as an abundance of reptiles and birds. You can have your lunch here after your visits. When you arrive in Tulear you are free to relax or walk around. This trip can be continued to ifaty beach or anakanao beach to relax on white sand beach if you still have more days then drive back to tulear and fly to tana. Contact Mr Benjamin for more details or take a look at our combination trip .

Recommended accommodation :overnight at hotel serena or Moringa hotel . ( bed and breakfast are included )

Note : In tulear, there are not much things to do and it’s one of the hot place. Ifaty beach or Anakao beach are recommended place to relax with its sandy white beach and this can be organizing through our agency too. The main way of leaving Tulear is by plane to Tana and you can purchase these local flight tickets through our agency. This trip can be organized on backward if you would like to relax in ifaty beach or anakao first.

TOTAL PRICE FOR THE SOUTH TOUR WITH TRAIN FOR 8 DAYS .

PRICE FOR MID RANGE HOTEL OPTION : 1 850 Euro for 2 people . ( one double or twin room sharing option )

AND

PRICE FOR LUXURY HOTEL OPTION : 2 050 Euro for 2 people . ( one double or twin room sharing option )

INCLUDED:

Airport transfer.
Car with English speaking driver and fuel during the tour.
Food and accommodation for driver only.
Bed and breakfast for 8 nights for the clients.
All parks entrance fees.
Train ticket for one way (First class option).
Excursion along mpangalane channel by pirogue .
Tax fees for the tour

EXCLUDED :

Meals and drinks for the clients. (Lunch and dinner)
All local guide fees for the clients during the tour.
And things not mentioned above.

AMBATOLAMPY : is a city (commune urbaine) in the Vakinankaratra region, Madagascar which is 68 km south of tana by route national RN 7. It’s the largest town between the capital and Antsirabe. The town also has a BOA and BFV bank, a hospital, a pharmacy and petrol station. Ambatolampy is famous for metalwork (mainly cooking pots and kitchen utensils).

ANTSIRABE : is the third largest city in Madagascar and has a population of approximately 220,000. Due to its high altitude (about 1 500 m) temperatures are rather cool and very cold in winter! The template climate was probably the reason why Norwegian missioners chose this place to settle down in 1872. Its name means “where there is salt” honouring the large number of hot springs the town has, a fact that has given the city the nickname of “Malagasy Vichy”. The thermal baths had been long appreciated for their curative effects by the local population when French colonists decided to locate a thermal bath here in the 19th century. Antsirabe is also a pole for agribusiness, textile and tobacco industry. It is the home of Tiko (diary products) which is own the former president “ marc ravalomanana “, Star Brassieres (brewery), Cotona (textiles) and Kobama (grain).

AMBOSITRA : is the capital of the Amoron'i Mania region, and also in the Fianarantsoa Province. It is the centre of Madagascar's' wood-carving industry due to the presence of the Zafimaniry tribe, a subgroup of the Betsileo tribe. There are many shops selling wooden boxes, chessboards and figurines. Raffia products are particularly plentiful in this region.

FIANARANTSOA : is a city (commune urbaine) in south central Madagascar and is an old royal city which became in 1830 administrative capital of the region under the colonial power. It is at an average altitude of 1,200 metres and has a population of 230,225. Fianarantsoa means "Good education" in Malagasy. It is a cultural and intellectual centre for the whole island. It is home to some of the oldest Protestant and Lutheran cathedrals on the island, the oldest theological seminary (also Lutheran), as well as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa. Like in Tana, old houses were in general built in the hills and the new ones were built in the valleys. The old upper town, the new town, where most shops are located and the train station district constitute the core of a city that has become almost unavoidable for any traveller heading to the South. The city of "good education" also boasts a university named after it and built in 1972. Fianarantsoa is considered to be the capital of wine in Madagascar, because of the presence of many wine industries in the city.

MANAKARA : It is the capital of the Vatovavy-Fitovinany region, in the province of Fianarantsoa. The city is located at the east coast and has a small port. It is the endpoint of the FCE (Fianarantsoa-Côte Est.) railway that connects the city of Fianarantsoa with the sea. For those interested in travelling to Manakara via the railway, please be advised the train can take over 10 hours at times. Its temperature on average is 27 degrees Celsius; the high is 32 and low is 10. Even there is a marvellous beach in Manakara, remember that you cannot swim there if you have just eaten pork because it is taboo, and besides the sea looks extremely rough.

RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK : The Park was established in 1991 with the purpose of conserving the unique biodiversity of the local ecosystem and reducing the human pressures on the protected area. It’s located in the south eastern part of Madagascar in Fianarantsoa Province. With more than 41,600 hectares of moist forest climate, and secondary forest area at altitudes between 800m and 1.200m. The park is home to several rare species of flora and fauna including twelve lemur species. Aside from the golden bamboo lemur, visitors can spot eastern woolly lemur, red bellied lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur, greater bamboo lemur, red-fronted brown lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur, greater dwarf lemur and brown mouse lemur. Other mammals include 7 species of tenrecs, 8 bats and 6 carnivorous, like the Malagasy striped civet and some mongooses. The National Park Office and the entrance are located at the village of Ambodiamontana, about 6 km from Ranoamfana village. The guides are very well prepared and some of them speak fluent English.

AMBALAVAO : The "Door to the South”, is situated south of Fianarantsoa. Ambalavao is remarkably one of the nicest cities of the highlands. Wednesdays the laidback atmosphere suddenly transforms as the town fills with cattle holders from the whole country that make all the way even from the distant Tulear to attend the biggest zebu market in Madagascar. Ambalavao as well is home to the renowned Antaimoro craft paper, which is beautifully decorated with dried flowers and leaves.

ANJA PARK : is unavoidable reserve and it’s about 13 km south of Ambalavao. It’s home to about 300 ring tailed lemurs or known as lemur catta. The reserve covers 8 ha and it’s rocky face and a bit of climbing.

RANOHIRA : is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Ihosy, which is a part of Ihorombe Region in Fianarantsoa Province. It is the base for visiting the nearby and popular Isalo National Park, which is filled with varied and dramatic landscapes and terrains. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 12,000. It is also a site of industrial-scale mining.

ISALO NATIONAL PARK : Established in 1962, Isalo National Park is in Toliara Province of Madagascar. The park is known for its wide variety of terrain, including sandstone formations, deep canyons, palm-lined oases, and grassland. The closest town is Ranohira, and the closest city is Toliara. Isalo national park is home to 82 species of birds, 33 species of reptiles, 15 species of frogs and 14 species of mammals are all known to inhabit the area, including 3 different species of Lemur (Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Red-fronted Lemurs and Verreaux's Sifakas). 340 different species of fauna are known to be in the park as well. The climate is dry tropical with warm temperatures all year around.

TULEAR : is the last destination by the route national number 7 (RN7) and it’s different from the other regions by its climate (hotter and drier) and its original life style.

IFATY BEACH : is located about 25km north of Tulear with bad road which takes about two hours to drive there. There are numerous hotels, mainly built out of traditional materials. For travellers, this place is synonymous for relaxation and beautiful beaches, mostly welcomed after a long trekking tour. Indeed the beaches are beautiful and its closeness to Tulear, where most trips to the South end, make Ifaty a well worth trip to lay down on the beach and do some snorkelling. You might see hump back whales also in Ifaty during July to September.

ANAKAO BEACH : is a village of fishermen villages in the south of tolagnaro and is located on the tropic of Capricorn; on the wide sandy beach colourful pirogue are drawn from the sparkling water. Humpback whales pass up the cost between July and September on their breeding migration to warm water.

SOUTH TOUR OF MADAGASCAR WITH TRAIN RIDE FOR 8 DAYS :

TOTAL PRICE FOR THE SOUTH TOUR WITH TRAIN FOR 8 DAYS .

SOUTH TOUR OF MADAGASCAR FOR 6 DAYS .

TREKKING AT CAMP CATTA PARK FOR 8 DAYS

SOUTH TOUR OF MADAGASCAR FOR 7 DAYS .