The Malagasy Highlands, East Coast and Deep South
On this eco-tourism journey, you will be overwhelmed by Madagascar's extraordinary flora and fauna. During a visit to a reforestation project near Ambositra, our local partners will brief you in detail — and you can actively contribute to the replanting effort. Between hikes through rainforest and dry-season scrubland, wildlife is everywhere — lemurs, the iconic symbol of the island, above all. This is a trip that will change you.
Discover the magnificent landscapes of the east coast aboard the only train that descends from the highlands to the Indian Ocean. Also on the programme: walks across rice paddies through a diverse volcanic landscape, all the way to the vast, sun-baked plains of the deep south. A wealth of local community initiatives awaits your visit as well.
Note: a 15-day version of this tour is available; however, the three-week itinerary is far richer in experiences and completes the programme with the spectacular train ride to the east coast.
Highlights of this tour:
- Visits to local aid and self-help projects
- Several national parks
- Ride on the "Jungle Express" from Fianarantsoa to Manakara
- Breathtaking, endlessly varied landscapes
Day 1: Scheduled Flight from Europe
Airport pickup at Ivato, hotel transfer or city tour depending on arrival time.
Accommodation in mid-range hotel.
Day 2: Antananarivo
A first impression of the Malagasy capital Antananarivo, perched between 1,200 and 1,500 metres above sea level.
A city tour adapted to the group's interests. Visits to two villages on the eastern outskirts, where Father Père Opeka runs a remarkable aid project for the so-called "rubbish people" of Tana.
Day 3: Antananarivo — Antsirabe
Morning departure towards Antsirabe; along the way, several sights await discovery — including the aluminium foundries of Ambatolampy.
Overnight at the "Ecole Hôtelière" hotel (or equivalent).
Day 4: Antsirabe
The highest city in the country is a former spa resort sitting at around 1,600 m altitude. It boasts beautiful lakes of volcanic origin and countless hiking trails; cycling tours are also possible and can be arranged on request. One excursion leads through a peaceful, rural area — including a picnic beside a waterfall whose rocks are draped in lianas and every kind of tropical plant imaginable.
On the return to Antsirabe, you can visit workshops of local craftspeople — gem cutters and tin-toy makers among them.
Day 5: Antsirabe — Ambositra
Before reaching Ambositra, we visit a rather unique reforestation project centred on orange trees. Ambositra itself is famous for its skilled craftspeople, who specialise in woodcarving and veneer work using precious hardwoods — ebony and rosewood above all. You can drop into several carpentry workshops or sculptor's studios housed right in local homes.
There is then the option to stay overnight at the wonderful "Hôtel des Artisans" or to push on to the nearby Zafimaniry region, with accommodation at the "Sous le Soleil de Mada".
Day 6: Ambositra — Antoetra
We set out early in the morning for Antoetra, from where a full-day hike takes us to one of the remote Zafimaniry villages. The houses there are adorned with exquisite hand-carved decorations — every surface a story in wood.
Overnight at the nature-close "Sous le Soleil de Mada".
Day 7: Ambositra — Sahambavy
Today's drive passes through many small villages whose colours shift from deep red earth to vivid ochre, all set against a perpetually green landscape. The rice paddies form a mosaic of every possible shade of green, mirrored in countless ponds. The Fianarantsoa region is intensively farmed — tea, wine and rice are all produced here. Visit the photo studio of world-renowned photographer Pierrot Men, and explore the tea plantations of Sahambavy.
Overnight at one of the island's most beautiful hotels, the "Lac Hotel" in Sahambavy.
Day 8: Sahambavy — Manakara
One of the undisputed highlights of any Madagascar trip: the spectacular railway line connecting Fianarantsoa with Manakara. Although "only" 170 kilometres long, the journey can easily take ten hours. The train passes through many small villages that have no other access to the outside world. Little wonder, then, that at every one of the many stops, dense crowds of people swarm around the carriages — to trade, to greet, and simply to watch the world go by.
Day 9: Manakara
A pirogue ride along the Canal des Pangalanes, one of the longest freshwater canal systems in the world. We visit several fishing villages, vanilla plantations and spice gardens, and enjoy a relaxed day drifting between the canal and the Indian Ocean. All the local spices can of course be bought at the market — and vanilla directly from a producer.
Accommodation in a good mid-range hotel.
Day 10: Manakara — Ranomafana
A full day's drive partly through rainforest to climb back into the highlands. There is the option, right on arrival in Ranomafana, to soak in the blissfully warm waters of the local thermal baths. Ranomafana National Park itself is explored the following day. A night walk is possible — these days it follows the roadside only, but you will still see countless chameleons, frogs and, with a little luck, even mouse lemurs peering out from the undergrowth.
Accommodation in a good mid-range hotel.
Day 11: Ranomafana National Park
Covering more than 42,000 hectares, this extraordinary national park was only founded in 1991. Sitting at around 1,300 m altitude, it shelters one of the last surviving montane cloud forests on Earth. In this truly one-of-a-kind habitat, you can encounter (with a measure of luck) 12 species of lemur, over 100 bird species, insects, frogs, reptiles, towering trees and ancient ferns.
Hikes tailored to the fitness and interests of the group.
Day 12: Ranomafana — Ambalavao
We head back through Fianarantsoa first, the rice fields glowing golden in the sun on either side. Then the good tarmac road carries us ever further south. Massive granite rocks, increasingly bare red laterite soil and sparse dry grasses tell of a changing landscape — which becomes truly dramatic as we climb to the mountain pass with its magnificent viewpoint. From up there, you can gaze far down into the valley of Ambalavao, nestled peacefully between high peaks. The winding descent brings vineyards into view on both sides of the road, the surrounding mountains forming a genuinely unique alpine panorama.
Accommodation in a good mid-range hotel.
Day 13: Ambalavao
Ambalavao — almost a secret tip for travellers who prefer to steer clear of the tourist trail. This small town sits on the threshold of the austere south, the last outpost of the friendly Betsileo people whose warmth we have already experienced since Ambositra. Ambalavao is also the gateway to spectacular mountain hikes, trekking, rock climbing (free climbing only!) and even paragliding — amid some of the finest highland scenery I know. The unique Andringitra National Park, where you can hike and camp for days in untouched wilderness, lies just a short distance away. Depending on the group's interests, this park may well prove more rewarding than Isalo — though proper mountain hikes with porters do require a decent level of fitness.
Day 14: Ambalavao — Ranohira (Isalo National Park)
We visit Anja Park, a nature reserve managed entirely by the local community, where you can spot various lemur species — over 1,000 individuals! — along with plenty of other wildlife. Lunch or a picnic in the park. The landscape grows steadily more arid as we leave the highlands behind. The road is well-surfaced and the terrain begins to resemble an African savanna. By afternoon we reach Madagascar's most famous national park at Ranohira (Isalo National Park).
Accommodation in a good mid-range hotel.
Day 15: Isalo Massif
Today is devoted to exploring the Isalo Massif — its strange granite and sandstone sculptures, and its unique flora and fauna. Isalo National Park covers a large section of the massif north of the RN7. It is composed of Jurassic continental sandstone whose shapes, colours and natural formations vary dramatically across different areas of the park. Isalo is a vast territory stretching across nearly 82,000 hectares at an average elevation of 1,000 m.
Amid this stark, mineral landscape, magnificent natural pools and waterfalls are fringed by lush tropical vegetation. You can swim in crystal-clear water and truly let your spirit rest. The day's hike is adapted to the physical fitness of participants — Isalo is not particularly demanding terrain.
Day 16: Ranohira — Tuléar
Savanna and desert climate all the way to Tuléar, a coastal town that sees only a handful of rainy days per year. We are now south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
En route we can visit a sapphire mine in Ilakaka, and we will spot the first of the great baobabs rising from the roadside. In one village with no running water at all, we distribute the water collected in empty bottles over the course of the journey. The southern regions (from Tuléar to Fort Dauphin) are admired by visitors and botanists alike for their extraordinary dry-tropical flora: dwarf baobabs, euphorbias, aloes and more. The famous Mahafaly funerary tombs, crowned by carved wooden "aloalo" steles decorated with geometric motifs, tell the story of the deceased's life in naive, touching scenes.
A short break in Tuléar, then we continue on sandy tracks to Ifaty.
Fishing villages dot the dusty coastal piste; further inland, life is barely possible — agriculture and livestock farming are almost out of the question in such extreme drought.
Accommodation in a beachside hotel or bungalows.
Days 17 & 18: Ifaty
Two days of rest and recovery by the sea in Ifaty. Activities abound: virtually every water sport imaginable is on offer. But there is plenty to do on dry land too — ride on horseback through the spiny thorn forest, or explore the surroundings on an ox-cart tour. You can even overfly the lagoon in an ultralight amphibious aircraft for a truly unforgettable perspective.
Day 19: Tuléar — Antananarivo
Fly back to the capital. City tours depending on flight arrival time.
Accommodation in mid-range hotel.
Day 20: Antananarivo
We continue our tour of the capital: the bustling Ambodivona Market or the Queen's Palace on the sacred hill of Ambohimanga — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that still carries deep spiritual significance for the Malagasy people today.
Days 21/22: Antananarivo — Paris
If schedules remain unchanged: return flight in the morning (for those flying with Corsair or South African Airlines) or the following night (for those with Air France). In the latter case, activities will naturally be arranged for the day.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
The order of visits may be adjusted based on local conditions (weather, festivals, train and flight schedules, etc.). The programme can also be modified by the group where technically and financially feasible. Flexibility and responsiveness to participants' wishes is always possible.
A detailed description is available on this website under "TOURS".
All hikes, treks and similar activities can of course be adapted — they are fundamentally tailored to the guests and can even be dropped entirely on request, replaced for example by a beach day.
Alternatives are always possible — where they exist!
Note: if you choose the shorter 14-day variant, the train journey to Manakara is not included.
If you are interested in this extraordinary journey, visit the website of Klaus Konnerth — your tour guide — at Urlaub-auf-Madagaskar.com
