From Forests to the Ocean
Forest, wildlife, islands · 15 days / 14 nights
Antananarivo → Nosy Be
The Essentials, Differently
The great landscapes. The first encounters.
- Length
- 15 days / 14 nights
- The experience
- Nature, culture, lagoon
- Level
- 2/5, easy to moderate
- Comfort
- 4/5, selected charming hotels and lodges
- Season
- May to October
- Who is it for?
- Couples and travellers discovering Madagascar for the first time
- Price
- On request
Sometimes one first journey is enough to discover a country that never leaves you. After the exploring, three nights by the lagoon of Anakao, to savour it all and rediscover the pleasure of doing nothing.
The route
The road, step by step.
AntananarivoToliara- StartAntananarivo
- Ampefy
- Faratsiho
- Antsirabe
- Ambositra
- Fianarantsoa
- Ambalavao
- Isalo
- Toliara
- Anakao
- Toliara
- EndAntananarivo
Highlights
Lake Itasy and the Lily waterfalls. The spectacular landscapes of Faratsiho. The craftspeople of Antsirabe and Ambositra. The lemurs of the Anja community reserve. The canyons and natural pools of Isalo. Three nights by the lagoon of Anakao.
Day by day
Road distances and times are approximate and may vary with local conditions. Full board offered, to be confirmed in your signed programme.
The Essentials, Differently
15 days / 14 nights · Nature, culture, lagoon
Open the notebookDay1ANTANANARIVO · ARRIVAL
First moments
A first light, new colours, another way of seeing the world. On arrival our team welcomes you and takes you to your hotel. The journey begins gently.
- Personal welcome
- Rest
- Night
- Charming hotel
- Meals
- Dinner
Day2ANTANANARIVO → AMPEFY
The land of lakes
The city fades behind red hills and green landscapes. Around Lake Itasy and the Lily waterfalls, Madagascar shows its first contrasts. A peaceful night lets you savour this beginning.
- Lily waterfalls
- Lake Itasy
- Getting there
- Road: about 120–140 km, 3–4 h
- Night
- Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day3AMPEFY → FARATSIHO → ANTSIRABE
The road of a thousand hills
Rice fields draw the valleys, villages dot the road and the hills follow one another to the horizon. Each stop invites a new look at life in the Highlands.
- Scenic road
- Photo stops
- Getting there
- Road: about 150–180 km, 4–6 h
- Night
- Charming hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day4ANTSIRABE → AMBOSITRA
Hands that pass it on
In the workshops, gestures tell a story: of materials shaped with patience, of trades learned and of traditions that live on.
- Meeting craftspeople
- Woodwork
- Getting there
- Road: about 90–110 km, 2–3 h
- Night
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day5AMBOSITRA → FIANARANTSOA
The memory of the Highlands
Between farmland and villages, the road carries on its tale. In Fianarantsoa, the old quarters reveal other pages of Malagasy history and heritage.
- Workshops
- Old town
- Getting there
- Road: about 150–160 km, 4–5 h
- Night
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day6FIANARANTSOA → AMBALAVAO · ANJA
Life at the foot of the rocks
Among granite boulders and greenery, ring-tailed lemurs roam the Anja community reserve. A fine encounter with wildlife and with the people who help protect it.
- Community reserve
- Ring-tailed lemurs
- Getting there
- Road: about 55–65 km, 1–2 h · Walk: 1–2 h
- Night
- Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day7AMBALAVAO → ISALO
When the horizons open
The relief grows wider, the colours warmer, and the landscape changes character. Little by little, the rock formations of Isalo appear.
- Great landscapes
- Getting there
- Road: about 220–240 km, 5–7 h
- Night
- Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day8ISALO · CANYONS AND OASES
The kingdom of stone
The trail winds between canyons, sandstone walls and hidden oases. With your guide, you discover a landscape carved by time.
- Guided hike
- Natural pools
- Getting there
- Walk: 2–4 h
- Night
- Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day9ISALO
The beauty of silence
Today, time belongs to the wide open spaces. A gentle walk, an encounter or simply the evening light: Isalo also reveals itself when you slow down.
- Optional walk
- Sunset
- Getting there
- Optional walk: 1–2 h
- Night
- Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day10ISALO → TOLIARA
Towards the ocean
The road crosses the landscapes of the South-West, between dry lands and new colours. At the end of it the air changes: the sea is not far now.
- South-West road
- Getting there
- Road: about 240–260 km, 5–7 h
- Night
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day11TOLIARA → ANAKAO
A first look at the lagoon
After the boat crossing, turquoise waters announce another rhythm. You discover your eco-lodge, set down your bags and let the ocean take its place in the journey.
- Boat crossing
- Settling in
- Getting there
- Crossing: about 1 h, weather permitting
- Night
- Eco-lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day12ANAKAO · VEZO CULTURE
In time with the shore
Coastal life has its own gestures, traditions and stories. A discovery that respects the environment and the local seafaring culture helps you understand this land.
- Seafaring traditions
- Gentle water activity
- Night
- Eco-lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day13ANAKAO · FREE DAY
Time regained
Nothing to achieve today. Nothing to chase. Only the privilege of enjoying the lagoon, going back over your memories and letting the journey resonate.
- Time to savour
- Night
- Eco-lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day14ANAKAO → TOLIARA → ANTANANARIVO
Memories take shape
The lagoon slips away, but the images stay. Back to the capital by boat then plane, according to confirmed schedules, with the feeling of having crossed many faces of Madagascar.
- Boat
- Domestic flight
- Night
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day15ANTANANARIVO · DEPARTURE
The last page
Time to go home. In your bags, memories. And perhaps, above all, a new way of looking at the world. Transfer to the airport for your international flight.
- Airport transfer
- Meals
- Breakfast
The rest of the story is yours.
Ask for this experienceCover
Included
- All planned nights, in charming hotels, lodges and eco-lodges
- Full board during the tour
- Drinking water throughout
- Domestic flights in the programme
- Private transfers and private vehicle with driver
- French-speaking guide or escort, depending on the programme
- Qualified local guides, parks and culture
- Entrance fees, scheduled visits and excursions
- Planned boat crossings
- Pre-departure information and assistance during the journey
Not included
- International flights
- Visa
- Travel and repatriation insurance
- Alcoholic drinks, personal purchases
- Tips
- Optional activities
- Services not mentioned in the signed programme
Time to go home. In your bags, memories. And perhaps, above all, a new way of looking at the world.
