The South of Madagascar for 8 Days

Located in Madagascar's central highlands, Antsirabe is a serene city known for its cool climate, colonial architecture, and natural hot springs. The city’s name means "place of much salt" in Malagasy, a reference to its mineral-rich waters. Visitors can explore its picturesque streets by traditional rickshaws, visit the thermal baths, or take in the scenic views from nearby volcanic crater lakes like Lac Tritriva and Lac Andraikiba. Antsirabe is also famous for its local handicrafts, particularly wood carvings from the Zafimaniry people, as well as vibrant markets offering handmade goods. The city is a great base for day trips to nearby attractions, including Ranomafana National Park, home to rare lemur species, and the woodcraft hub of Ambositra. With its mix of history, culture, and natural beauty, Antsirabe offers a relaxing yet enriching experience for any traveler.

A nocturnal visit to Ranomafana National Park offers a unique and exciting way to explore Madagascar's biodiversity after dark. As night falls, the park comes alive with nocturnal creatures, many of which are elusive and rarely seen during the day. Guided night walks provide the opportunity to spot fascinating wildlife like the mouse lemur, chameleons, and a variety of frogs and insects. The dense rainforests of Ranomafana are home to diverse species, and a night excursion allows you to witness their nocturnal behavior in their natural habitat. With a local guide leading the way, visitors can also learn about the park's ecosystems and the conservation efforts in place to protect these rare and endangered species. It’s a thrilling, off-the-beaten-path adventure for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Start your day with a delicious breakfast before embarking on an exciting adventure to Ranomafana National Park. Our first stop will be at the park office, where we'll collect our entrance tickets and meet our knowledgeable local guides who will accompany us throughout the day. As part of your itinerary and budget, we have included a longer walk, lasting up to five hours. However, if you prefer a shorter walk, feel free to discuss this with your guide and make the necessary arrangements.

A visit of Anja Community Reserve, the most visited ecotourism site in Madagascar. The reserve, created in 2001 to preserve the local environment and wildlife and provide additional employment and income to the community, is a woodland area and freshwater lake located at the base of a large cliff. The landscape is dominated by massive fallen rocks, creating a sheltered habitat for a variety of wildlife, including ring-tailed lemurs. The Small Circuit Loop will take two hours maximum and offers an incredible view of the backdrop of granite rocks, two traditional Betsileo tombs, and natural caves. Today, you will easily see families of ring-tailed lemurs. Early in the morning you will have a better chance to see the lemurs up close as they come down from the trees. During the day, they mainly rest in the trees or canopies to avoid the heat. The Anja Park is absolutely surreal and breathtaking, like from another planet. With the backdrop of massive granite rocks.

salo National Park, located in the Jurassic-era highlands of Madagascar's southwest, is a stunning protected area of over 190,000 acres dominated by a sandstone massif that's been weathered into a unique collection of plateaus, canyons, gorges, and pinnacles. Visitors can explore this otherworldly landscape on foot via the park's main attraction: hiking. The Natural Swimming Pool and Namaza circuits are two of the most rewarding hikes in the park.

A fascinating stop awaits us at Zombitse National Park, where we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the beauty of this remarkable reserve. As we continue our drive, keep an eye out for the traditional tombs of the Mahafaly and Antandroy ethnic groups. These intricately decorated resting places serve as captivating visual narratives, adorned with drawings and often embellished with zebu skulls, symbolizing the wealth and status of the departed.

In Reniala reserve, you can admire many endemic plants of the spiny forests, among them countless Didieraceae, the famous baobabs (Adansonia rubrostipa), Pachypodium, Euphorbia and other outstanding growths. The biggest baobab of Ifaty stands here – local people fondly call it “tea pot” due to its appearance. It is told to be 1500 years old and up to date has an impressive perimeter of more than 10 metres. As ornithological park, the reserve offers plenty opportunities to discover and watch animals especially for bird lovers. With a little patience you can for example see the Madagascar harrier-hawk (Polyboroides radiatus) or find the sickle-billed vanga (Falculea palliata), the white-headed vanga (Artamella viridisa) and Madagascar buttonquail (Turnix nigricollis) in their natural habitat.

This would be the day that we fly back from the south part of Madagascar to Antananarivo, in the highlands of the country.