The picturesque trail of the West Coast and the RN7

Departure for Miandrivazo passing through the city of Antsirabe.

Departure by car to Antsirabe. Antsirabe is located some 170 km from the capital and is an integral part of the so-called region of the Central Highlands. Quaint villages whose houses are dyed red, laterite color, are scattered ever where along the way.

In Antsirabe to reach Miandrivazo, you have to turn west and take the RN34. The landscape will be marked by the volcanic landscape of the Vakinakaratra region with mountains with more or less rounded summits. It is a rich region favorable to cultivation and particularly to that of rice. The rice fields are located on the slopes of the hills and terraced so as to form a mosaic that, it seems, was shaped by the hands of an artist.

On the road, in Dabolava, small gold mining. You should know that in Miandrivazo, it averages 28°C in the shade. It is one of the hottest village in Madagascar.

Arrival in Miandrivazo in the afternoon.

Overnight in hotel.

While continuing the road, the verdant landscape of the Vakinankaratra gives way to a more or less dry region, more or less arid, ranging from peeled mountains rolled by erosion, savannas more or less wooded and the steppes of grass yellowed by wind and heat. From Mahabo, you will have under your eyes some rice plains. The passages to small towns along the road will enliven the trip. A few kilometers from Morondava, junction for Kirindy on a bumpy track.

Arrival at Kirindy at the end of the afternoon. Nocturnal visit of Kirindy forest, in the heart of the Protected Area of Menabe Antimena, to discover the nocturnal animals including the famous microcebus berthae besides birds and reptiles...

Overnight in hotel.

Morning visit at Kirindy Forest Reserve where you might have the privilege to see the "Fosa" or "Cryptoprocta ferox", the bigest carnivorous mammal in Madagascar. This dense dry forests is also the habitat of turtles flat-tailed, lemurs Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) and giant Malagasy jumping rats (hypogeomys antimena).

In the afternoon, discovery of the entwined lovers baobab then return back to Morondava passing by the inevitable Baobab Alley to contemplate a beautiful sunset. The high baobabs of a unique variety in the world, scroll to the horizon, like military review. Late arrival in Morondava.

Overnight in hotel.

Departure towards Belo sur Mer. Belo sur Mer is a little further south of Morondava. To reach it, you have to take a sandy track and ford a river. It is a fishing village, but where also sailors and carpenters of the Navy live. Therefore, a visit to the shipyard and the traditional dhow manufacturing site should be done.

Arrival in the village around noon.

Overnight in hotel.

Before going to Manja, visit of the village. Most fishermen, if not all, are from Vezo ethnic group. They have their own culture. If some sailboats come to beach, others take off, which is a charming ballet worthy of a great choreographer.

Continuing towards Manja, you enter the land of Sakalava, reputed to be great farmers.

Overnight in hotel (very basic hotel)

Continuation of the adventure. After Manja, we go to Bevoay. It is a small village on the banks of the Mangoky River (the longest river on the island). Exoticism is everywhere. The crossing of the river is done in ferry. Following the winding track between mangroves and baobabs, you reach Andavadaoka creek, which is actually small coves protected by a coral reef. The lagoon Andavadaoka will welcome you for a swim or scuba diving.

Arrival in Andavadoaka at the end of the afternoon.

Overnight in hotel.

In the morning, the farniente begins to feel on the beach and you wonder whether a visit to the village of fishermen with their multicolored canoes or a stroll along the creeks with their colors more than breathtaking, beautiful is appropriate.

Afternoon, en route to Salary, crossing the forest of Mikeas, this people whose way of life is still primitive, with their mysteries and their habits and customs, ignoring drinking water and even fire. Mikeas are a forest people whose trees are mostly baobabs, and are not farmers at all. They live from gatherings and buried edibles, plant or animal. But the least we can say is that they are peaceful like anything. In addition, you will encounter 50 species of reptiles and 50 species of birds at least in the region.

But in Salary, a completely different panorama is offered before your eyes, including the huge dunes and sandy beaches. Salary is a fishing village at the edge of a lagoon protected by a coral reef and, for photo enthusiasts, deserves to appear on a postcard. The bay of Salary, among the most beautiful of Madagascar with its beaches of fine white sand and a turquoise sea, is in the lagoon of Ambatomilo which stretches over a hundred kilometers. It has clearly deserved its ranking among the Marine Protected Areas.

Overnight in hotel

After these adventures more or less long, breathtaking and rewarding, a lazy day is needed: a paradise beach is at your disposal, but for the less tired, you can still indulge in fishing, scuba diving or even walks in the forest.

Overnight in hotel.

Relaxing on the beach.

In the afternoon, drive to Ifaty.

From Salary to Ifaty, the region is still bordered by a lagoon. Several vezo fishing villages as welcoming as each other are located there. You can taste fish freshly caught and concocted by local cooks.

The tracks of the Middle West as well as the related adventures stop in Ifaty.

Overnight in hotel.

Start of the drive up the RN7. Let's live now other adventures, all as thrilling, wonderful, rewarding, the qualifiers are missing, in a completely different region, the southern one of which Tuléar is its capital. There are several ethnic groups of the island, which, to the rhythm of tsapiky, a music of the South, dance and sing everywhere, in the streets, the courtyards, the seaside ... Just to show that they are friendly, pleasant and welcoming.

And from there, after of course the passage to the shellfish market, we go up north on the RN7.

Let's step into the steppes with their thorny plants adapted to drought such as cactus or sisal, without omitting the breeding of animals such as sheep and goats.

On the background of the painting, one can admire the Mahafaly or Antandroy tombs, surmounted by naively worked wooden sculptures, whose motifs are generally of geometrical form and relate daily life.

Before reaching Isalo, pass through the village of Ilakaka which is known for its sapphire mines.

Arrival in Isalo in the afternoon. Visit of the Isalo house, an interpretation center of the park.

Overnight in hotel.

Full day excursion at Isalo national park. We are now in the South, with the ruin like massif of Isalo in the background. It mainly displays strange, phantasmagorical carvings carved out of granite. Different animal and plant species make up the fauna and flora. It includes birds, reptiles, amphibians, lemurs and, side plants, aloe and euphorbia.

The Isalo plateau covers nearly 82,000 ha and the flagship is the park with its exceptional biodiversity despite its rather dry climate. Fortunately the natural pool, with its clear and fresh water, is here to invite you to a swim and relax.

Overnight in hotel.

Continuing on the road to Fianarantsoa, capital of the Betsileo country, we enter in different circumstances, both in terms of climate (cooler climate of the highlands), fauna and flora, agricultural or economic activities.

Entering Ambalavao, Ny Anja Park is very interesting. It is home to lemurs and particularly lemur catta, a ring-tailed specimen, without missing out on the endemic plants of Madagascar, not to mention the region.

In Ambalavao, a visit at the Antaimoro paper manufacturing workshop will be at the rendezvous. This locality also shelters every Wednesday the important market of zébus of the region not to say of the country.

On the way to Fianarantsoa, the capital of the country Betsileo, you can admire the rice terraces looking like a real patchwork. The surrounding area is famous for its lakes, famous vineyards and the only semi-industrial tea plantation on the Big Island, better known as "Sahambavy Tea".

We arrive in Fianarantsoa in the late afternoon.

As for Fianarantsoa, the city itself is not interesting except that it consists of houses or centuries-old buildings enthroned on the surrounding hills, and the streets and other stairs only accentuate its charm. Fianarantsoa is located between the highlands and the mountain range of Andringitra, it is formed of a lower part called "Tanàna ambany" and a high part called "Tanàna ambony". This last is very old and where resided mainly the nobles, notables and other rich bourgeois.

Overnight in hotel.

On the way to Antsirabe. Before arriving at destination, that is to say in Antsirabe, you have to go through the city of Ambositra, which owes its fame to its craft activities, especially wood sculpture and marquetry. And for good reason, in the east remains a primary forest where lives the Zafimaniry people, famous for the wooden sculpture.

The terraced rice field, especially found in the region of Betsileo, eucalyptus forests and especially those of "tapias", endemic wild fruit trees and, in addition to the fields of cultivation of geranium for the production of gasoline, follow the road.

Arriving in Antsirabe, the traveler notices the existence of many rickshaws, exotic means of transport par excellence to admire the beauty of the city. But what is special about the city is the existence of thermal springs including the famous "Ranovisy" or "Vichy Malgache" and healing waters. What earned him the name of "City of Water". In addition, it is surrounded by areas rich in mineral resources, mainly precious, fine or ornamental stones. And the stone cutting are worth visiting, not to mention other workshops such as embroidery or the crafting of objects from zebu horn. Rickshaws tour with a short sightseeing tour of the city.

Overnight in hotel.

In Antsirabe, the visit of the artisanal miniature bicycle shop is very interesting, just to see the know-how and the love of the workers for their work. But Antsirabe is also home to two lakes in one of the most scenic areas. The first, Tritriva Lake, is volcanic and is surrounded by mysteries, mainly about two trees that intertwine on its rocky side. It has a depth of 160 m. The second, Lake Andraikiba, is also a crater lake but larger.

No more visits, return to the capital by crossing the highlands of Vakinankaratra where the rather straight roads are bordered on both sides by rice fields, fields of barley, corn and many other cereals.

However, there are also municipalities more or less important thanks to their industrial and artisanal activities. Thus, the city of Ambatolampy deserves to stop, just to see homemade foundries producing kitchen utensils, especially pots or casseroles as we like to call them here.

Overnight in hotel.

Visit of a handicraft shop and then transfer to the airport for the return flight.