A guide to Madagascar
A guide to Madagascar Venture through volcanic highlands, lush rainforests, idyllic tropical beaches and semi-arid rocky massifs in search of a unique
Read moreThe Route South stretches for almost 1000 km from the capital Antananarivo to the multicultural city of Tulear, an important port on the southwest coast of Madagascar. It is a beautiful and varied route full of towns and villages, each with their own character, and with many to visit including Antsirabe, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana National Park, Isalo National Park and Ifaty.
The spa town of Antsirabe is located at an altitude of 1,500 metres and has a noticeably different climate to the heat of Antananarivo. It is now a centre for the gem trade, including the trading of amethyst, tourmaline, beryl and aquamarine.
Continue south to Fianarantsoa, which lies at the heart of the country’s most productive agricultural region and it is now Madagascar’s leading wine-producing region as well as the main tea-growing region.
Nearby is Ranomafana National Park, a key destination for viewing rare endemic species such as the golden bamboo lemur. The park also contains 11 other lemur species that are virtually extinct and numerous reptiles and frogs. It is arguably one of the best Malagasy rainforests for bird watching, with brown mesites, Henst’s goshawks and rufous-headed ground-rollers in residence.
Isalo National Park is an ideal walking destination, with its spectacular sandstone rocks bisected by deep canyons and sculpted into unusual shapes. It is also sacred to the Bara tribe, who have used the caves in the canyon walls as burial sites for many years.
About 1 ½ hours from Tulear is Ifaty, a quiet coastal fishing village known primarily for its long beach and for its offshore coral reef. The area is also known for the interesting flora and fauna of the spiny forest, a unique habitat that has adapted to the heat and drought of the region.
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Tulear is a multicultural city, home to many tribes including the Vezo, the Masikoro, the Mahafaly, and the Antadroy among others; whilst many shops and the great Mosque mark the presence of a large number of Indian immigrants. The region is famous as the home of the Coelacan, the oldest living fish, and the giant eggs of Aepyornis, an extinct ostrich like creature also known as the 'elephant bird'.
Ranomafana National Park is a key destination for viewing rare endemic species such as the golden bamboo lemur, which the park was specifically set up to protect. The park also contains 11 other lemur species that are virtually extinct and numerous reptiles and frogs. It is arguably one of the best Malagasy rainforests for bird watching, with brown mesites, Henst's goshawks and rufous-headed ground-rollers in residence.
Isalo National Park makes an ideal hiking destination, with its spectacular sandstone rocks bisected by deep canyons and sculpted into unusual shapes. The park contains sifaka, brown and ring-tailed lemurs. It is also sacred to the Bara tribe, which has used the caves in the canyon walls as burial sites for many years. Well-established hiking trails varying in length and difficulty allow guests to enjoy all that the park has to offer.
Ifaty is a quiet coastal fishing village just north of Toliara (Tulear). It is known primarily for its long beach and for its offshore coral reef and snorkelling. Inland the terrain is parched and dry with several salt flats and a spiny forest near to the village. The area is known for its interesting flora and fauna including baobab trees and a wide variety of bird species.
Fianarantsoa lies at the heart of the country's most productive agricultural region and in the 1970s a Swiss corporation realised the wine-growing potential in the surrounding country, and it is now Madagascar's leading wine-producing region as well as the main tea-growing region. To the west, the town’s backdrop is dominated by the 1374m (4506ft) Mt Kianjasoa, and the city's high country atmosphere and temperatures can reflect this.
Antsirabe, a spa town, has a noticeably different climate to the heat of Antananarivo due to its altitude of 1,500 metres.. It is now a centre for the gem trade, including the trading of amethyst, tourmaline, beryl and aquamarine.
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