THE BIG SOUTH AND ITS TRADITIONAL CULTURES - 22 DAYS

1st day:

Leave Tana to Antsirabe ( 170km )
Through the high plateau landscape: mountains and ricefield.
Visit the surrounding: lake tritriva, lake Andraikiba and the workshop of semi – precious and precious stones.

Hotel  Retrait (midrange comfort)

2nd -3rd day:

Drive from Antsirabe to Ranomafana ( National Park )
Stop one hour to Ambositra, the capital of woodcarving.Visit the workshop of Jean et Freres and a few other shops of craft.  Continue to Ranomafana, half an hour stop at Namorona falls.
Visit the park and relax at the hotspring swimming – pool.

Hotel Manja (midrange comfort)

4th day:

Leave Ranomafana to Ambalavao pass by Fianarantsoa
On the way , visit Sahambavy tea field and the wine factory.
Visit the Antemoro  traditional paper work shop in vicinity of the Hotel .

Hotel Bougainvillier.

5th -6th  day:

A long drive from Ambalavao to Ranohira ( National Park of Isalo )
Visit the parks, Monkey canyon and the Natural Swimming – pool.

Hotel Orchidée (midrange)

7th  –8th day:

Leave Ranohira – Betioky – Anakao
Passing numerous tombs in the surrounding of Bezaka and Betioky.
And just before the turn  off for Beheloka on coast , is a good stand of spiny forest. Arrive in Anakao. The small beachside is known for its diving centre.

Le Prince Anakao (midrange comfort)

9th –10th day:

Drive from Anakao to Beheloka, take the local guide in Beheloka then continue to the Tsimanampetsotsa  Natural Reserv .
This is a large shallow lake.  The reserve’s main attractions are 70birds species, including plover, coua, rock thrush and flamingo, as well as its large population of ring  tailed lemurs.  You‘ll have the opportunity to see the radiated tortoise in its natural habitat.

Chez Bernard ( budget hotel )

11th – 12th day:

Leave Beheloka to Itampolo.  It lies 95 km east of Beheloka .Itampolo is a small village of fisherman famous for its white sand beaches, very rich of lobsters.

Hotel Sud Sud ( budget hotel )

13th day:

Drive from Itampolo to Ampanihy
Ampanihy is a pleasant town and one of the main island centres in southern Madagascar.  It ‘s known for the culture of Mahafaly and Antandroy tribe: Traditional clothes, dance, colourful tombs.  A bout 20 km north west of Ampanihy near the village of Reakaly is enormous baobab, considered to be one of the largest, and oldest ones standing

Relais d’ Ampanihy ( budget hotel )

14th –15th day:

Drive from Ampanihy  to the Special Reserve of Cap  Sainte Marie.
Cap Ste Marie (known in Malagasy as Tanjon’ ny Vohimena) is the beautiful, remote and windswept southern most tip of Madagascar.  It protects 14 species of birds and two rare species of tortoises.
In addition to hosting striking vegetation, the area attracts visitors because it was  once the habitat of the Aepyornis (Elephant Bird), which has been extinct for over 2000 years, there are many fragments shells in the museum in Tana.
Between July and October, you may be able to spot some migrating whales offshore.

Camping ( full board )

16th  - 17th day:

Leave Cap Ste Marie to the National park of Andohahela.
It protects some of the last remmants of rainforest in southern Madagascar, as well as spiny forest and 13 species of lemurs.  It also boasts over 120 species of birds, as well as variety of amphibians and reptiles.

Camping ( full board )

18th day:

Drive from Andohahela to Fort – Dauphin

Hotel Village Petit Bonheur (midrange comfort)

19th – 20th day:

Drive from Fort Dauphin to Berenty
The Berenty forest contains over 115 plants species which reserve as habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Most visitors come to see the lemurs, of which the ring – tailed are the most prominent, there are also verreaux’s sifaka and abundant is a subspecies of the brown lemur, the red – fronted lemur, lepilemur and the grey mouse lemur.  There are 26 species of reptiles.

Berenty ‘s Bungalow

 21st day:

Drive from Berenty to Fort Dauphin

Hotel Village Petit Bonheur (midrange comfort)

22nd  day:

A day visit to Sainte Luce
It‘s a relaxing spot with an attractive beach. There is a small nature reserve established by the SHTM there.

Hotel Village Petit Bonheur (midrange comfort)

23rd day:

Fly back to Antananarivo

Prices:

Including :

• A car with a driver ( who speaks english and french )
• Bed and breakfast (Midrange)
• Full board during the  camping (both option).
• Vat (tax 18%)
• Flight booking
• Entrance fee to the parks
• A tour guide
• Insurance

Excluded :

• Local guide
• Lunch and dinner ( which are not mentioned above)
• Tips
• Drinks

A child who does not share the room of their parents will pay the half price.