Cycling Expedition in Madagascar 7D/6N

Today is an arrival day. You are free to arrive at any time. Upon arrival in Antananarivo, you will be greeted by your tour manager and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Antananarivo or Tana takes its name from an episode in Malagasy history.

Overnight: Sakamanga

Transfer along the national road to the village of Antanifotsy by car. On the way, we visit an aluminum pot making factory in Ambatolampy. From Antanifotsy, we ride on the bicycle to continue our journey. Sometimes, the local bike enthusiasts wave to us. At the beginning of our bicycle journey, we drive on a track with fruit trees and rice fields at the edge. After crossing the track, we will be on the national highway number 7 to reach Antsirabe. Because of its position in the highlands, Antsirabe, 4500ft above sea level, during its French rule was also a favorite recuperation site.

Overnight: La Résidence Camélia***
Km of cycling: 52, 9 kilometer
Difficulty: easy track and asphalt road, some easy climbs
Type and conditions of trails: National road from the junction to Antsirabe, North East from the city of

After breakfast, we cycle further south on the hilly road to Ambositra. It is situated 93km from Antsirabe, the handicraft capital; the region is best known for its woodwork: sculpture, inlays, and engravings. The Zafimaniry villages, named for the tribe living in the dense, eastern forests, are especially distinctive. Their fine and delicate woodwork has achieved worldwide acclaim. In the afternoon, we will be transferred by car until Fianarantsoa.

Overnight: Zomatel***
Km of cycling: 93 kilometer
Difficulty: easy asphalt road, a lot of turns and climbs
Type and conditions of trails: National road from Antsirabe to Ambositra

Early morning, we take the bicycle to join Ambalavao which is the national highway going south. Gray mountains and red laterite, the landscape of the West American begins to appear. Everything becomes dry. There are many tombs and standing stones on the summits. Discovery of vast steppes conducive to zebu cattle. Small Houses, dry yellow grass and frequent bush fires appear. The road becomes right. The air becomes hot and dry. We descend to Ankaramena. After Ankaramena, we take the car to reach Ihosy. The city serves as a transition between the green highlands of central Madagascar and the dry South. In the afternoon, we cross the vast plate of Horombe to go to Ranohira; those want to bike, you can ride the last kilometers to our hotel situated at the foot of the National Park of Isalo.

Overnight: Isalo Ranch**
Difficulty: asphalt road with bends and climbs between Fianarantsoa and Ambalavao, wide easy and straight asphalt road between Ambalavao and Ranohira with many climbs and downhill
Type and conditions of trails: National road from Fianarantsoa to Ranohira

It is located in the region of Ihorombe, the massif of Isalo is a plateau of continental sandstone dated Jurassic. With our bike that we’ll discover some sites of Isalo National Park with its bizarre rock formations and interesting flora. Strongly eroded and cut by deep canyons of many kilometers of length, the park is an extraordinary ecosystem. It is endemic rupicole vegetation made of aloes, euphorbias, pachypodes, kalanchoe grow on the exposed sandstone. We also can find there the Maki and the small bird
We must not forget also the swimwear because we’ll visit the natural swimming pool of the National Park of Isalo. It was after this visit that the car expects at the parking lot to take us to the hotel.

Overnight: Isalo Ranch
Km of cycling: 21 Kilometer
Difficulty: Easy rocky trail with some slopes, turns, and descents
Type and conditions of trails: Runway passing in small streams

After breakfast, we continue our bike trip until lunchtime, then the rest of the day by car. In the afternoon, we arrive at Toliara, the capital of the southwestern region of Madagascar. The South offers striking images of light and shadows, of people and thei villages, of landscape, of plants, of the spiny forest, of pale colors and dry smell.

Overnight: Victory Hotel**
Km of cycling: 108 Kilometer
Difficulty: Easy wide tarred road and straight with slight ascents and descents.
Type and conditions of trails: National Road

Transfer to Tulear Airport and return flight to Antananarivo. Our agent with the car will wait us at the airport in Antananarivo. It will take us back in our hotel. Depending on the arrival time of the flight from Tulear, it will be possible to go to the craft village: the big traditional market of Antananarivo. We will find all gathered Malagasy crafts. After this market, we will go to our hotel for the day use. We will be transferred to the airport for our international flight. And it’s the end of our services.