Southern Madagascar – Group Trip – Autumn 2012 - Audley Travel

Tuesday, 13
November 2012
RANOMAFANA TO AMBALAVAO
group transfer with driver and guide
Driving from Ranomafana to Ambalavao takes around four hours. For the first half an hour
or so the road twists and turns through the rainforest and plantations of pine and
eucalyptus trees. The road then opens out into terraced farmland and rice paddies
studded with the occasional village. At Alakamisy the road joins RN7, taking you down to
Fianarantsoa (commonly known as Fianar). Although not a particularly attractive town, this
is a good place to break your journey, stopping to buy water, petrol and snacks and stretch
your legs. After Fianar the hillsides become more barren, and enormous granite boulders
jut through the grassy slopes. The views are most breathtaking just before Ambalavao,
where the road turns a corner and drops down, leaving you with incredible views across
the countryside to the hills beyond.
Ambalavao Introduction
Ambalavao is a small town, typical of the Central Highlands. The old part of town has
wooden balconies with elaborate carvings, tiled roofs and people carrying pails of water.
The town is known for its paper making and is the home of the Malagasy 'Antaimoro' paper
which is papyrus based paper with wild flowers in. You can visit the factory which is mostly
flowerbeds and have a small tour and visit the shop. Another local produce is silk and you
can learn more about the interesting production methods, this is also a great opportunity
to support this local craft. There is a lively cattle market on Thursdays on the outskirts of
town. This starts at 3am so you are unlikely to see the beginning but you will see a large
number zebu and herdsmen on the roads.
Ambalavao, Madagascar
EXPLORING ANJA PARK
shared excursion with your guide
Anja is a community owned park, so the local people benefit directly from people who pay
to visit the park. The park covers and area of 50 hectares and there are some superb views.
The main attraction are the 40 different families of ring tailed lemurs that call the park
home. The region is sacred to the Betsileo who have always considered it 'fady' (meaning
unlucky or frowned upon) to hunt lemurs, allowing them to flourish.
Hotel aux Bougainvillées, Ambalavao
Breakfast and dinner are included
Wednesday, 14
November 2012
AMBALAVAO TO ISALO NATIONAL PARK
group transfer with driver and guide
Leaving Ambalavao you'll head south west towards Isalo, passing huge granite rocks jutting
through the grassy plains. The largest of these is the "Gateway to the South", and beyond
this you'll see the landscape and house change as you pass from Betsileo to Bara country.
After around two-and-a-half hours you will come to Ihosy, the capital of the Bara tribe.
This is a good place to stop to break your journey before continuing south. From here it
takes another hour and a half to Isalo, crossing the empty savannah of the Horombe
Plateau. In the hazy distance you'll see sandstone cliffs rising from the plains- this is the
Isalo Massif.
Southern Madagascar – Group Trip – Autumn 2012