From the Land of Volcanoes to the Pangalanes Canal

Flight to Antananarivo, dinner on board, evening arrival at Ivato Antananarivo airport.
Program developed with Air France.

We take the beautiful road heading west. We cross the typical villages of the Highlands and, gradually, large volcanic cones appear. On the shores of Lake Itasy, we settle in the small town of Ampefy.
After lunch, we take time to discover and soak in the very peaceful atmosphere of this little-traveled region.

Due south, a beautiful mountain road takes us towards Faratsiho, via Soavinandriana. We cross a succession of rich agricultural valleys nestled to the west of the Ankaratra massif.

The landscapes are superb, with all shades of green displayed as a palette on the hillsides and rice paddies in the valley bottoms where cassava, sweet potatoes and potatoes are cultivated.
Faratsiho is a large town set against the foothills of the Ankaratra mountains. The town overlooks a superb rice plain.

We reach AAntsirabe and, once there, we take time for a city tour. Here, the rickshaw is king, it is the favorite mode of transportation for the people of Antsirabe.

We continue our journey towards Manandona where we settle into a rural guesthouse, managed by a local community where the inhabitants warmly welcome us.

Basic comfort, outdoor facilities and bucket shower.

Departing from the lodge; we set out on foot to discover the typical environment of the Highlands. Nestled at the foot of the mighty Ibity Massif, the Manandona Valley is rich and prosperous. The land here is also very generous and rice is the main crop.

After gaining elevation by following good trails crossing the foothills, we return to the valley to meet the inhabitants. All are rice farmers and own zebu cattle, some raise silkworms, others are blacksmiths, basket weavers or carpenters. Traditional craftsmanship is omnipresent.

Our guides are part of a local association for the development of the region. They will be able to tell you about their activities, local customs, traditions and development.

Second night with a local family.

After breakfast, we leave the Manandona Valley to continue south. We cross the highlands and visit the town of Ambositra, the famous capital of wood craftsmanship. Meeting with marquetry artisans: in their workshops, these craftsmen compete with imagination and ingenuity in making marquetry items and wood sculptures.

After lunch, we continue our journey to Ranomafana and its national park home to a multitude of lemur species, which we will visit the next day. We arrive at the village in the late afternoon.

We then cross the Vatovavy region, a mountain range rich in different stones such as emerald, ruby, and amethyst.

We reach the quiet small town of Mananjary, a producer of vanilla, coffee and cloves, on the banks of the Pangalanes Canal.

We part ways with our driver-guide here, who will turn our vehicle around to meet us upon our arrival in Manahoro, at the end of our cruise on the Pangalanes. We will be taken care of by the English-speaking guide and the barge crew during navigation.

After breakfast, departure for a river cruise on the Pangalanes Canal.

The Canal stretches along the east coast of Madagascar between Farafangana in the south and Foulpointe in the north. This waterway, 665 km long, is much safer than the very tumultuous Indian Ocean.

On this aquatic boulevard, we encounter barges, "bush boats" (river taxis), canoes and rafts transporting local products shipped to the nearest towns, including bananas and other seasonal fruits, cassava, fish, dried ravinala leaves for the roofs of huts… Spontaneous greetings and joyful cries from children on the banks accompany us throughout our journey. We are witnesses to unusual and unforgettable scenes of life.

After breakfast, boarding the boat and heading towards Ampanalana through a small canal.
Fishing pirogues cross our path in this verdant network of lakes and lagoons that form the Canal.
The passage of the mouth of the Mangoro River, several kilometers wide, is one of the highlights of our day's journey.
After wonderful encounters and magnificent discoveries, we will reach the end of our navigation in mid-afternoon.

We meet up with our driver-guide. Transfer to the hotel and check-in to our bungalows.

After breakfast, embark on the boat and head towards Ampanalana via a small canal.
Fishing pirogues cross our path in this lush network of lakes and lagoons that form the Canal.
The passage through the mouth of the Mangoro River, several kilometers wide, is one of the highlights of our day's journey.
After wonderful encounters and magnificent discoveries, we will arrive at our final destination in mid-afternoon.

We meet up with our driver-guide. Transfer to the hotel and check-in to our bungalows.

Departure for Andasibe after breakfast. Between dense forest and the Canal des Pangalanes, the road winds between narrow valleys. Stop at the tropical fruit stalls of Antsampanana. We have lunch there before continuing to Andasibe, towards the east-central part of the country in the heart of humid tropical forest.

After breakfast, we drive to Antananarivo, which we will reach in late morning. We discover the typical landscapes of the Highlands, the soil becomes redder and the traditional houses of the Imerina in red brick and rammed earth gradually replace the wooden houses of the Betsimitsaraka.

Arrival late morning at Paris CDG.