The Great Exceptional Hikes, Andringitra, Isalo and Makay

We head towards the city of Ambatolampy, located south of Antananarivo.
We cross the typical landscapes of the Central Highlands by taking a winding road bordered by a mosaic of fields and diverse crops, rice paddies arranged in terraces.

We set out to meet a dynamic and ubiquitous rural world. As we approach Antsirabe, various agricultural productions spread out along the roadside.
We reach Antsirabe, the thermal city, nestled in the center of the Highlands.

Heading south on RN7, we encounter a mountainous landscape with a beautiful alternation of lovely agricultural valleys and mountain pass passages.
The road is beautiful and allows for a gentle approach to the southern part of the Highlands. We enter the Betsileo country, the majority ethnic group of the southern high plateaus.
Here, life is rhythmed by rice cultivation and zebu herding.
Fianarantsoa stands out on a cluster of hills that can remind one of Antananarivo.

Through the patchwork of terraced rice fields and diverse crops where every shade of green is displayed, heading to Ambalavaoknown for its vineyards.

FromAmbalavao, we leave National Route 7. The chaotic track takes us to the village of Ambalamanandray, at the eastern gate of the Andringitra MassifThe Andringitra Massif.

At the entrance to the Andringitra National Park, our local team joins us, composed of a park guide and porters. For a first warm-up, we begin our hike on a beautiful trail between forests and waterfalls to reach the intermediate plateau of Andriampotsy, the base camp of Pic Boby.

Early in the morning, we head towards the 2nd highest peak in Madagascar, Pic Boby or Imarivolanitra. It reaches 2,658 m.
This beautiful hike is on a well-maintained trail.
We set out very early to enjoy the view from the summit.
If the sky is clear enough, we can see the East Coast.

We now reach a surreal lunar plateau that deserves the nickname of "extraterrestrial" so fantastic are the erosions. We then cross the Ravenea glauca palm forest, endemic to this region, until we reach our bivouac site in Iantaranomby on the banks of a beautiful river where we can cool off.

Heading west, we continue our descent towards the magnificent Tsaranoro Valley. Late morning, we meet up with our vehicles.
We say our goodbyes to the guide and porters who accompanied us during our trekking in Andringitra.

The road to the southwest enters the Bara country and crosses the largest plateau in Madagascar, the Plateau de l'Horombe.
The vast expanses of savannas and grassy steppes are the places traversed by this great ethnic group of zebu herders of Bantu origin. The village of Ranohira is located on the outskirts of the ruiniform massif of Isalo.

We resume the trail heading north of Isalo, accompanied by our porters and the park guide. The trail runs along the eastern cliff of the Isalo massif. We reach the village of Andriamanero.

On foot, we reach our bivouac site. At the end of the day, we set up our tents. The northern part of the Isalo plateau is wild and little-known.

We begin our hike towards the Ambovo plateau which we will follow to reach the viewpoint of Amparambatomanara. Cliffs, Tapia forests, savannas and eroded rocks with strange shapes…
This itinerary is also a live slideshow of plants "adapted" to the arid climate. We arrive in the Ankotrakotraka canyon. Visit to the Portuguese Cave, developed by navigators who shipwrecked on the southwest coast of the island and took refuge here in the 16th century.
Camp setup for the night.

We will explore the Sahanafo Forest to try to discover Sifaka, lemurs propithecus, in their natural habitat.
Return to the camp for lunch then we start our walk towards the Ambovo plateau where we set up our camp for the night.

Early in the morning, we resume the hike towards Tameasoa where our vehicles await us.

Car transfer to the village of Beronono, passing by the Mangoky River, the longest river on the West coast. The crossing is made by ferry before reaching Beroroha, the capital of the district in the region.
Arrival in late afternoon at Beronono, camp set up right on the banks of the Makay River.

We will begin the hike along the Makay river. Then continue towards a small forest that leads us to the foot of the Mahatiny cave. A place where one of the oldest rock paintings still exists, most of whose drawings show us simply geometric figures…
Then in the afternoon, we take a small path that brings us to a ridge section where we will have an overview of the massif. At the end of the afternoon, return to the banks of the Makay river. Tent setup.

After breakfast, we start with a short walk through the reeds before continuing along a long ridge section, where you'll enjoy magnificent views of two lakes. Here, parrots are omnipresent, their cries echoing through these long corridors. A few birds of prey such as buzzards, kites and striped polyboroides glide above the mountains.
In the afternoon, a short technical descent before arriving at Anosilahy Lake. Then we climb back up a small river which leads us to the bivouac site.

We start directly in the water to explore a superb deep gorge accompanied by surprising vegetation growing inside. Followed by a connection on a plateau to reach another canyon that takes us next to Lac Sariaka.

We reach the village of Beronono, the last stop on the southern part of the massif, a half day's hike awaits us.
In the afternoon, we could cool off on the banks of the Makay River. Evening entertainment with our porters and guide.

Early in the morning, we break camp and say goodbye to our porters and villagers. Departure for a long day of fairly difficult 4x4 track running parallel to the massif, we cross small dry forests, some villages and even sometimes almost abandoned trails.
In the afternoon, before arriving at camp, we pass through the small town of Mandronarivo, where fresh drinks await us.
Arrival at the bivouac site, tent setup, spectacle of a splendid sunset.

From there, our trekking adventure in the north of the Makay massif begins. Along a riverbed with white sand, we venture between the high mottled sandstone cliffs. This major fissure allows us to access the Andranomite Cave. It has always served as shelter for people crossing the Makay massif from east to west.

We now plunge into the heart of the massif, a network of dry canyons descends into the wildest part of the Makay. The highest point of Makay dominates our path. Multiple varieties of palm trees and ferns populate the gorge banks, water is now present.
Our camp is set up on the banks of the river between the great dark cliffs.

From the bivouac, we leave the riverbed to follow a slope leading to the ridge line 400 meters higher.
A technical passage without difficulty will add some spice to our progress, a safety rope allows us to cross this short rocky section. We now follow a splendid balcony trail that overlooks the eastern plain bordering the plateau. The atmospheres are superb, the distant horizons.
A few palmyra palms on a wide pass mark a new hydrographic basin, new gorges. In these wooded gorges, we will have a good chance of finding lemurs. Two species coexist, the Fulvus rufus and the Prophitecus verraux.

This great day takes us west of the ruiniform sandstone barrier. The deep gorge of the Sakamaly River cuts deeply into the massif. A truly aquatic day, this fissure shelters a beautiful forest with majestic trees. Families of lemurs populate the visible treetops from time to time. Crocodiles are also present, and we will see traces of them.
Nevertheless, we must be careful of certain plants present in the Makay massif, including bararata, prickly reeds. Takilotra are a variety of itching hair and karibo, a type of thorny vine often found hidden in grasses.

Early in the day, after a couple of hours of hiking in the savanna, we reach a very rugged region, a tangle of cracks, ridgelines similar to great labyrinths, the sakasaka. A winding path gives us access to the major fault of Sakapaly which flows to the east of the massif. The 360° panoramas are magnificent. Canyons, faults, summits and peneplains succeed one another.
We establish our bivouac in a wide wooded valley on immaculate white sand.

Our caravan makes its way through the cliffs, an easy route, and we set foot on the plateau. The objective is now to reach a narrow crevasse, covered with pandanus, palm trees and ferns that opens the passage to the large watershed basin of Manampanda.
Our progress takes place entirely with our feet in the water, in a lush vegetation environment. The lemurs, very present, disappear into the canopy. At our feet, trapped in the blocks of the river bed, petrified wood bears witness to the remains of a fossil forest. These silicified witnesses are very useful for the study of geology, paleobotany and paleoenvironment. Needless to say, this unique heritage must be protected. Our tributary joins the Manampanda river and the water flow suddenly becomes much more significant.
Our camp is established on a beautiful sandy beach along the river.

The Manampandana River guides our progress for about an hour before we leave it to reach the plateau. After reaching the ridge line, we head towards the Bara villages on the northern edge of the Makay Massif.
We reach the village of Tsiazorambo in the early afternoon. Our vehicles are there, waiting for us.
This is the end of our unique and unprecedented journey through this magnificent Makay Massif. The evening is dedicated to conviviality and the joy of having lived a beautiful adventure together, you, the porters, the tracker, the guide and the logistics team Détours Madagascar.

After breakfast, we pack up the tents and say goodbye to the porters and guides. We get back into our 4x4s to take the northern exit track, in order to reach the town of Malaimbandy before crossing the national road 34 which takes us to Miandrivazo.

In the afternoon we continue to Antsirabe, the capital of the Vakinankaratra region, the final stop for the day.

A short tour of the city and visit to <local craftsmen (making miniatures of bikes and cars, working with zebu horn…) then drive to Ambatolampy.

Rice paddies and characteristic villages of the Highlands shape the landscape.

Afternoon continuation towards Antananarivo. If time permits, visit to the craft market.