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, with rice paddies arranged in terraces.

We will meet a dynamic rural world that is present everywhere. 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 Route 7, we encounter a mountainous landscape with a beautiful alternation of agricultural valleys and mountain passes.
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 in the southern part of the high plateaus.
Here, life is governed by rice cultivation and zebu herding.
Fianarantsoa stands out on a set of hills that can recall Antananarivo.

Through the patchwork of terraced rice fields and diverse crops where all shades of green are displayed, head to Ambalavaoknown for its vineyards.

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

At the gate of the Andringitra National Park, our local team joins us, composed of a park guide and porters. For a first warm-up, we start our hike with 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 done on a well-maintained trail.
We depart 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" as the erosions are so phantasmagoric. We then cross the Ravenea glauca palm forest, endemic to this region, until we reach our bivouac site at 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 rejoin our vehicles.
We bid farewell to the guide and porters who accompanied us during our trekking in Andringitra.

The road to the southwest penetrates the Bara country and crosses the largest plateau in Madagascar, the Horombe Plateau.
The vast savannas and grassy steppes are the lands 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 skirt to reach the viewpoint of Amparambatomanara. Cliffs, Tapia forests, savannas and eroded rocks with strange shapes…
This route is also a live slideshow of plants "adapted" to the arid climate. We arrive in the Ankotrakotraka canyon. Visit to the Portuguese Grotto, arranged by navigators who shipwrecked on the southwest coast of the island and took refuge here in the 16th century.
Setting up camp for the night.

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

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

Car transfer to the village of Beronono, passing by the Mangoky River, the longest on the West Coast. The crossing is made by ferry before reaching Beroroha, the main town 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 start 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 the drawings showing us simply geometric figures…
Then in the afternoon, we take a small path that takes us to a ridge area where we will have an overall view of the massif. At the end of the afternoon, return to the Makay River. Setting up the tents.

After breakfast, we start with a short walk through the reeds, then continue along a long ridge section, where you'll have 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 that 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 stage on the southern part of the massif, half a day's walk awaits us.
In the afternoon, we could cool off on the banks of the Makay River. Lively evening with our porters and guide.

In the early morning, we break camp and say goodbye to our porters and villagers. Departure for a long day of quite difficult tracks by 4x4, parallel to the massif, we cross small dry forests, some villages and sometimes even 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, setting up tents, a spectacular sunset display.

From there, our trekking expedition in the north of the Makay massif begins. Through a riverbed of white sand, we venture between the tall mottled sandstone cliffs. This major fault 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 palms and ferns populate the shores of the gorge, water is now present.
Our camp is established on the banks of the river between the great dark cliffs.

Leaving the bivouac, we leave the riverbed to follow a slope that leads to the ridgeline 400 meters higher.
A technical passage without difficulty will add some spice to our progression, with a safety rope allowing 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, with distant horizons.
A few latanier palms on a wide pass mark a new watershed, with new gorges. In these wooded gorges, we will have a strong chance of finding lemurs. Two species coexist here, 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 true aquatic day, this fissure shelters a beautiful forest with majestic trees. Lemur families inhabit the treetops, visible from time to time. Crocodiles are also present, and we will see their traces.
Nevertheless, one must be careful of certain plants present in the Makay massif, including bararata, prickly reeds. Takilotra are a variety of itching hairs and karibo, a type of bramble 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 faults, 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, peaks and peneplains succeed one another.
We set up camp in a wide forested valley on immaculate white sand.

Our caravan winds through the cliffs, an easy trail, and we reach the plateau. The objective is now to reach a narrow crevice, covered with pandanus, palms and ferns that opens the passage to the large hydrographic basin of Manampanda.
Our progress unfolds entirely with our feet in the water, in a lush vegetative environment. Lemurs, very present, disappear into the canopy. At our feet, caught 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 is to be protected. Our tributary joins the Manampanda river and the water flow suddenly becomes much more important.
Our camp is established on a beautiful sandy beach at the edge of the river.

The Manampandana river guides our progress for a good hour before we leave it to reach the plateau. After joining the ridge line, we head towards the Bara villages on the northern outskirts of the Makay massif.
We reach the village of Tsiazorambo in the early afternoon. Our vehicles are there, waiting for us.
This marks 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 wonderful adventure together, you, the porters, the tracker, the guide and the logistical team Détours Madagascar.

After breakfast, we fold up the tents and say goodbye to the porters and trackers. We get back into our 4x4s to take the north exit track, in order to reach the town of Malaimbandy before crossing 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.

Short tour of the city and visit to <local craftsmen (making miniature bicycles and cars, zebu horn work…) then drive to Ambatolampy.

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

Continuation in the afternoon towards Antananarivo. If our timing permits, visit to the craft market.