Trekking in Betsileo Country and the Summits of Andringitra

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

Continuation to reach the Anja Village Reserve. nestled between two gigantic granite monoliths.

In this green paradise live in small colonies these ring-tailed lemurs which are almost the emblem of the Great Island, the ring-tailed lemurs. They spend a lot of time on the ground, are not too shy and are therefore easily observable. The revenues from the Anja site are managed by the AMI (Anja Miray) association and redirected to economic and social projects aimed at improving agricultural yields, developing crafts, health and education for the neighboring villagers.

We set up our camp at the edge of the forest.

We will start by crossing rice fields and villages before climbing in altitude. A day of hiking through Betsileo landscapes. A setting dominated by agriculture, livestock and even cattle trails of zebu herds will be on the agenda along the way. We pass through the shepherd village of Manampotsy. We set up our first bivouac not far from the town, on the next hill.

For our second day, we hike through a landscape dominated by large granite massifs. In a desert setting, we find a whole range of succulent plants such as Kalanchöes, Alöes and Pachypodiums, accompanied by small forests nestled in the depths of the valleys.

In the distance, the highest peaks of Andringitra appear. At the end of the day, we arrive at the Belambo camp. We are now in the Andringitra National Park.

Setting up our camp for the night.

On the third day, we leave early in the morning to reach Andriampotsy, located at 2,000 m altitude. This will be the starting point for our hike the next day, towards Madagascar's 2nd highest peak: the Pic Boby, towering at 2,658 m.

The landscapes here are lunar, the Malagasy people call this place "the plateau of Extra-terrestrials". A small detour to admire more closely the two sacred Waterfalls: Riambavy (female waterfall) and Riandahy (male waterfall), passing by the Jajofo Cave.

We set up our camp at Andriampotsy, at 2,050m altitude, ready for our ascent of the Pic d'Imarivolanitra the next day.

Early in the morning, we set off towards Madagascar's 2nd highest peak, the Pic Bobyor Imarivolanitra, reaching an altitude of 2,658 m.

This beautiful hike is done as a round trip on a well-maintained trail. We leave very early to enjoy the view from the summit. If the sky is clear enough, we can see the East coast.

We retrace our steps back to the Andriampotsy bivouac site where we will spend a second night. We deserve some rest after climbing Pic Boby.
We resume our Adventure starting tomorrow!

We begin our descent towards the western slope of the park.
We encounter the surreal lunar plateau which deserves the nickname of "extraterrestrial " as the erosions are so phantasmagoric.
We then cross the forest of Ravenea glauca palms, endemic to this region, until we reach our bivouac site at Iantaranomby, on the banks of a beautiful river where we can cool off.

Our last trek takes us to the heart of the Tsaranoro valley, where we arrive late in the morning. This superb valley is dominated by immense cliffs, highly prized by climbing enthusiasts. We find Lemur Catta again here, living in the preserved forest areas. The valley is alive, and the villages that dot it are magnificent. The simplicity and warmth of the people who inhabit them bring a magical atmosphere to the places.

In the afternoon, we will continue by car to Ambalavao, known for the famous Antemoro Malagasy handmade paper factory which has existed since 1936 and is world-renowned.
This craft, of Arab origin, uses the bark of a shrub called avoha, imported from the South region of Madagascar. It is transformed in Ambalavao to obtain unique paper adorned with flowers or paintings.