Our 5 most beautiful treks

Dear trekking friends,

I am Harison, a guide with Détours Madagascar, and I am delighted to present our selection of the best treks to experience in Madagascar. A land of endless possibilities, the Big Island can easily become your favorite destination for mountain hiking. Granite, sandstone, forests, high mountains, and volcanoes merge with nature to offer you unforgettable steps on their terrain. 

Find your happiness with us and create your most beautiful hiking experiences!

For the entire Détours Madagascar team, 

Harison

1. Trekking in Betsileo Country: From the Andringitra peaks to the Tsaranoro valley

Our goal: to reach the Andringitra summit in a unique way!

Over an 8-day itinerant trek across Madagascar’s highlands, the hike begins in the village of Iarintsena, 12 km from Ambalavao, and continues to the village of Idondo nestled between granite cliffs. 

Through hills and valleys, we move towards the village of Anja, where large granite boulders secretly shelter a small village and a population of ring-tailed lemurs, completely unexpected! After camping on a hill, the following day takes us through rice paddies and into higher altitudes. 

We enter the Andringitra region: Manampotsy, Belambo, and Andriampotsy serve as our stops, adorned by a mix of agriculture, livestock, zebu trails, and desert landscapes punctuated with succulents like aloe and pachypodium. The final leg to Imarivolanitra, the summit of Andringitra, crosses a lunar plateau nicknamed "the extraterrestrial," with stops at sacred waterfalls and caves. 

A beautiful climb towards the Tsaranoro Valley and its 800m cliff, a delight for climbing enthusiasts, concludes the trek before reaching RN7 to Antsirabe and then Antananarivo.

2. A fabulous trek in Northern Makay

"Getting lost safely" perfectly summarizes the exploration of Northern Makay, where life remains untouched, nature is wild, and one alternates between the sandy hues of nothingness and the lush green of endless biodiversity, all within the depths of canyons. 

Daring to venture into Makay is about allowing oneself to go far and reach new horizons. A new world opens up through paths often shaped by the guide’s instinct, adapting the route to the traveler’s physical condition at the time.

Northern Makay is now also suitable for families with children who can walk well.

3. Trek into terra incognita: The uncharted Vavavato

This exclusive trek is only offered by Détours Madagascar.

Are you passionate about hiking and feel you’ve already explored the most beautiful mountains of Madagascar’s highlands? 

Think you’ve seen it all? Today, we unveil a rare gem. We’ve created a beautiful itinerant trek for you, blending the fresh and the extraordinary: the Vavavato. 

Imagine a space where chains of lakes, volcanic mountains, granite boulders, and unique villages and hamlets intertwine… 

Imagine exploring at cloud level, less than 150 km from Antananarivo, at 2000m altitude. 

Imagine encountering a distinctive population with unique lifestyles and behaviors, where rice-fish farming is essential to life.

4. Hiking and coastal sailing in Sakalava sea

If meeting bush communities excites you, sailing at a gentle pace aboard a dhow through the Radama Archipelago, exploring Madagascar’s fjords, landing on almost untouched shores of multicolored sands, and gazing at pink baobabs, golden rice paddies, blue-eyed lemurs, humpback ducks, polyboroides birds, and tucked-away hamlets sounds appealing… 

Beyond mainland hikes, complement the coastal trips with dives to discover marine wildlife such as whale sharks, humpback whales, various dolphin species, and turtles. This is the trek for you.

5. Exceptional hikes at Cap Masoala

Three elements combine harmoniously in this largest natural sanctuary of the Big Island, challenging to access by road in the SAVA region: water, reefs, and forest. 

Amidst the tropical vegetation of northeastern Madagascar, shaped by these three elements and rich in rare fauna, we combine hiking with water crossings through rivers, torrents, and beaches. 

Six days of hiking in an idyllic setting, followed by a day of relaxation and swimming between the sea and forests, form the highlights of this journey.