Family Adventure in Northern Makay

Meeting in the city center at 06:00 in the morning, for departure with our 4x4 vehicles scheduled at 06:30. Departure for Antsirabe located 170km from Antananarivo. Crossing the landscapes of the Highlands by taking a winding road bordered by a mosaic of diverse crop fields and terraced rice paddies. Several stops along the way to meet the farmers and villages along National Route 7.

Heading due west, we reach the town of Miandrivazo on the banks of the Tsiribihina river at the end of the day. Night in a hotel in Miandrivazo.

We resume the journey to Malaimbandy. It is beautiful and runs along the Mahajilo river which flows into the Tsiribihina river. We reach the small town of Malaimbandy at its very colorful market.

Along an earth track, we venture into a wide furrow oriented north-south between the Bongolava to the east and the Makay to the west. The track becomes increasingly chaotic with passages through fords in water, very dense forests. Depending on the season, the track is more or less difficult.

The sedimentary plateau with ruiniform appearance of the Makay is composed of friable sandstone, it is also the northern extension of the Isalo massif. The slow and inexorable work of time, some tectonic movements aided by water flow have patiently eroded these rocks.

We set out to discover this unique massif. By a network of rivers then a large savanna, we enter a gorge called Ankaromokotry, named after the fruit that we find on the plateau.

We set up our bivouac on a beautiful tongue of white sand on the edge of the river.

We continue our progression into the depths of this wonderful canyon. The water becomes less and less significant and a few acrobatic passages add a playful touch to our hike. In this gorge, the spectacular and inextricable geomorphology has allowed groups of original animals and plants to develop away from the world, to the point of creating new species.

Lemurs are very present in these isolated forests. We catch sight of them more than we observe them, as they are unaccustomed to any human presence.

We take time to discover the fabulous environment of the Sakapaly gorges. A very beautiful trail allows us to climb onto the plateaus south of the canyon. An entire labyrinthine pathway opens up to us, these are the famous sakasaka. The vision we can have of these rock formations is spectacular. We embrace a unique 360° panoramic view. A few kilometers away, to the south, rises the highest point of the entire Makay massif.

We devote this day to discovering the secret gorges at the sources of the Manapanda river. Three parallel fissures flow towards the North. They are all three totally different.

Having traveled through it the day before, we already know Ampasimeiky with its white sand, its large trees and its absence of water. We now discover the Andranomanga fissure with its abundant blue waters.

Thanks to a labyrinth of fissures, we set off to explore this very singular region.

Our caravan makes its way through the cliffs, an easy route, and we reach the plateau. The objective is now to reach a narrow fissure, covered with pandanus, palm trees and ferns that opens the passage to us towards the great hydrographic basin of Manampanda. Our progress takes place entirely with our feet in the water, in a lush vegetative environment. The lemurs, very present, disappear into the canopy. At our feet, caught in the blocks of the riverbed, petrified wood bears witness to the remnants of a fossil forest. These silicified specimens 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 bivouac is established on a beautiful sandy beach on the banks of the river.

The Manampanda River traces our progress for a good hour, then 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 cars are there, at the meeting point. This marks the end of our unique and unprecedented journey through this magnificent Makay massif. We say goodbye to part of our team with whom we have just lived a beautiful adventure together, the porters and our guide.

We get back into our 4x4s to take the northern exit trail, in order to reach the town of Malaimbandy before crossing national highway 34 which takes us to Miandrivazo.

Leaving the small town of Miandrivazo, the road climbs into the hills of the Bongolava region. As we travel, mosaics of terraced rice fields and various crops, with hills overlooking red brick houses of the Central Highlands, come into view. We gradually enter the Vakinankaratra. After the very beautiful Betafo valley dominated by a chain of volcanoes, we arrive late in the morning in Antsirabe.

Rice fields and villages characteristic of the Highlands shape the landscape. We continue in the afternoon towards Antananarivo. Arrival in Antananarivo, at the end of the day.

Thank you and see you soon!