Trekking in Betsileo country and the peaks of Andringitra

Through the patchwork of terraced rice fields and diverse crops where all shades of green are displayed, head 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 returned to economic and social projects aimed at improving agricultural yields, developing crafts, health and education for the benefit of the neighboring villagers.

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

We will start with crossing rice fields and villages before climbing to higher altitude. A day of hiking through the Betsileo landscapes. The scenery is dominated by agriculture, livestock farming and even zebu herds trails will be part of the walk. 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 array of succulent plants such as Kalanchöes, Alöes and Pachypodiums, accompanied by small forests nestled in the hollows of the valleys.

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

Installation of our campsite for the night.

On the third day, we set off 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, which reaches 2,658 m.

The landscapes here are lunar, the locals call this place "the plateau of Extra-terrestrials". A short detour to admire more closely the two sacred Waterfalls: Riambavy (female waterfall) and Riandahy (male waterfall), passing through 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 head 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 depart 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 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 West side of the park.
We encounter the surreal lunar plateau that deserves the nickname of "extraterrestrial " as the erosions are so phantasmagoric.
We then cross the palm forest Ravenea glauca, endemic to this region, until we reach our bivouac site at Iantaranomby, on the banks of a beautiful river where we can refresh ourselves.

Our final hike 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 encounter Lemur Catta again here, living in the portions of preserved forests. The valley is vibrant, and the villages scattered throughout it are magnificent. The simplicity and warmth of the people who inhabit them create a dreamlike atmosphere to the places.

In the afternoon, we will continue by car to Ambalavao, known for the famous Malagasy antemoro 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 southern region of Madagascar. It is transformed in Ambalavao to obtain unique paper decorated with flowers or paintings.