Culinary, Culture and South Immersion

Departure for the National 7 to Antsirabe, a city that is located in 169km (3hour's drive) from the capital.
The route will make you discover the greening landscape of the Highlands, with its hills and it's hectares of rice fields, various plantations, covered here and there with small hamlets with traditional houses upon walls with red brick and thatched roof.
On the way, with more children's smiles, you will meet various handicraft sellers who settle by the road proposing colored artifacts : small cars and miniatures planes which are fabricated by recovery materials or by woods, baobab trees and animals by painted raphia, baskets and bags works, …
Coming along the thermal city of Antsirabe, called the “Malagasy Vichy”, located at 1500m height in a basin surrounded by volcanoes.
Getting along with the village of Anjazafotsy Andranomafana, located 32km from Antsirabe. Greeting and starting to be set in the actual rustic life.
Welcome drink and visit of the village.
Dinner, bed and breakfast in the lodge.

"Malagasy-style" breakfast.
Discovery of agricultural landscapes, cultural and historical richness, participating to the rural activities (Agriculture and handwork: basket work). Exchanges, sharing, medium treks to the thermal sources, eventual visit of a traditional healer. Picnic lunch included.
Coming back to the country cottage by zebu-cart, exchange.
Dinner, bed and breakfast in the lodge, with some little folk liveliness

After the breakfast, a little cuisine course of a typical Malagasy meal. Discovery of local products and their cooking.
Lunch on the spot included. Exchange with the members of the rural Association.
Departure for coming back to Antsirabe. Installation in a lodge or in a guest house.
Bed and breakfast in the hotel or guest house

After the breakfast, departure for Fianarantsoa. The road crosses through hills and rice fields again. Various stops for enjoying the landscape and the villages that you could plainly visit . The population is very welcoming and still thankful to be photographed. You will reach the Betsileo territory , recognizable by their traditional outfit, a little shorts and a "malabary" and a hat without shelf as headgear. Coming along the city of Fianarantsoa : the capital city of the Betsileo land, called the city with thousand and one churches, founded in 1830 by the Queen Ranavalona I who wanted it to become the second capital and gave him the name Fianarantsoa which means “The city where we learn the good”.
All along the way we will meet an intense and typical rustic life of the Betsileo land. The rice fields' sights strongly contrast with the very near primary forest . Going into town and transfer to the hotel.
Bed and breakfast in the hotel or guest house

Getting settle after the breakfast, departure for a trek day (accessible for everybody, elevated over 402m + / 484m - walking time 06h) to explore all the aspects of the Betsileo Culture : rice field landscape and some information about rice cultivation : the base element of Malagasy meal, nice encounter and exchanges, History, ... Lunch with the villagers included.
A wonderful and rich day in an exceptional settings of Fianarantsoa surroundings, far from the noise and agitation of big cities.
Coming back to your hotel.
Bed and breakfast in the hotel or guest house

Departure after the breakfast for taking back the National 7 to the south.
The environment changes bit by bit. Impressive granitic domes appear at the same times as the relief becomes more rugged. We are seduced by the beauty and the magic of the places. The road crosses over the foothills of the Andringitra mountain chain where striking monoliths of granite break the monotony of the relief. Then, great dry steppes replace the mountain. Away through the village of Ihosy, capital of the Bara land, a front door to the plateau of Horombe : a plateau that is covered by a huge dry prairie which extends as far as the eye can see and slives with the landscapes that we habitually meet in Madagascar. The region is inhabited by the Bara tribes, farmer population, who draw their herds to the vast grassy space.
Coming along Ranohira. Installation and well deserved pause.
Bed and breakfast in the hotel

OPTION : visit of the Isalo Park in the morning.
Departure for Tulear, capital of the Malagasy southern on a road that is always wonderful, we are in the Mahafaly territory and their famous tombs which are surmounted with various mortuary totems that represent outstanding scenes. We go through the first gallery of dry forestthat are commonly called the Bush. We arrive in Tulear on a hot road bordered with cactus. Little stop in Tulear, and carry on with Ifaty on a track of 25 km of length, the southern beaches are by the north because of the presence of mangroves. Installation in the hotel.
Bed and breakfast in the hotel

FREE day for enjoying the place, the hotel, the beach ... A rest and relax.
Bed and breakfast in the hotel

Depending on the flight schedule, transfer to the airport of Tulear .
Greeting in Antananarivo. A little tour of the handicraft market. Transfer to your hotel.

End of our services