Cycle Madagascar

Our adventure starts in Antananarivo. The group flights usually arrive
mid-afternoon. There will be a group meeting and briefing in the evening
followed by an optional group dinner in the hotel for those that would like
to join.

Leaving the hotel after breakfast we transfer out of the busy city to the
Lemurs Park to encounter these primates which are endemic to Madagascar.
Lemurs Park is a private park with a few species of lemur living freely in a
forested area. After the visit to the park, we start cycling through scenic
farmland with plenty of rice paddy fields. After lunch in Arivonimamo, we
will transfer through a highland region to the top of a mountain pass before
continuing the ride downhill to Miarinarivo, the capital of the Itasy, a
region known its volcanic activity. The road levels out and the following
32km to Ampefy offer reaching views and are a real joy to ride. In Ampefy the
lakeside hotel is our base for the next two nights.
Cycle approx. 72km.

We start today by cycling to the geysirs of Analavory. These limestone mounds
are similar to geysirs found in Utah and Nevada; volcanic activity encourages
bursts of warm water to cascade down the bright yellow stone and create a
series of pools, often used by the locals for swimming due to the belief of
the healing powers of the water. The ride starts on a decent road but the
16km route out and back to the geysirs is along a bumpy dirt track, linking
up some fascinating small rural villages. Re-joining the new tar road we head
back towards Ampefy, but before reaching the hotel we will take a small
detour to the Liliha waterfalls, a dramatic series of cascades that provide a
perfect way to refresh near the end of a full day of cycling. This stretch is
also on dirt road.
Cycle approx. 54km (26km on dirt road).

Although relatively short, today’s ride is fairly challenging with varied
terrain. We cycle the first 20km to Soavinandriana through scenic landscape
with some hilly sections, including a steady 4km climb up to the town itself.
The road levels out and we continue our undulating ride through spectacular
scenery before a great descent which crosses the river at the small village
of Kelivody. Here we will load up the bikes to drive across a high mountain
pass to the town of Faratsiho. From here the road deteriorates dramatically
and we will need 4X4 vehicles to pass the 47km stretch to Sambaina. This is
an adventurous drive passing through a region that is rarely visited by
tourists and provides a unique insight into the lives of those who live along
the route. From Sambaina we re-join the tarmac for the final drive to
Antisarabe. The entire transfer is likely to take up to 5 hours, but we will
stop regularly to stretch the legs and have a look around. Antsirabe is an
elegant city founded by Norwegian’s in 1856. It has a temperate climate and
has a very European look and feel about it, including the local beer industry
that makes it famous.
Cycle approx. 38km.

Departing Antsirabe we start with a very short transfer to Vinanikarena to
avoid the hectic morning traffic within the city. This is a long day’s
cycling with a few undulations including a 4km climb to the ‘Col de
Tapia’, a type of tree resistant to bush fires that makes for some
interesting scenery. The support vehicle is with us all day so a rest is
available if needed. Today’s destination is Ambositra, the centre of
Madagascar's wood carving industry. The highlands are characterised by its
architecture; the houses are made with ornately carved wooden balconies and
shutters with bright colours. Upon arrival, depending on timings, we may
visit a Zafimaniry woodcarving workshop to learn all about this local art
that is listed on the UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage (if
there isn’t sufficient time today then the visit will take place the
following morning).
Cycle approx. 84km.

We have a lot of ground to cover today to get to the famed Ranomafana
National Park. We’ll start the day with a transfer to Camp Robin before
riding towards Ambohimahasoa. The landscape is still dominated by rice
fields, pine forests, eucalyptus trees and jagged mountains. The last
section, from Vohiparara, cruises downhill through a ravine canyon, with a
tremendous view of the Namorona River and the rainforest, to our final
destination of Ranomafana, our base for the next 2 nights.
Cycle approx. 74km.

We have a day off the saddle today to explore Ranomafana National Park
(approximately 40,000ha). With its rain-forested hills and abundant wildlife
this has long been considered one of Madagascar’s highlights, and is one of
the most heavily visited of the country’s national parks. Its entrance lies
about 7km from Ranomafana village. Altitudes in the park range from 800m to
1200m. In addition to its densely forested hills, Ranomafana’s terrain is
characterised by numerous small streams, which plummet down to the beautiful
Namorona River. Although much of the region has been logged, the easternmost
part of the park retains relatively large areas of primary forest. The
morning will be spent walking through the park, learning about the abundant
flora and fauna and in the early evening there will be the chance to go on a
night-walk in the hope of spotting some the nocturnal lemurs and chameleons.

We’ll start today with a 2 hour transfer to Fianarantsoa, which literally
translates into ‘good education’ and is known locally as ‘the City
where one learns good things’. It is regarded as the cultural and
intellectual centre of Madagascar and is home to some of the oldest
Protestant and Lutheran cathedrals on the island. We’ll start cycling here
following a windy road to Ambalavao. Ambalavao is the centre of the
Madagascan wine industry - the climate is said not to be ideal for grape
vines but it is a tradition left by the priests and monks who lived in the
area of Fianarantsoa. We climb a steady pass then enjoy a fabulous descent
with great views before arriving in Ambalavao.
Cycle approx. 56km.

We’ll start cycling from the hotel today and pause to visit the small Anja
nature reserve where we hope to see Ring-tailed Lemurs in their natural
surroundings. Continuing on a straight road flanked by mountains we’ll head
towards Ihosy, the capital of the Bara tribes. This nomadic tribe are
shepherds to the prized Zebu cattle recognisable by their large horns.
We’ll pass through the mountain chain of Andringitra, which serves as a
transition between the dry south and the green highlands, with its famous
‘3 hillocks’ and its huge ‘archbishop's cape’. Along the way we’ll
pass the ‘Bishop’s Hat’, a sacred place for local people as it is a
place where their ancestors chose a collective suicide rather than to give in
to the Merina tribes. On reaching the town of Zazafotsy we’ll jump on the
bus for a transfer over the mountain-pass and then through the huge
dessert-like ‘Plateau de Horombe’ famed for its deep red soil and
sprawling savannah. Beyond the plateau we arrive in Isalo, our base for the
next 2 nights.
Cycle approx. 95km

Today we take a break again from our bikes for a hike in the stunning Isalo
National Park. We spend the day exploring this vast region of wind-polished
and water-scoured rock towers, deep canyons, gorges and oases often described
as Eden. During our time we will go walking in the magnificent Canyon des
Makis in search of cheeky Ring-tailed lemurs and the Verreaux's Sifaka. The
eroded mountains also served as a place where the Bara kept their dead before
they could bury them in their actual tombs. We start our walking and reach
the massif after about 20 minutes, where we will have a spectacular view of
the huge sandstone mountains with its beautiful colours and its strange and
battered formations creating many different images like ‘the tortoise’,
‘the masks’ and ‘the crocodiles’. We also visit the 'Piscine
Naturelle' (natural swimming pool), a beautifully lush spot in such an arid
landscape, where we mayswim and relax. Perhaps the magic is just to soak up
the sheer beauty of the park, the combination of coloured eroded rock forms,
strange plants and enveloping silence make this one of the most captivating
places in Madagascar.

Today is our last day cycling and we ride from the hotel through the dramatic
rock formations heading out of the national park. Leaving the canyon, the
ride continues to the sapphire mining town of Ilakaka and through isolated
forests that constitute the most important remnant of dry deciduous forest of
Madagascar. After finishing the ride we transfer through Zombitse National
Park and through areas known for flamboyantly painted ‘Mahafaly tombs’
and ‘Antandroy tombs’. From Tulear we’ll continue north of Ifaty to
Ifaty beach, a seaside beach resort protected by coral reefs. The landscape
is dominated by cactus-like plants and mangrove trees line the coast which is
used by local Vezo communities that earn their livelihoods through fishing.
Cycle approx. 65km.

Our hotel lies on the beach and today is a full free day to relax on the
beach or take part in some optional activities. From July to mid-September
there is the option to go whale watching as the migration of Humpback whales
passes through to give birth in shallow warm waters. Situated in the largest
lagoon of the country, the area is also protected by a large coral reef,
which makes it an ideal place for diving and snorkelling.

Today we transfer to Tulear airport for our flight to Antananarivo which will
arrive in the afternoon. Depending on the flight schedule, you may have free
time to explore Antananarivo on your own. Those on the group flights will be
transferred to the airport in the late evening for the very early flight the
next morning.

Please note that flight delays on the internal flight are not uncommon – we
strongly advise not to book your international flights to depart before
midnight.