20 days Madagascar Highlights

This 20-day trip takes you from the capital Antananarivo to the South West of the country. Besides seeing some highlights, you will also visit places that are less known. In this trip you will pass Isalo National Park, Ambalavao and you will have two rest days at the beach.

Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo

Day 2: Travel to Antsirabe

Day 3: Visit Antsirabe

Day 4: Travel to Fianarantsoa

Day 5: Visit Fianarantsoa and surroundings

Day 6: Travel to Ambalavao

Day 7: Travel to Ranohira

Day 8: Day 1 trekking through Isalo NP

Day 9: Day 2 trekking through Isalo NP

Day 10: Travel to Tulear

Day 11: Cycling tour through Tulear

Day 12: Beach time in Ifaty/Mangily

Day 13: Beach time in Mangily

Day 14: Travel to Tsaranoro

Day 15: Stay in Tsaranoro

Day 16: Travel to Ambositra

Day 17: Visit Ambositra and travel to Antsirabe

Day 18: To Lac Tritriva and Antananarivo

Day 19: Visit Antananarivo

Day 20: Flight back home

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20 days Highlights Madagascar

Attention nature lovers!

In this planned trip you will be taken to beautiful Madagascar.

Madagascar is an island full of natural wonders and cultural treasures. In the north of the island there is a region that has much to offer for travelers seeking adventure and discovery .

Below is a day-by-day itinerary for a 20-day trip to Madagascar.

The program

Read here what your day-to-day program could look like. Of course, this is an example and the trip will be tailor-made for you with love.

Day 1

Arrival in Antananarivo

Day 2

Travel to Antsirabe

A driver will pick you up from the airport and take you to the accommodation.

In about 4 hours you drive to the heart of the highlands. This is the city of the Pousse-Pousse, colored carts that are usually pulled by bicycles.

Day 3

Visit Antsirabe

With a guide you visit the local market to buy products that you use to cook a traditional dish such as Ravitoto. Vegetarian or Vegan options are also available.

Day 4

Travel to Fianarantsoa

Stay in a nice small-scale accommodation from my friends Julienne and Patrick. They talk with love about all their customs and habits, and they also cook fantastically!

Day 5

Visit Fianarantsoa and surroundings

Take a tour of the Betsileo countryside. See how rice is planted, harvested or just grows, you are really in the middle of nowhere here.

Day 6

Go to Ambalavao

Climb Kameleon Mountain, or take a guided bike tour. On Wednesdays or Thursdays you can explore the largest zebu market in the country.

Day 7

Travel to Ranohira

You will travel to Ranohira in about 5 hours. You can take a short walk here in the afternoon to explore the area, but be sure to rest a bit before the trek through Isalo NP.

Day 8

Day 1 of trekking through Isalo NP

Leave early and start with a walk through the beautiful mountains, you will come across 3 natural pools where you can swim. You have plenty of time to take a leisurely stroll and admire the lemurs. In the evening your tent is already set up and the meal is prepared by the guides.

Day 9

Day 2 of trekking through Isalo NP

You wake up to the sounds of the forest, be careful that your bread is not stolen from your plate by the lemurs! You walk back to the entrance of the park, where you take the car back to your accommodation.

Day 10

Travel to Tulear

If you leave on time, you will still have time in the afternoon to drive to Sarodrano and swim in the caves here. On Sundays you will meet many people from the area who are here to escape the city for a while.

Day 11

Cycling tour through Tulear

Day 12

Beach time in Ifaty/Mangily

Get up early before it gets really hot and explore this city by bike with a guide. You will see that it really is a melting pot of different ethnic groups.

Mangily is about a 40-minute drive from Tulear. A small fishing village where you can swim, drink cocktails on the beach and enjoy local music in the cozy bars.

Day 13

Beach time in Mangily

You can choose to dive, kite surfing, swimming, snorkeling or just do nothing. There are plenty of opportunities to entertain yourself in this lovely village.

Day 14

Travel to Tsaranoro

You go back to the North on the RN7. The views will not be boring for a long time. In Tsaranoro you will stay in a valley with a beautiful view.

Day 15

Stay in Tsaranoro

If you like climbing and/or bouldering, then this is your paradise. You can also take a nice walk that takes you past small villages in the valley. Anyway, it's beautiful!

Day 16

Travel to Ambositra

A reasonable drive of about 5 hours again, it is becoming a lot greener in this region. In this place, woodworking is the specialty, you can see boutiques where the craftsmen/women show their works of art. It makes you greedy!

Day 17

Visit Ambositra and travel to Antsirabe

You can choose to make wood art yourself, of course under the guidance of an expert, a nice souvenir. Then you travel to Antsirabe in about 2 hours.

Day 18

To Lac Tritriva and Antananarivo

It is usually recommended to take the bus to Lac Tritriva, with the bikes on the roof. From there you can cycle back to Antsirabe. At Lac Tritriva you can also take a dip in this refreshing water, which, strangely enough, is higher in the dry season and lower in the rainy season. After this adventure you get in the car towards Antananarivo.

Day 19

Visit Antananarivo

Wonderful city to stroll through. Prepare yourself for crowds and a lot of attention, but there is so much to see! You can take a walk with a guide, or just set out on your own. For example, visit the Photography museum and have lunch in the restaurant next door. The Rova Royal Palace should not remain unseen either.

Day 20

Flight back home

The last day of the trip. Depending on what time your flight is, you can also go to the Analakely market today, for example. Very busy, but back in the Netherlands you don't experience these kinds of things anymore. There are also other options if you prefer to take it a bit easier, for example visit a spa and go out for a nice meal.