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9 days - Baobabs, Isalo and the western coast

Baobabs and canyons, Isalo's sandstone and the Ifaty beaches

Nine days by flight and road through western and southern Madagascar, from the Baobab Alley at Morondava to the sandstone canyons of Isalo National Park and the beaches of Ifaty.

1 Country
6 Stops
8 Nights
Medium Service level
  • The storyThe headline tells the journey in a few lines, one after another.
  • At a glanceThe figures beneath it are the essential facts of the trip.

The journey

When to go

Baobabs and the western roads
Isalo walking
Ifaty beach and sea
Heat and rain
Baobabs and the western roads Isalo walking Ifaty beach and sea Heat and rain Avoid
May Primary window

The start of the dry season, with clear skies, firm roads, comfortable walking in Isalo and a warm sea at Ifaty. Mild days and cool highland nights.

Dry season starts Firm roads Clear skies

The route

Antananarivo Morondava Antsirabe Isalo Ifaty Antananarivo
01

Madagascar

Antananarivo, Morondava, Antsirabe, Isalo and Ifaty, by flight and road.

Arrival at Ivato Airport. Transfer at the Hotel Au Bois Vert Antananarivo, an excellent choice for travellers visiting Antananarivo, offering a quiet environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.
After breakfast, get ready to take a flight to Morondava. Transfer to the Airport of Tana to join Morondava. The fastest flight lasts 1h 10min. Arrival at the Airport of Morondava, and ride directly to Laguna Beach to benefit from the beauty that the hotel offers the visitors. In the afternoon, visit the famous Baobab Alley which highlights the city of Morondava.
Quick city tour of Morondava before driving to Antsirabe. Morondava can be also used as a base for trips to the fishing village of Belo sur Mer by pirogue or the wildlife park at Kirindy. In fact, tourists have opportunities to discover the population’s lifestyle, their cults, the markets, etc. Overnight at a pre-booked hotel.
After breakfast, going to experience the city of Antsirabe by Pousse-pousse. Continuation by road to Isalo, visit the Zafimaniry - Ambositra city which will make you discover beautiful and undulating landscapes, mainly its carving woods. One can even say that in this village, time seems to have stopped. Continuation by road to Isalo via Ambalavao. Overnight at a pre-booked hotel.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, the fifth day is spent exploring Isalo National Park and picnic lunch. A sandstone landscape that has been dissected by wind and water erosion into rocky outcrops, plateaus, vast plains and canyons up to 200 metres deep. Isalo is located in a largely dry forest ecoregion in which natural vegetation has been reduced to almost numerous endemic species and numerous endemic plant species found here, including 13 species found only in Isalo and another 35 rare species known from 2-5 places. There are also unusual lithiens, including a type specimen and the only known location of the narrowly endemic Isalonactis madagascariensis. Sundowner at Isalo Windows, overnight stay at a pre-booked hotel.
Transfer by car to Ifaty. Visit Zombitse National Park, Zombitse-Vohibasia is a national park in the Atsimo-Andrefana region of south-west Madagascar. Ninety species of birds are known from the park, including thirty-eight endemic species. Night at pre-booked hotel.
Free day on the beach. Overnight at pre-booked hotel.
Transfer to Tulear airport and domestic flight to Antananarivo. Rest in the hotel.
A day dedicated to Tana City Tour, Visit of Manjakamiadana Rova (Palais de la Reine), then pass through Andohalo Garden in pass to the Jean Laborde’s house and to the cathedral Andohalo. Lunch at Malagasy Restaurant to taste the best of Malagasy culinary. Evening or afternoon flight, transfer to the international airport, and return flight (depending on the International flight).

Choose your route

The north and west route: Ankarana Tsingy and the baobabs · 10 days / 9 nights · lower-cost option · from $2,120 per person sharingThis version flies north to Diego Suarez for the Red Tsingy and the Ankarana reserve on foot, with a night in the cool highland village of Joffreville, then returns south for the Baobab Alley at Morondava and the thermal city of Antsirabe. It leaves out Isalo and Ifaty and is one day longer. Ask us to build this version around your dates.

The detail

About this trip

Western and southern Madagascar is a wide adventure among the most dramatic forms of nature. The majestic Baobab Alley is a unique place in Madagascar. The west coast offers magnificent coastal settlements that serve as a gateway to the fifth-largest coral reef in the world. The vast miles of thorny forest is home to some of the strangest and most formidable plants on earth.
The rugged desert canyons of Isalo National Park rival those of Arizona. For many, a cabin in Isalo and a piece of beach is enough.
In fact, west and south are the perfect recipes for off-road exploration, and it's a strictly four-wheel country, ripe for adventure.

What is included

  • Private tour
  • Accommodation
  • Half board meal plan
  • Picnic lunch on day 5
  • Car rental with driver
  • English-speaking guide services
  • Entrance fees and local guide into national
    parks: Isalo and Zombitsé
  • Entrance fees and local guide into sites:
    Anja reserve communities and Arboretum
  • Excursions mentioned in the programme
  • The municipal and touristic taxes
  • Domestic flight Antananarivo - Morondava
  • Domestic flight Tuléar > Antananarivo 

What is not included

  • International flights
  • All lunches not mentioned on the programme
  • Activities and tours not mentioned in the programme
  • Drinks, tips, and personal expenses 

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How do we get around the west and south of Madagascar?
You combine two domestic flights with long road days. On day 2 you fly from Antananarivo to Morondava, the fastest flight taking 1 hour 10 minutes. Days 3 to 6 are by road via Antsirabe, Ambositra and Ambalavao to Isalo, then on to Ifaty via Zombitse. On day 8 you drive to Tulear airport and fly back to Antananarivo.
When is the best time for the Madagascar west and south route?
May to September score highest across the route, with clear skies, firm roads, good light on the Baobab Alley and comfortable walking in Isalo. April and October are alternatives, though heat builds by October. December to March is the rainy season with cyclone risk, slow or cut roads in the west and slippery Isalo trails.
What does a typical day on this Madagascar trip look like?
Days vary between travel and sightseeing. Day 4 includes a pousse-pousse ride in Antsirabe, then a road journey to Isalo, with a stop to see Zafimaniry wood carving at Ambositra. Day 5 is spent exploring Isalo National Park with a picnic lunch and a sundowner at Isalo Windows, and day 7 is a free day on the beach at Ifaty.
What is flexible on the Madagascar itinerary?
Day 7 at Ifaty is a free day on the beach. Morondava can also be used as a base for trips to the fishing village of Belo sur Mer by pirogue or to Kirindy wildlife park. On the last day, flight times follow your international departure. Hotels are pre-booked, and dates are confirmed in your proposal.
Can you combine more than one country in a single trip?
Yes. Many of our journeys cross borders, for example Botswana with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or Cape Town with a safari and the Falls. Tell us the places you have in mind through the enquiry form and we will plan the route and transfers as one itinerary.
What meals are included on safari?
Meals depend on the camp or lodge and are set out in your itinerary. On safari they are usually taken at camp, with a picnic or packed meal on some days. Tell us about any dietary needs when you enquire.
Do I need vaccinations or medication before an African safari?
Health requirements depend on where you are travelling from and where you are going, and they change. Check your country's official travel health advice or TravelHealthPro (travelhealthpro.org.uk), and see a travel clinic well before you depart. Ask about malaria prevention early.
What should I pack for an African safari?
Lightweight, breathable clothing that covers your arms and legs helps against sun and insects, in neutral colours. Bring comfortable closed shoes (boots if you will walk), a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards. Your itinerary lists any luggage limits for charter flights.
How do I stay safe on safari?
Your guides brief you on how to behave around wildlife. Follow their instructions, stay in the vehicle or camp area as told, and never approach or disturb animals. Conditions differ by country and change over time, so check your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel.

On this trip

Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.

Explore Madagascar: 9-Day The West & South Part Route
Explore Madagascar: 9-Day The West & South Part Route
Two ring-tailed lemurs with orange eyes sitting side by side before green foliage

Book it in this order

Work down the list. Each step depends on the one above it.

Field notes

The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.

The Baobab Alley

The avenue of giant baobabs near Morondava is best photographed in the low light of late afternoon and early morning. Bring a zoom lens for compressing the trees and a wide-angle lens for the sky.

Long road days

Days 3, 4 and 6 are long drives on winding roads between Morondava, Antsirabe, Isalo and Ifaty, with stops at Ambositra and Ambalavao on day 4. Start early, carry water and snacks, and bring motion-sickness tablets if you need them.

Antsirabe and the highlands

Antsirabe is explored by pousse-pousse, a rickshaw, and Ambositra is known for Zafimaniry wood carving. The highlands are cool, and cold at night from June to August, so pack a fleece and a warm jacket.

Isalo National Park

Isalo is a sandstone landscape of rocky outcrops, plateaus and canyons up to 200 m deep. You spend the day on foot with a picnic lunch and finish at the Isalo Window for a sundowner. Bring sturdy shoes, a hat and plenty of water.

Zombitse and Ifaty

Zombitse-Vohibasia is a dry forest with about 90 bird species, 38 of them endemic, so bring binoculars. The day at Ifaty is free for the beach, and swimming and snorkelling depend on sea conditions.

Antananarivo city tour

The last day covers the Rova of Manjakamiadana, the Queen’s Palace, Andohalo Garden, the house of Jean Laborde and the cathedral, with lunch at a Malagasy restaurant. The streets are steep with many steps, so wear comfortable shoes.

Tipping

Tipping guides and drivers is customary. Your final documents include a general guide, and amounts are at your discretion.

Plan this journey

Make this trip your own

Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.

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